It is, and it had an adapter made of plastic which promptly stripped out on the stem threads the first time I tried to use it. I need to stop by the bike shop on the way home and pick up a good brass or steel adapter.

Something I considered, but since I do like ALMOST ZERO off-road riding, and I still have the fat tires that I could put back on the Hybrid if I do want to go off-road, I think this is going to work out just fine.

When they had this on the trainer at the LBS and had the handlebars in the right position, it really felt good. I just emailed the LBS and told them that if they can find something sooner in a non-specialized stem in the size they're recommending, I'd be happy to pay a few extra bucks if necessary so I can get the right stem on it sooner. However, I know that one of the reasons the LBS likes the specialized stem is that the shim allows you to vary the angle by 4* up or down, which would allow me to move the bars higher or lower as I get into the season. I too find this an attractive feature!

Going from an upright bike like a hybrid- you may find that you want the bars somewhere near level with the saddle position or even higher. When I went road this is how I initially set up my first bike. I also set it a bit short in the cockpit length so that it felt nearer the MTB position that I changed from. Took a year to get the ride position sorted and that was a longer and lower ride position. Besides being more comfortable- It also put me in a more aerodynamic position and the bike felt as though it wanted to go.

Finally sorting the ride position will take time and that is for the body to find the position it likes. It will come naturally with just a tweak here and a tweak there. In the meantime just get out and do the miles and find what does not quite feel right.


Oh-----And better pics required to show in profile- drive side out- so that in 6 months time you will be able to see how you have evolved into a road rider.

It doesn't show up well in the pic, but the saddle is maybe a fraction below the seat now - once I get the right stem I'm sure it will be level with or slightly above the seat.

All I had with me was my phone - I'll take a better pic with the good camera! :)

Thanks - the saddle will look even better when I pair it with something matching on the handlebar tape when the black tape wears out. If I take out a second mortgage I might spring for the Brooks leather, but I'll probably stick with cork! :)

Congrats, Steve! Now I know I'm gonna need to bring my road bike when we ride.

Which Specialized is that? I've always thought about trying a Roubaix.

I think of it as integrating a bike - making choices of parts that will work well for me and work well together on that bike.

I've read all the posts and some very good points raised.I'm a 65yr old fart; around age 60 my old road position just didn't cut it any more; this after a good 20yrs riding----too low, neck and shoulder killing me.
We flipped the stem in the bike shop, it still wasn't perfect but better.
I put the seat up I put it down moved it closer,moved it back, the neck stil hurt, mri showed just old age, steroid injections eased it some.
You just keep riding because that's what you do.
This year I stumbled on this; bike radar.com/ how to get your seat height right; used the holmes method no. four with my own two dollar goniometer and a knee angle of 25 degrees.
I had tried all the other methods listed there; no good, but this one had good power without any leg pain.
I'm ready for the tour right? Not quite, not yet, I found this site, cycling tips .com.au 2010/04 the science of bike fitting.
An mit professor looked at millions of bike fitting programs correlated them with arm lengths ( don't laugh )
and figured out that he had 98% of the formulae that the programs used.
His seat height ( you'll see his method from the pictures ) gave the same results as my holmes method.
I set my seat setback to his method and now Cancellara better keep looking behind him tomorrow.
The prof. claims this as the most efficient pain free ride you can get.
The farthest I've done was about a sixty mile climbing, windy ride with it on the tops,the drops and just felt balanced,hands off you are neutral and best of all NO NECK PAIN............ My guess is that you still might need to change the stem a little but so far so good;I think that bike fit's a moving target but I'll keep this position until the wife can't bear to hear my pathetic moaning next time.
Road bikes are it; they are the fastest and when fitted right can be comfortable.
I cracked the frame on my titanium bike and while it was waiting to be repaired I bought a Cannondale CAAD 10.
Aluminum's really changed, the hydroforming of the frame's really made it stiff and comfortable and at one fourth the price of the titanium bike it's got 90% of the performance, a good cheap ride as I suspect all it's competitors are.

The Secteur. From what I understand, it's an alloy version of the Roubaix.

Okay - how's this??

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=309087

Note that I found a high-angle (maybe 30*?) and shorter (70mm) stem at an LBS. I was looking for an adjustable stem (Ritchey makes one) but this shop had a ton of stems, and just happened to have this one. Just rode it around the block a couple of times (it was only 45* today and overcast) but it seems to be much more comfortable, though I'm realizing that I need to train myself to use my core strength a little more to support my upper body.

This stem should do fine for the next few weeks while I'm waiting for the Specialized stem that's on order.

Ok hence the similar style. Nice!

Thanks for the welcome Bill,
I've lurked on here for years and yes I've just had the colonoscopy ( pictures available.)
i just got the ti bike back, only took a year; it has a different year head tube on it now so needs a different headset.
I'm glad the OP got the right bike now it's just the fine tuning.

Thought I'd tack this on here for the benefit of any others that go down this road.

I have a total of about 50 miles on the new bike, and am enjoying it more each ride. The seat is working out REAL well - there are starting to be visible dimples for my sit-bones already, and haven't had any cause for complaint at all yet, but none of the rides have been over 20 miles yet. That will change as soon as I get a weekend with some warm and dry.

It seems that the lower handlebar position is taking some getting used to. I'm getting just a bit of hand numbness, but interestingly, not as severe as I get on my hybrid where there was virtually NO weight on my hands. I think that is because I'm constantly moving my hands to different positions as I'm not entirely comfortable on the hoods yet, and I tended to keep my hands in the same position on the hybrid. As I become more comfortable with the bars, my hands are staying in one place longer and hence the bit of numbness. I ordered a new pair of gloves from the LBS where I bought the bike, and those might help (they better for the price I'm paying for them!)

I had to laugh at myself yesterday though - I was cruising along at 16-17mph on a stretch that would usually see me at 13-14 mph on the hybrid. I was feeling pretty slick cruising along that fast until a pace line of about 8 guys whizzed by me like I was standing still! I almost got off the bike to see why it had stopped!! :)

Go back and re-read that article at the top! That article, written on April 1, 2010. The "update" at the start explains it all! ;)

I'm blushing after your expose of the magic of this bike fit method !
But the seat height is still spot on for me ( the same as a 25 degree angle at the knee. )
Of course when I chatted to Lance someone or other-- didn't catch the last name, he said that a certain Johann or something like that had told him that he'd heard that a guy called eddy had assured him that he always carried a wrench on the bike to ensure that his position was always more or less spot on when he could reach for a soothing sip of fluid laced with er I mean reach down to tie his laces while er still watching out for peds.................................

I can't make the addy work. Can someone make a link?

Clawed it was written on April 1 the joke was on moi..................

thanks

Even as an April Fools joke, it's amazing how much of that stuff was so close to spot-on, when I measured my bicycle with it!