In my ongoing search for the perfect position on the bike (PLEASE tell me I’m not the only one!) I ordered a new stem from Bianchi. The bike comes with a 100mm stem, pictured here.
Which should be enough for a normal person. However, I am slowly discovering that I’m not really normal. I have a long torso and arms for the length of my legs, it appears, so when fitting a bike solely on inseam length (pretty standard around here) the frame could end end up being a little short for me and my gorilla arms.
Luckily, I think I’ve found the solution with this:
This is a 120mm stem which, according to my knowledgable friend Nigel, is about the longest you can get that is still considered ‘normal’. The results so far are a longer stretch, of course, but not much else I can feel. I did have to put a 5mm spacer back on the headset to compensate for the extra ‘horizontalness’, which probably still sits me in as low a riding position as before.
So, the search is on hold for the moment. Stay tuned, I’m sure it’s not over yet.
The Vicious Cycle 
What I noticed was the thick, plush bar tape. I only noticed it since it looks better than mine!! Must make a note to self…
I noticed the same when I bought the bike. Handlebar tape has come a long way.
Next: A Garmin 500.
Yes, so they say…
Are you saying that you have short legs ?
Peter
No, they just aren’t as long as my top half.
and here I thought you were getting hair extensions, something to do with wind tunnel training and aerodynamics LOL J/K
Now that’s a stem! Pretty soon you’ll be shaving your legs.
Rob, the legs are shaved already (one more thing I have to now think about with my new hobby…Sort of looking forward to the off season so I don’t have to contort myself on the bathroom sink anymore.
I’ve been shaving my legs since 1985, the year my daughter was born, so naturally she thought that all men shaved their legs, especially given that her dad and all his cycling and tri buddies did the same. So, when she started dating guys and summer came along and noticed they didn’t shave their legs, she thought they were gross, lacked personal hygene and dumped them. You should have seen her look of confussion when I told her that her dad and all his friends are the wierdo’s. I don’t ever want to be normal…..