Originally Posted by
delbiker1
Thanks Golden Boy. This is my first build and I am learning that one will want to make changes both during the build and after one thinks it is done. That is why the question mark. I got in 36 miles on the bike this morning and still not happy with the bar/stem set up. It may be the height or reach of the stem/bar, or it may be the Nitto is just more comfortable for me. I have issues with numbing hands and it was worse today with the Soma than it has been at any time with the Nitto.
First- I'm a dork that starts thinking about certain parts... whether it's a derailleur or something as trivial as a cable hanger... and then I have to make it happen. Looking at your bike- it's beautiful- it looks well put together and neat and thought out. I think "ordinary" people can put together, or get a bike put together and just leave it or maintain it. There's a class of people that have to **** with it. I'm there... I don't know if you are.
Second... I got my left hand crushed around 7 years ago and I'm left with nerve pain. It doesn't take much to trigger it- and sometimes it hurts, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes my fingers do what I want, sometimes they don't. But I do raise the bars up and I do cushion them- the less of a beating my hand takes, the better off I'll be. I guess I've been fortunate that the bars I've used have all been good for my hand. As much as I like the rando bends- I find the B177 to be my favorite- just because it doesn't flare out as much and the lower drops are pretty much parallel with the ramps.
Is that the Bontrager brown cork bar tape? I can't find that stuff anywhere anymore. They changed the color/pattern a few years ago- I even tried sucking up to Trek for anything left around the plant.