Originally Posted by
Moisture
i angled the saddle this way because it helps me get comfortable with the handlebar drop.
What you are saying here is that seat-bar drop is excessive for your build or capacities ...... Whatever. If you have to make one part wrong to make another part more right, neither is right.
Originally Posted by
Moisture
As long as I get the reach a closer and the drop slightly lower, I think it'll fit me a lot better.
Or maybe stop trying to pretend you are a World Tour racer and raise the bars and bring them closer so you can reach them without having to tilt the saddle so much it forces your forward onto the bars?
Alos .... I don;'t care how long your cranks are, if you are hitting pavement then you are doing it wrong. (Your bike does not have 170 mm BB drop .... the pictures show that.)
Just a note---if you are leaned way over, you will be more stable with the outside pedal down and all your weight on it. And don't pedal---hitting the ground is, like pain and badly positioned parts, a sigh that you need to make changes.
Originally Posted by
Moisture
The stem seen in the latest pics is 110 +10°. It's bent. Changing it to 90 -7° at a higher stack for next time the weather permits a ride. I'll be sure to re adjust the saddle angle and try again - thanks for the suggestion.
Seems you want the stem angled down for the same reason you don't like spacers---you'd rather have a bike that hurts to ride but which sme imaginary observer thinks "looks cool."
Here's a tip---90 percent of the people you pass think anyone on a bike is stupid and looks stupid, and of the rest, the ones who judge will think you look like a Fred unless you have the same brand of bike, wheels, drive train, and clothing they do ... in which case they will find you threatening. Ride your yourself, set up the bike for yourself.
Or don't.
I think the bike looks okay on a website.... but to me, any real-life bike which hurts to ride is broken and needs fixing, and I don't think broken bikes look good. Again ..... whatever.