echo victor 

Alright, so maybe this is just a chance to post a gratuitous photo, but I'm actually interested in opinions. Does this stem look out of place on my Gran Course? It's a Velo Orange stem, and I switched to it because the bike originally came set up with a much more agressive racing position.

So bearing in mind that the photo angle makes the bars look a little higher than they actually are (there's actually about a 2 inch drop from the saddle to the bars, and the bars do not slope upward), how ridiculous does that stem look on a racing frame? I'm sure some people will say, "if it works for you, ride it," and some will say, "frame's too small - size up or limber up," but I'm still curious. (I tend to lean toward the former).



For comparison you can see how the bike looked when I got it here.

nesteel 

Looks fine. Like it, ride it. That's pretty much the handle bar position/stem height I use on my commuter bike, and I find it comfortable.

bikemig 

Looks good to me. More importantly, if you're comfortable on it, who the heck cares what random strangers on the Internet think about how your bike looks?

Lascauxcaveman 

With the big bag under the saddle and the enormous stainless bottle, you're a couple steps away from "Race bike" already, so the stem fits right in, IMO.

I've got several old 'race' bikes that always end up similarly decked out at some point, usually on the day I decide I want to ride for more than an hour at a stretch. Although I've gotten rid of all my "just a little too small" bikes, so usually the stock stem or slightly longer replacement works well for me.

Bianchigirll 

Looks good to me but then again I have 8 or 10 bikes with a similar configuration

WNG

Don't worry about how it looks, it's how it rides that matters, or you won't be riding it. Looks fine, close to French Fit standards.
BTW, that's a great frame!

Doolittle

I'm certainly of the "if it works for you then ride it" school, but since you asked I do think threadless stem adapters are rather inelegant. Would a taller quill stem be an option?

vonfilm 

I think that you could accomplish the same stance with a Nitto Technomic stem and have a better look.

Untitled by vonfilm, on Flickr

Untitled by vonfilm, on Flickr

kc0yef 

Yeah what he said however, are you comfortable and who you trying to impress us?
LOL

echo victor 

Thanks to everyone who's commented - lots of replies in one place to save pixels. @nesteel, you seem to have captured most people's feelings.

And @kc0yef... well sure, but it seems the arbiters of good taste with regard to c&v bikes are pretty much the members here and the folks over at Classic Rendezvous. Since the CR guys would probably either say, "that stem is a travesty, and we're sending the c&v police to collect that bike from you," or, "that bike doesn't count as a classic - kindly leave," I figured I'd ask here (with all due respect to our friends at CR ).

Heh. That's not even my big saddle bag (it's a Minnehaha Small), but I still feel the need to carry a u-lock even for "spirited" rides since I never know when I might come across a cool place to stop for coffee or a frosty craft beer, hence I want something that can hold it. The bottle only holds 12 oz (though it's shortness makes it look bigger than it is, I think).

Loving the coffee cup holder and the wine bottle in your cage - rather impressed that it fits. I found it a little hard to gauge the saddle to handlebar drop on the Batavus. Also, I think you might find a wider saddle more comfortable.

Actually, yeah, after having read about it, I think I prefer a more French Fit style - I like speed as much as anyone else, but I don't especially want to hug my knees to get it. And thanks - I'm quite enjoying the frame (and the Sprint components, too).

@Doolittle and @vonfilm - yes, I've considered something like a Technomic, and that's part of why I wanted opinions. For the moment I went with something that was available and reasonably easy to change up. For trying things out, a threadless adapter and stem with removable faceplate seems like the sweet spot, since I can move it up or down easily and switch to a different length stem without having to re-do the bars. Of course, if I switch to a Technomic once I get the placement dialed in, then I'll have to re-do the bars... The only thing about a tall quill stem is that I find that if the length of stem showing is almost as much as the length of head tube, something doesn't look quite right to me.

I actually considered trying the fit with one of these lugged Nitto stems (thanks, bike swap meet). But the issue is that while it's a beautiful stem, the lugs can be so overwhelming that it's difficult to picture it on anything but an uber-lugged Riv.

nlerner

Here's my Gran Course with a Technomic (I need the height due to a chronic pinched nerve in my neck):

Bianchigirll 

There isn't much drop if any on most of my bikes. I don't know French from Italian style but I gave up worrying about drop when I wanted to try and keep my hands from getting numb. Between bouts of carpet tunnel and my back, the old war injury you know, I find the upright position much more comfortable. And since I am sure not going to break any world records I like to look around while ride.

echo victor 

@nlerner - I'd really only considered staying with black, but that looks really nice with the brown. And the Technomic looks good - I may have to pick up one of those. (Also, looks like a beautiful place to ride).

@Bianchigirll - sorry, I wasn't trying to give actual advice about the Batavus - I was just kidding around about the lack of saddle. Your bikes are all quite nice, and they're set up much the way I like mine set up.

Little Darwin

Many bikes on this page look nice (including the OP's) but so many of them need to get those shifters up on the stem where they belong.

Bianchigirll 

Oh I know. I actually realized it didn't have the saddle just as posted but didn't think it would matter since were talking stems. BTW I went with the Black Kalloy hybrid style stem. Thank You