Finally - My Steve Goff is ready to ride.

[TheCyclingRooster]

Hi to you all out there. Well it has finally happened albeit I have not taken it out for a spin yet.

I am awaiting two Silver Bottle Cages and a dry day for an AM or PM jaunt through the lanes of Scarisbrick.

I have set it up on a 10spd Campagnolo Centaur configuration with a 12:13:14:15:16:17:19:21:23:25 with a Stronglight 46:36:24 Triple.

The new jacket is a Flamboyant Blue courtesy of C&G Finishes,Liverpool.
I had the block capitals changed to a rather pleasing Gold Script as I felt that they were just a little over bold and wrapped around the tube a little over-much.

 

[dan_bo]

Is it err.....The right size for you?

 

[S-Express]

Frame looks great - the setup looks horrendous, sorry.

 

[raleighnut]

Is it err.....The right size for you?

Well you aren't gonna find a much smaller frame than that.

I can't help thinking a quill stem is much more elegant though.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

Is it err.....The right size for you?

What is the right/correct size ? I can prop myself up on the occasional car or roadside fence or even a lamp-post and my 'track-stand' ability is a real eye-opener.
If all-else fails then I still have my emergency walking stick as a prop.

If you are inferring that the bike looks large and that you know that I am only a short arse at 4'10" then the 140mm cranks really do help but the weight of the brick on a string for touch downs is heavy and polystyrene blocks are prone to breaking-up and blowing away.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

Frame looks great - the setup looks horrendous, sorry.

By horrendous I assume that you mean the use of a quill converter and the 130mm 4bolt stem.
The set-up was chosen in favour of the need for concealed cables and the oversize diameter of the bars.

The bike was built for me - by me - and some riding comfort and is not going to be entered into an Eroica rally where even the wrong valve caps loose marks.

 

[S-Express]

By horrendous I assume that you mean the use of a quill converter and the 130mm 4bolt stem.

No, I didn't even notice the quill converter. The seatpost is slammed down, the saddle is slammed forward, the hoods/levers are at 45deg and the stem looks incredibly long in relation to the frame size. That's what I meant by a horrendous setup.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

Well you aren't gonna find a much smaller frame than that.

I can't help thinking a quill stem is much more elegant though.

Hi raleighnut. There were/are some 48cm frames about but not in a brand that I was looking for. The 50cm horizontal top tube is just about in my comfort zone.
Yes,I do agree that the quill stem would have looked preferable and strictly speaking it would have been correct for the period but there were other considerations.

My 52cm Benotto Modelo 850 is just manageable albeit I have put it up for sale a few times - again built for me - by me.
I have had offers for it but I think that the would be owners were from another planet/dimension or even possibly scammers trying it-on.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

No, I didn't even notice the quill converter. The seatpost is slammed down, the saddle is slammed forward, the hoods/levers are at 45deg and the stem looks incredibly long in relation to the frame size. That's what I meant by a horrendous setup.

Not everyone that rides a road bike is as tall as Chris Froome and the like - so the seat height above the cross-bar is positioned for me at 4'10" and the short cranks at 140mm are because of having had total left knee replacement in 2007 and the inability to get sufficient bend at the knee.
By the way - they also do help with the seat height because without them it would be even lower - by 30mm.

The nose of the saddle is positioned 35mm behind the perpendicular line of the bottom bracket spindle - what is wrong/incorrect with that ?

The stem length of 130mm is my relatively normal/chosen length and in consideration that the saddle is further back that the one on my Benotto I don't find that odd at-all.

Going back to the 60's complete with the 'Big Fat Cape-roll' and my much missed 1937 Hetchins Curly which was a 20.5" frame and with conventional cranks at 170mm - the saddle was very low on the frame and the nose was just in-line with the perpendicular position of the bottom bracket spindle.

All things considered - I wonder how many modern day cyclist will be still riding and still able to ascend and descend not much different to when they were in their late 20's/early thirties.
At 71 yrs young I personally don't think that I don so bad.

 

[S-Express]

The nose of the saddle is positioned 35mm behind the perpendicular line of the bottom bracket spindle - what is wrong/incorrect with that ?

The stem length of 130mm is my relatively normal/chosen length and in consideration that the saddle is further back that the one on my Benotto I don't find that odd at-all.

If you are at the extremes of adjustment on more than one contact point, I would suggest there is a fit issue. You seem to be at the extremes of adjustment for four different reference points, just saying.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

If you are at the extremes of adjustment on more than one contact point, I would suggest there is a fit issue. You seem to be at the extremes of adjustment for four different reference points, just saying.

Hi S-Express. I don't see the extremes of adjustment in my case and in particular I ride very very comfortable at 71yrs young and not because I have 'worn' into a position.
As yet - as my heading suggests I haven't been out on the Steve Goff but I am sure that there might be a small adjustment or two needed but I suspect it will be either saddle will be moved forward ever so slightly or a slight forward tipping of the bars/levers.

 

[dan_bo]

Hi S-Express. I don't see the extremes of adjustment in my case and in particular I ride very very comfortable at 71yrs young and not because I have 'worn' into a position.
As yet - as my heading suggests I haven't been out on the Steve Goff but I am sure that there might be a small adjustment or two needed but I suspect it will be either saddle will be moved forward ever so slightly or a slight forward tipping of the bars/levers.

Fair enough Mr. Rooster if you're happy with it then that's that.

It is a lovely frame. Make sure you get out on it.

 

[Spokesmann]

Lovely looking frame, but all I'm seeing is that bar tape...