More millimeter changes making kilometer differences in fit and feel. So comfortable was the Roadeo today, esp after lowering the bar 5 mm to (discovered only post facto) match the drop on the gofast, that I went back and re-measured saddle setback and bar height on the Matthews fixed IGH Riv road clone. I thought I’d precisely mimicked the distances on the 1999 gofast when I readjusted things some months ago — and the fit did improve; but was still subtilely “off,” and I found a bit too much setback and a bit too much bar height. So I gently tapped the saddle about 1/2” forward on the rails to the canonical 3” behind bb, and lowered the bar also by about 1/2”, giving me the conventional 2” between saddle and bar and ~27” between saddle nose and hood tips; it all feels much better, meaning that the torso is more naturally “suspended between saddle and bar and the arms feel more relaxed, with a more natural bend when on the hooks; and also, the hooks feel more natural; all due to the core muscles holding up the torso better, I’d guess.
On Fri, Oct 24, 2025 at 3:11 PM Patrick Moore <[email protected]> wrote: > Second ride today, short errand + detour ride to PO, LBS, and Sprout’s; > stopped to lower the new-to-bike Ritchey 9 cm (20*? 30*?) stem by 5 mm; bar > is now about 2” below saddle, as for customs — but it feels more relaxed > for some reason. It’s quite possible my measurements are inept. > > At any rate, reducing bar height by 5 mm immediately made me feel more > balanced; saddles in all cases are the same models, same setback, same > height, and same distance from tips of brake hoods. > > But I somehow feel more relaxed on the Roadeo. Perhaps the long STI hoods, > supremely comfortable, compared to the already very comfortable old Dura > Ace pre-STI levers on the other road bikes, make the difference? > > Also, at least compared to the struggle with the gofast ride the other day > — tire, pushed a slightly too high gear too hard against moderate sidewind > — the Roadeo seems easier to pedal in the same gear (76”/75”). > > I hope I don’t start questioning decades-old convictions! But I daresay, > had I the opportunity to buy Roadeos before I bought my customs, I’d have > bought Roadeos — have the dropouts on a couple changed to long horizontals. > > Or perhaps it’s all still new bike smell. > > The 32 mm Stampede Pass ELs are superbe, and 50/55 f/r is probably about 5 > lb too high. But wheels 2.5” bigger than the 26ers certainly do smooth out > small, sharp bumps. > > Carried 13.5” X 11” X 6” box to PO, and 50 fl oz of Fosters plus other > groceries and small bike stuff home in big Timbuk2; fine outbound, hassle > on return — bag keeps migrating to right. Must find small saddlebag for > Roadeo. All: ISO Carradice Barley in Black or Burgundy, new or VG. Have > green one VG to trade, as well as other things and cash. (Green doesn’t go > with white + red accent Roadeo.) > > -- > > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing > services > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* > > *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* > > *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* > -- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* -- 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 [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfguRoV2LVf%3D3-TB4NYrBStqvvbPb0QuWMH9d8QWPxXAP0Q%40mail.gmail.com.
