If you rode a saddle that fits when set up flat, you probably wouldn't need the handlebars and hoods pointing up so far in order to push back against them.

Everything in cycling is too pricey!

Your speed/cadence sensor is in the happy position.

R3 and Scott
 

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=319309

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=319308

Btw, there should be a new rule.
Always, always photograph your bicycles with a focal length of at least 100mm. More OPTICAL zoom will compress the perspective and make the bike look better proportioned.
When taking pictures of bikes with wide angle lenses, some parts of the bike (handlebar, saddle) will stand out and look bigger and some parts will look tiny in comparison ( wheels) and so a not hot pic is created

It doesn't matter if it's optical zoom or digital zoom, and it's not about the focal length, either. The perspective distortion problem ultimately comes down to the distance between the camera and your bike - the closer you are, the more of a problem it'll be.

Actually since I have seen the comments, I went out and leveled the seat on the ridley (I hadnt noticed that thanks) Its exactly 2.125 inches lower at the bar than the seat, so I am not sure how "much" drop a 48 year old kinda fat guy is supposed to ride.

On the specialized its about 1.125 inch drop from the seat to the bars.

I do agree the bars do look rotated up. I did that (maybe shouldnt have) in an effort to get my hands to quit hurting. when they were rotated forward the bone on the outsides of my hand where it meets my wrist hit the handlebars pretty good and I get a lot of pain. If I rotate them up like this, it doesnt hit.

Suggestions?

Do whatever it takes to keep time in the saddle.. Don't worry too much about what people in this thread say, it's hard to get a "hot" for your BMW 7 series when you show up to a Ferrari party.. Bikes are solid and if you like them that's what matters. Keep riding.

better ask this guy about that...

http://earsucker.com/wp-content/uplo...s-and-blow.jpg

yowzah! this is hot in my opinion...although to be honest, probably any other color than red as accent would have looked better to my eyes

but for the investment, if you wanted weight weenie style, you'd need to ditch the Enve stuff, and might as well put on Lightweight wheels...

Yes, the Parlee is super Hot, if one can look past the saddle.

MarkThailand, for the love of cycling please remove those valve caps!!!

Have you been fit?.. not, eyeballed by a bike sales guy, fit by a fitter. It can make a big difference. Bike fitting is not completely intuitive. I fit myself on my bike when I started riding again at 45. It looked a bit like your set up (not quite so much, but it was a bigger frame than I ride now, with little drop). I've been riding almost three years and have been fit using Retul on a DFU. My fit looks like this now and this is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden (almost no weight on the hands and I can stay in the drops).

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psf7eda092.jpg

Hot, yes, very hot, not. SMP saddles look awful IMHO. Not a fan of mis-matched size wheels. Hot stamp on tires not places correctly under valves. And valve stem caps need to be removed. Bars could be rotated up a smidge. Just ride it, no worries about what others say.:)
Cheers

This is just my personal opinion here. By quick glance, I dont think this bike is Hot to look at. It is an amazing build and sexy by looking at all the quality parts it has. I would be foaming at the mouth if it was sitting in front of me, but only because I would be looking over each individual component, not as one complete bike. That saddle, regardless how comfy they might be are about as ugly as they get. So visually speaking, I find it an eye sore. That bartape on those drops look like my morning deuces after being backed up for a day or two. I dont care for the geo of that frame for some reason either.

Bike is HOT, but only because the parts on the bike are so nice. Visually, it doesn't do it for me which I hate to say because I want to love it so much.

Same old 2008 Lynskey with some new parts....
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...lder/009-1.jpg

Nothing to criticize on the Lynskey...HOT

_can_not_unsee_!

HOT! What wheels are those?

Maybe just the picture but those pads look to be toed out instead of in

I actually find the Parlee kind of cool looking with the very matte black finish. I have never ridden a SMP saddle, however, the swept up in the back feature reminds me of Concor saddles from 20 years ago - which were really nice with the swept-up rear when climbing really big hills. I do like the new Cannondale chain rings on that crank. Call me a purist but the SRAM Red rings and new Shimano rings are not sculpted enough for my taste.

2011 Pinarello Quattro & 2011 Fondriest Tf2 1.0

http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2659c13a.jpg


http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/...ps93c7f73d.jpg

Would appreciate any suggestion to increase the hotness.

Do you like the saddle digging into wang feeling?

I'm no fit expert, but wouldn't you have been better off getting a smaller frame on both of those? Even with the stem slammed, there's barely any saddle to bar drop.

Me thinks the saddles are too low. And for No.2 bike, woah! Dude, you need a fit session!!:cry:

dude...your saddle angle. That just can't be right. back problems or no, your saddle sould not point down like that. get a fit, and thank us later, you will enjoy riding SO much more.