Don’t tell my coach, but today was my first real ride in over 3 weeks. Suffice it to say it was an easy ride. Need proof? I was passed by a guy with a handlebar bag – not dropped, mind you, but passed nonetheless.

Today’s ride was a bit of a test as well. I’m going to make a few adjustments to my set-up this winter and continuing to get more aggressive in my seating position is the first up. Therefore, utilizing my newly-found skills as a ‘wrench’ I deftly popped off my stem to take out the last remaining spacer on my steerer tube. The result is this:

 

The vertical distance between the top of my handlebars and the top of my saddle is now around 8.5 cm, which is, according the Competitive Cyclist…competitive. It is also as low as I can go, so if I want to get more aero I need to get a longer stem. Given that the Haute Route is mostly up or down I don’t think I need to go all ‘wind-tunnel’ crazy anyway. Still, it’s a fun project.

Nearly as soon as I headed out for my ride I felt the new position in my neck and mid-back. Nothing too much, but I’m glad I gave myself the winter to get accustomed to it. Incredible how half a centimeter can affect you..or me at least.