Jim, the bike may seem "too big" , but is it really or are you simply comparing it to your other bikes and equating that with "too big", "a lumbering hulk" ? Your Clem is what it is, so rather than comparing it and thus diminishing it, play around with it. I've seen many a tales here how someone said they didn't like their bike, but after a change/adjustment of some part of the bike that you contact(bars/stem/saddle/pedals, etc.), or even tires, their story changed completely. Many mtb's have considerably steeper seat tube angles too, which places your center of balance further forward that on the Clem. I could see how that would contribute to a perception of "less sprightly" or "laid back" or even "sluggish". The chainstays and wheelbase are also much longer, so of course it will feel different, so* try riding it different*. Every bike has it's own "personality", if you will. Let it shine rather than try making it something it's not, any another bike.
If you still find it's not for you, so what ? Let it go and find something else, there's always a bike to ride. On Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 1:15:00 AM UTC-5 mkernan...@gmail.com wrote: > Jim, several years ago I had a double TT 64cm Atlantis that I took on a > tour up around the Olympic peninsula. It also was a touch too large for me. > In touring mode I had it loaded up with a Pass and Stow front rack with a > basket on top and two medium sized low rider front panniers. On the rear I > had a medium saddle sack that sat on a Nitto r-14 rack. It was probably > 75/25 ; front/ rear weight distribution. That bike rode awesome( to me) > in that configuration. Leaving an empty-ish camp one morning on a quiet > stretch of road, I rode no handed for ~7miles on a gently curvy road. It > felt smooth and in control. (. There were mile markers and when solo on > the road sometimes you make games for yourself). I’ll never forget that. > Just anecdotally reiterating your experience that sometimes a bike can > feel better with some weight. -Mike > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jan 9, 2021, at 10:01 PM, dougP <doug...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Anything bike related that I don't want goes to my local bicycle co-op. > They depend on donations to keep bikes owned by low income people running. > What feels like a crappy, sluggish tire to me could be wonderful to someone > who just needs new rubber to get back'n'forth to work on. Never toss out a > "tried & disliked" item. Donate. > > dougP > > On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 8:24:28 PM UTC-8 Jim Whorton wrote: > >> Thanks for the ideas and observations, everyone. I will try lowering the >> tire pressure tomorrow. New tires soon, too. >> >> Jason and Mark, I think you are right that the Clem *ought* to fit me. >> By the numbers it does. My favorite bike to ride around town is an old >> mountain bike with a 53cm seat tube that ought to be too small for me, but >> it's sprightly and a lot of fun to ride. >> >> I'm not sure why I picked up the pipe, Jason. It seemed like a good >> pipe. >> >> Jim >> >> >> On Sat, Jan 9, 2021 at 10:40 PM Mark Roland <absolut...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> I doubt the pipe is doing much for your Clem other than perhaps >>> contributing to some beausage on your top tube. The bike certainly doesn't >>> seem like it would be too big for a 6'1"--Grant runs a 59 Clem and he is >>> under six foot. >>> >>> I never changed the Kendas on my OC (Original Clementine) and yeah they >>> were a little sluggish, though not the end of the world. On my El Clem, I >>> went with Rene Herse Switchback Hill EL. Pretty dreamy. I would never >>> describe a Clem as a lumbering hulk, though, so your mileage may vary. >>> Before getting a smaller bike I would drop a buck sixty on some fancy tires >>> and see what happens. >>> >>> On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 6:37:33 PM UTC-5 Jim Whorton wrote: >>> >>>> I have a 59cm Clem H that is a little too big for me (I am 6' 1", 89 >>>> PBH). So I was riding it on some hilly pavement today, thinking what a >>>> lumbering hulk this bike is and how I need a smaller one. I came across a >>>> piece of iron pipe in the road. I thought, "I need to tie that on my bike >>>> because it will make everything worse, proving my point." I tied it on >>>> the >>>> bike and to my confusion, the bike rode more smoothly. It felt great. It >>>> didn't feel faster but it felt easier and just really nice. Smoother. >>>> The >>>> simplest explanation is that I am confused and imagining things, because >>>> adding pounds to my Clem H should not make it nicer to ride. But....is it >>>> possible I was not confused? >>>> >>>> I will try to insert a picture. >>>> >>>> Jim in Rochester >>>> >>>> [image: IMG_1544.jpg] >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/qLyDc2lVI3Q/unsubscribe >>> . >>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/aade2800-a30f-45fa-bdda-bfaf365b556dn%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/aade2800-a30f-45fa-bdda-bfaf365b556dn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a3d0aec5-b651-41c1-908c-44e111c45aefn%40googlegroups.com > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a3d0aec5-b651-41c1-908c-44e111c45aefn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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