Originally Posted by
pinholecam
Congrats on the new bike
Its good that you shared more info on the bike setup too.
That will be good reference for anyone considering this bike in the future.
Interesting that you went for the Zee RD and shifter.
Any particular reason why you did not opt for 11sp SLX which would allow the 11-42t and 11-50t cassettes?
The Zee is a good reliable option though, I used it a lot on a previous bike and it works/shifts well.
A stem extension might be a solution for your stem/bar height adjustment needs
TRIWONDER MTB Bicycle Fork Stem Extender Handlebar Riser Bike Neck Extender Aluminium Alloy Stem Raiser (Black - Super Long Version): Amazon.sg: Sports, Fitness & Outdoors
There are other options out there, I just posted the one above as an example.
How do you find the braking?
I've heard many mentioned to me that they expected more from the cable disc brakes. (though its more wrt road levers + mechanical disc brakes)
No complaints about the brakes. Jam them on and the tires skid to a stop; or modulate the squeeze and come to a smooth stop. We don't ride in the rain so the fact that they're resin-pad only doesn't pose a problem.
I bought the Zee because it had a good reputation for keeping the chain from jumping off the cogs. The rails-to-trails paths we ride can be very jiggly in stretches. There are no steep grades, so no climbing gears are needed. The Zee does require quite a lot of thumb strength when shifting to easier gears, which my wife doesn't like, so it might get swapped out.
Thanks for the stem-riser link. My wife likes to sit upright, so a riser that lifted the bars just a tad might do nicely coupled with a short stem.
P.S. I should add that the Change MTB frame did come with a headset but I bought the Cane Creek tapered headset along with one of their 1-1/8 adapters in case I could not find a suitable tapered fork.