Having tried the trick of flipping over my 110mm one to give a more upright position I finally came to the conclusion that I was going to have to go short rather than up. So I’ve purchased the shortest I could get – an 80mm version of my existing one.
I thought about going for a 90mm but then I applied my brain for once. My everyday bike has an 80mm stem but a few more spacers on the steerer tube. So I belmed myself as I measured up both bikes and came to the blindingly-obvious-to-sensible-people conclusion that the discomfort I had been experiencing was down to being overstetched on the bars rather than too low.
The difference between the two is minimal, in terms of set up. Take a look at the images below for comparison of how they are now:
So on Sunday I’ll find out if I’ve gone the right way with my educated guesses or whether I would have been better going to cyclefit in the first place.
Which brings me on to my next consideration – what to wear on the day. Originally I had planned on wearing my Rapha Tour of Britain top and going for a “classic” look. Now I’m tending more towards wearing my full London Dynamo kit as it is the club I ride with and I really should represent them on the day. There’s a few other Dynamos going so it might help pick them out in the pen and get our own grupetto going to work our way through the peleton.
Then again it all depends on the weather as well. which reminds me I need to buy a decent one that will pack down small for the summer. The Montane ones are currently top of the list. Any suggestions are welcome but please don’t encourage me any more to get one of the Rapha Stowaway ones. They look ever so sexy but they are ever so expensive and I so want one.
Time for bed as my eyes are fading and my typing is becoming as erratic as my pedal stroke when I am knackered.