Project strip down and rebuild

[sotal]

I didn't get round to posting a huge number of photos but it is finished!

I think it looks a lot more modern with the black to contrast the orange. I still live the colour and now it is so much nicer to ride.

Took it for a short ride a few days ago and came back with a few issues. Sorted those and then today I went for a 36km very hilly ride to test out the gears. Approx 900m of climbing. I took a rucksack full of tools just in case and didn't end up needing any.

It wasn't a usual route and if avoided riding in this area due to the gears not working great on my old bike. The lowest gear on this new setup is lower than my old one and I was surprised to find myself in it on a number of occasions! I don't think I'd have made it up some of the hills in a higher gear. The worst hill was 1km long and according to Strava I averaged about 4km/h which is pathetic 🤣. But I made it up without walking!

Very happy at the fact that all the creaks have gone.

A few bits left to fettle but nearly there!

 

[AndyRM]

Love the colour too!

 

[sotal]

View attachment 537783

Just out of interest, what do people think to the setup of the bike in terms of seat height and bar height? I hadn't really noticed how much lower the bars look. I'm late 30's, and not that flexible! I'm 6'3". I ride at least 90% of the time on the hoods, I move to the straight bar for a bit of a change every now and again and when going up steep hills. I occasionally drop onto the drops on long straight roads with good visibility.

I feel that the bike fits me well - I had it sized up at a LBS about 7 years ago. The only issue I have is neck ache on long rides, it starts predictably at between 50 and 60km and does get quite sore. I'm sure I'll build up into getting used to it but just wondered if a change in angle would alleviate it a little at minimal cost in effeciency.

The stem is currently angled down and there are 2 spacers below the stem and 1 above. I'm tempted to try moving the third spacer below the stem and to flip the stem. I'm guessing that doing this will probably have little negative impact due to the fact that I'm rarely in the drops and I'm not exactly racing, but that it may help the neck ache a little?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Flip the stem first leaving the spacers as are, and see how that feels. That will lift the bars about 2cm.