You'll probably hate me,now.

[donkpow]

Due to my back problems, I had dropped my saddle about 1/2". I was resisting raising the H-bars until today hoping I would recover better. Unfortunately, flexibility has not returned to my spine. So  today, I raised the bars about an inch. A ride is much more comfortable now. Fortunately, on this bike, I had purchased an adjustable stem. I needed it for the fit when I first got the bike and the adjustable stem was the only thing they had at the store. I had been riding at 0°, as seen in the picture below but I have it tipped up more now. I was going to get a replacement quill adapter stem for the other bike so I could install the more modern type of stem, so that's going to be a wash.

 

[pedalphile]

A man’s gotta do what he’s gotta do. But i’d Say this, your brake levers look to be at an almost unusable angle. Like you’d need to scrunch down a ways to be able to properly pull on them? Which cannot be good for the back?

[donkpow]

1 minute ago, pedalphile said:

A man’s gotta do what he’s gotta do. But i’d Say this, your brake levers look to be at an almost unusable angle. Like you’d need to scrunch down a ways to be able to properly pull on them? Which cannot be good for the back?

It's probably the camera angle. I ride on the hoods and can hit the brakes without problem. I keep them with a short reach so that braking responds quickly. Here's a different angle. That's the "house cat" in the background. She says they look fine to her. 

 

[Ralphie ★]

Looks good to me!  Carry on!

[donkpow]

8 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Looks good to me!  Carry on!

Bwainno.

[maddmaxx ★]

Why would I hate you. For last year I built an entirely new bike based on a slightly shorter frame, higher flat bars and larger tires (32mm)  with disc brakes.  Backs don't get any more flexible at 71 either.

[donkpow]

Just now, maddmaxx said:

Why would I hate you. For last year I built an entirely new bike based on a slightly shorter frame, higher flat bars and larger tires (32mm)  with disc brakes.  Backs don't get any more flexible at 71 either.

That's what I am afraid of. The Dr. told me to sit down to try and reach for my toes. Bending over while standing is bad for your back, I guess. Time will tell how much flexibility will return. As long as I can function without debilitating pain, I should be okay.

[Wilbur ★]

Comfort > style.  

[Page Turner]

...here's the bike I put together when I was having back issues.

I like to think of it as tres chic, although I hardly ever ride it now.

 

That stem showed up at the co-op, otherwise I'd tell you where to buy one.

[ChrisL]

I like how you guys have older but well maintained bikes that are purpose built for your needs. 

I hope you find a solution that works for you Donk.

[donkpow]

I've seen a ton of those at the co-op, too. I never thought I'd be the one to need it. This is like the one I have installed on the bike.

Thanks, Chris.

[Rattlecan ★]

1 hour ago, Page Turner said:

...here's the bike I put together when I was having back issues.

I like to think of it as tres chic, although I hardly ever ride it now.

 

That stem showed up at the co-op, otherwise I'd tell you where to buy one.

I'm guessing with that stem you have the increasingly rare 25.4 clamp area on those drop bars. They are still around, but getting scarce.

[shootingstar]

Interesting...my partner is increasingly becoming more upright.  Oh by the way, in retrofitting my bike to fit himself, he's doing fine on it for shorter utilitarian rides on flatter surfaces under 50 km. He needs such a bike because of high bike theft in Vancouver.  

It's not the back issue for him but more tension/stiffness upper shoulder area and how you tip your neck.  Unless one does simple daily exercises, your whole body posture standing and walking along, can be affected.

 

[JerrySTL ★]

I had a cycling buddy who broke his back in a car accident. He had a 6" stem extension plus aerobars on his bike for a number of years. It sure looked strange. Fortunately for him, his back got better and he was able to get rid of the stem extension.

I started having neck issues and put a stem extension on my bike. It developed a case of speed wobble. I sold that bike and got one with a more relaxed geometry plus a stem with more up angle. Works for me.

[MickinMD ★]

I've been riding with my saddle 1" then 1/2" lower than an informal setup indicated in 2011 because I had been having some problems with my repaired Achilles Tendons.

I was able to raise the saddle 1/2" a few years ago as my Achilles dramatically recovered due to bike riding, but I've had more back and trapezius aches since then. Your problem makes me wonder if I should have left well enough alone!  I'm going to drop it back 1/2" when I resume riding, hopefully in April, after shoulder surgery then sprained ankle.

[Tizeye]

That’s a fancy kickstand you have there. Nicely disguised as part of the cart, but we know better.

[Page Turner]

59 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

I've been riding with my saddle 1" then 1/2" lower than an informal setup indicated in 2011 because I had been having some problems with my repaired Achilles Tendons.

I was able to raise the saddle 1/2" a few years ago as my Achilles dramatically recovered due to bike riding, but I've had more back and trapezius aches since then. Your problem makes me wonder if I should have left well enough alone!  I'm going to drop it back 1/2" when I resume riding, hopefully in April, after shoulder surgery then sprained ankle.

...many, if not most people have their saddles set about 1/2" too high, IME.

[Page Turner]

2 hours ago, Rattlecan said:

I'm guessing with that stem you have the increasingly rare 25.4 clamp area on those drop bars. They are still around, but getting scarce.

...the bike co-op here used to have what seemed to be an endless supply, but I imagine it will dry up eventually.

Most of them are not the nice, wide bar sizes that people favor now, but the narrower bar that was popular back then.

 

The Richard Sachs bike I posted photos of is put together with a smaller diameter Nitto bar and stem, because it was the only bar I had that would let me use those brake levers.

[donkpow]

3 minutes ago, Page Turner said:

...many, if not most people have their saddles set about 1/2" too high, IME.

I had raised mine up fairly high to relieve some problems I was having with my knees. I can probably leave my saddle down where it is now. It's a more flexible position with quite a bit more power.

[dinneR ★]

My Casseroll has a tall headtube and my stem has some rise so it is very comfortable. I double wrap my bars and ride 42c tires. It is quite nice especially on rides of 60 miles or more. 

I put a shorter, higher rise stem on my GF's Lightspeed, 28c tires, and double wrapped the bar too.  It should be much more comfortable for her. 

I'm all about comfort.

 

[Longjohn ★]

6 hours ago, donkpow said:

It's probably the camera angle. I ride on the hoods and can hit the brakes without problem. I keep them with a short reach so that braking responds quickly. Here's a different angle. That's the "house cat" in the background. She says they look fine to her. 

 

I zoomed in on the House cat to get a better look at it and noticed your sidewall looks like it has been rubbing on something. Is that normal?

 

[donkpow]

11 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I zoomed in on the House cat to get a better look at it and noticed your sidewall looks like it has been rubbing on something. Is that normal?

That's a Gatorskin tire with sidewall puncture protection. The feature is indicated by the 'web' on the outside of the tire. It's kind of an old tire but isn't worn yet. I park the bike in my homemade stand and it abrades the tires a bit.

 

[jsharr ★]

_{Actually, I hate you less now.  Strange}

[Longjohn ★]

58 minutes ago, dennis said:

I'm all about comfort.

Says the guy that races a couple hundred miles in two feet of snow when it’s 30 below. 

[donkpow]

1 hour ago, dennis said:

I double wrap my bars ...

I wrap cork tape under the more durable Fizik tape where I ride most often. The cork tape is softer but the outer tape is more durable.

[donkpow]

3 minutes ago, jsharr said:

_{Actually, I hate you less now.  Strange}

I may be wearing you down. 

[jsharr ★]

Just now, donkpow said:

I may be wearing you down. 

rubbing  me the right way as it were.

[donkpow]

Just now, jsharr said:

rubbing  me the right way as it were.

Uhh, let's not go there.

[12string]

I still fail to see how a bike would affect how much we hate you?

[Page Turner]

37 minutes ago, 12string said:

I still fail to see how a bike would affect how much we hate you?

...word.  Unless it was an electric bike.

[donkpow]

2 hours ago, 12string said:

I still fail to see how a bike would affect how much we hate you?

You're not really trying, are you?

[12string]

1 hour ago, donkpow said:

You're not really trying, are you?

People tell me I'm VERY trying, maybe the problem is that you just aren't putting much effort into getting to know me.  That's going to affect my opinion of you more than any bike picture!

[Parr8hed]

On 3/18/2018 at 12:00 PM, donkpow said:

It's probably the camera angle. I ride on the hoods and can hit the brakes without problem. I keep them with a short reach so that braking responds quickly. Here's a different angle. That's the "house cat" in the background. She says they look fine to her. 

 

[donkpow]

1 hour ago, Parr8hed said:

You have to pull the string to start it.