Wow! Thanks guys! I really appreciate the advice! Excellent points on all fronts.

I hit bike shop #4 in town (well, slightly out of town), and they let me dig through their big parts bin and I came up with gold: Both 90 mm and 120 mm quill stems. I started with the 120 mm. What a difference - I can actually ride this thing now! I could not do more than one mile in the drops with the short stem, now it feels so natural. It will take some miles to dial in the stem exactly, but I am a lot closer now!

Speaking of ride, what a smooth one it is. It is a lugged steel touring bike - so it should be smooth and comfy – and it delivers. The wheel bearings, headset, and derailleurs are silky smooth. This bike really didn't make it out of the garage much with the previous owner! The skinny tires and aero position make it "feel" very fast, too. I'm sure it's only 1 part speed and 9 parts psychology, but it still feels gooood!

The handling has improved immensely with the longer stem. It feels much less twitchy with the slower turning radius. The extra weight on the front wheel makes for a more stable-feeling ride. On that note, It’s official: The bike shop guy was definitely talking out of his arse! The long stem feels VERY stable, not the opposite, and steering has improved for my purposes. Though a racer might prefer a twitchier steering feel for quick action, this is a touring bike, and the longer stem compliments the ride nicely.

As for the fit: I started with the seat adjustment as recommended (I had it all the way back before in a desperate attempt at more reach). I have it set to KOPS for now (though with my MTB I find that being slightly farther forward helps with hills and climbing). I also leveled the saddle (good eye!). Saddle height remains the same as that was the one dimension that I got pretty near perfect from the outset.

Well, Thanks Again! I will take some longer rides and make some height adjustments to see how well I can dial-it-in with the 120 mm stem. Currently I have the stem at seat height. This may go lower or higher depending on comfort over longer rides.

Great advice - now time to see if this road-bike business if for me! If my longer rides feel as good as the quickie I did today, my MTB may never see the pavement again!

-S.