Write an article based on this "Know that you must adjust the seat and handlebars to truly size a bike. Make minor adjustments to your seat height if you feel knee pain. Adjust how far forward the seat is to change your distance to the handlebars. Start with your seat angle leveled evenly with the ground. Adjust your handlebars to ride comfortably"
Getting the right frame size is only one part of sizing a bike correctly. Think of sizing measurements as your first draft -- it is the basis for everything that follows, but you need to make finer adjustments to get everything right. While you should set your seat before you buy a bike, making finer adjustments is crucial to comfortable sizing. Remember to pedal with the balls of your feet and don't swing your hips up and down with each stroke. If you feel pain in the back of your knee when riding, your seat is too high. Lower it 1-2cm. If you feel pain in the front of your knee when riding, your seat is too low. Raise it 1-2cm. Loosen the bolt underneath the back of the seat to move the seat forward or backward several centimeters. Make sure the seat is far enough forward for you for you to reach the handlebars comfortably. If your seat is in the right position, you will be able to stand on the pedals without using the handlebars to pull you up. If you have trouble standing, reaching for the bars, or feel finger numbness, then your seat is too far back. Trouble riding down hills and/or shoulder pain usually means your seat is too far forward. Use a carpenter's level to make sure the seat is flat, as this ensures even distribution of your weight. While some people believe a seat should be tilted up, a level seat is almost always the best starting point. However, if you experience crotch discomfort, you can try: Women typically tilt the seat down for comfort. Men typically tilt the seat up for comfort. Loosen the bolt on the side of the seat to change the seat angle. You can easily loosen the bolt, change the angle, then tighten again. Some older seats have two small bolts underneath the seat, one in front of the seat post and one behind. You must tighten one side to push that side up while loosening the other, almost like a see-saw. . You want to ride in a way that's comfortable for you, and that changes from person to person. You want to feel in control of the bike without lower back pain. Most beginner riders want the handlebars to be even with saddle, or 1-2" lower for racers and mountain bikers. Your elbows should be slightly bent and your fingers light on the handlebars -- they could freely play the piano if there was one there. The position of your handlebars is determined by four things: Top Tube Length refers to the length of the bar between your handlebar stem and seat post. These are adjusted to fit the frame, and unless you have a very disproportionate body (torso much larger/smaller than legs) getting a properly sized frame will give you a properly sized top-tube. Stem length is the distance between your top tube and the handlebars. The longer the stem, the further away the bars will be from your seat. Stems run from $15-$150 and are the primary way to adjust your frame to make it fit your torso. Longer stems bend you into a more aerodynamic position while shorter stems lead to a more upright, calmer riding style. Handlebar angle can be changed independently from your stem. To do so, loosen the 4 bolts where the stem meets the handlebars and angle it up or down to your comfort. This is a great way to get an extra 1-3 inches on your handlebar position, which can make a big difference in comfort. Handlebar height may often be changed by adding or removing the metal spacers where your stem meets your frame. To do so, loosen the bolt on the top of the stem and the two that clamp the stem to your frame and remove the handlebars. Then add or remove the spacers accordingly. You can only make minor changes, however, as there is not a lot of room for new spacers. Some older road bikes with quill or threaded stems may allow you to adjust the handlebar height by raising or lowering the stem.