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Those spacers... Time to remove em?

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Those spacers... Time to remove em?

Old 09-10-10, 05:16 PM
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billh92109
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Those spacers... Time to remove em?

Bike fit is dialed in OK.

I cant really move the seat as that is set up great, but I keep feeling this nagging urge for a more aggro position. I have a stock trek 2.1 - What is the best way to do this? Just remove the spacers and flip the stem all at once (I think the seat is only an inch higher than the bars at this point), or perhaps do just one bit at a time to get used to it to make sure I dont go too far with the position?

Whats your experience with this? Change all at once or slowly? My background - I am fairly new (3 mo) but training hard to do my first cat5 racing next year - can already do centuries and keep above 20mph on flats for an hour or more, so getting some good saddle time, and no real issues yet other than an annoyingly numb left pinky finger after rides.
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Old 09-10-10, 05:32 PM
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I would recommend moving it a little at a time. Take a spacer or two off and put it on top of the stem. This allows you to set it back if you decide to. After you've moved enough spacers, put one or two back on and flip. Continue lowering it until it's as low as it can go or you're happy. Then and only then do you take the spacers off completely and cut the steer tube. Don't forget stems come in varying angles too.
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Old 09-10-10, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
I would recommend moving it a little at a time. Take a spacer or two off and put it on top of the stem. This allows you to set it back if you decide to. After you've moved enough spacers, put one or two back on and flip. Continue lowering it until it's as low as it can go or you're happy. Then and only then do you take the spacers off completely and cut the steer tube. Don't forget stems come in varying angles too.
This. If you make drastic changes you may not like how you feel after the ride. Gradual tweaks are generally best.
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Old 09-10-10, 05:39 PM
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I agree, a little at a time is certainly best.
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Old 09-10-10, 05:45 PM
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Yep.
One spacer at a time, without flipping the stem. Baby steps.
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Old 09-10-10, 05:49 PM
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billh92109
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Thanks - I appreciate the advice.
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Old 09-10-10, 06:08 PM
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Just trying to get a ball park figure here, I presume it's different for everybody. After you make a change, how long do you ride before you make the next change?
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Old 09-10-10, 06:14 PM
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Just to throw a wrench in everyone else's opinion. I was always mildly sore until i flipped the stem and took out 1" worth of spacers all at once. No soreness at all.
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Old 09-10-10, 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by zstjohn
Just to throw a wrench in everyone else's opinion. I was always mildly sore until i flipped the stem and took out 1" worth of spacers all at once. No soreness at all.
I kind of agree. I think what the issue may be is cutting the extra length off the fork tube. No?
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Old 09-10-10, 06:22 PM
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I was in the same position as you. First I flipped the stem, then maybe three weeks later I moved the my biggest spacer above the stem.
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Old 09-10-10, 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by zstjohn
Just to throw a wrench in everyone else's opinion. I was always mildly sore until i flipped the stem and took out 1" worth of spacers all at once. No soreness at all.
The OP already has a comfortable position, so it's not even remotely the same. Also flipping the stem and removing as many spacers as you did drastically affects the reach, so off you didn't compensate for that, then your initial position must have been very wrong.
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Old 09-10-10, 06:41 PM
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Originally Posted by umd
The OP already has a comfortable position, so it's not even remotely the same. Also flipping the stem and removing as many spacers as you did drastically affects the reach, so off you didn't compensate for that, then your initial position must have been very wrong.
My original fit was for a beginner. My first bike i said "I kinda wanna get into biking, not really sure how serious i'll get"

I confess though after getting the fit and then seeing how other bikes were set up i kinda felt screwed


then i caught the bug and took matters into my own hands.
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