thanks for the posts guys... much appreciated

i confirmed on specialized site that it has 20mm spacers from factory

i would appreciate more comments on my riding position..... the stem was already pointed in the upwards direction but i have now changed the angle to the +16deg position... feels to be better, ill take a ride tomorrow to test... didnt do much in the looks department but hopefully i can drop it lower once i get familiar with a road bike

i love the bike, it rides awesome, smooth and crazy stiff... cant wait to get it properly fitted so i can enjoy it to its fullest... i am going to try and get into the dealer this weekend and get it fitted

thanks for all the posts and advice, much appreciated

thx for the post.... very imformative

ill check the specialized website to make sure i have the stem together properly

lolololol... take a guess as to whether or not this is my first road bike!!!! lol

that bike is certainly not too big. my initial impression look at your pic was that it was too small, but perhaps not. you just (1) need a good fit, and (2) realize that if its your first road bike it's going to feel and fit diferent than any other bike you've had.

As others have said, be really careful if you've loosened and retightened the stem without a torque wrench. Too lose can slip and is dangerous. Too tight can crush the steer tube and will require getting a new fork.

I've found that fixing the setback will lead to a more comfortable position. Essentially, even though the space from handlebar to seat goes up, you move your weight to your ass where it's supposed to be. Once your weight is appropriately placed, then look at bar position.

Post a picture of your seat angle and setback. You might have it tilted forward which makes you support your weight on your hands. Really enhances the feeling of stretching to reach your bars. You need to bend from the hips more as you are very upright and rigid. The bike looks like it fits you so it seems like you really need a proper fitting to adjust your position.

the bike fit is indeed in the ballpark, but I don't like that elbow bend... actually the lack thereof.

I guess it's ok for now, but as the OP gets some miles instead of lowering the bars, he ought to just bend his arms more. almost every newbie changes their fit after a while on a road bike.

riding with straight arms will transmit a ton of road shock to your shoulders and neck, and you'll feel beat up after a ride.