Originally Posted by
tricky
Early Specialized bikes have certainly crept up my list of desirable bikes. If I had room for a full on touring rig I would be keeping my eyes open for an early Spec touring bike. For now I'll continue with my current plan to build a rat urban flat bar bomber bike out of a Univega Via Charisma hybrid frame It has low rider mounts on the fork so it can pitch hit for a tourer. Even though I have that part of the stable figured out, it doesn't mean I am not jealous of this build.
Excited to see V1.4 and onward!
Btw,
RiddleOfSteel what is the name of your bike PT/fitter guy? I have been needing PT and a fitter in Seattle.
Those early 700C hybrids were basically proto-gravel bikes in nearly every sense. Uncanny! And cool. The Miyata Triple Cross comes to mind. Off road touring bike essentially, just spec'd for even wider tires.
Sequoias are cool, and have a cool name, but the sport touring bike slot is already filled with my Paramount. Standard reach side pull calipers and larger tire clearances with medium length chain stays and touring-like frame angles. Cantis, triple cages, fork mounts, long stays or bust!
The PT/fitter guy's company is called Footworks and he's located in south downtown Seattle. Was in Pioneer Square, now just a touch south. IT band, it's anchor point at the knee, and the muscle/tendons just below that are the big focus, and it's directly affected by my left foot's position and orientation. An old injury (long healed) and slightly shorter femur I think play into things. As much as I've thought and experimented with positions, shims, wedges, etc, I'm essentially happy to have my theories blown out of the water and something figured out. I just want to ride for a million miles and only get tired, not hurt!
Regarding my Allez SE, which I do really like: I'm hoping that I can get the pedal and IT band situation sorted, otherwise...the bike as set up, which is visually perfect, is no bueno for my lower back and legs (leaned over, reduced torso-to-femur angle, etc), and thus I have a tough decision. The bike steers beautifully and is eager out of the saddle. In my experience, the out-of-saddle characteristics get better with brake levers/hoods up another 1.5" (like with a compact profile bar). Steering would still be good, too, I think. The big problem is that it wouldn't look period correct, and it was a bike built to do so. So then I think, sell it as is (to get proper money for it) to someone who is looking for the original look, or....??? It would look cool modernized, but with silver components, but it's already committed fully to the downtube shifter life, and the bucket of Superbe Pro on it. Plus modernizing it would put it right there with my 1987 Schwinn Prologue in myself not having any regard for period correct purity (I've had Di2 on the Prologue). I sort of really don't want to undo the Benotto Cello Tape job on the Allez either. Lol.