Wider Is Better

Wider is Better.... Nothing sticks with you like an 1980's Pontiac Slogan... and has never been more appropriate.  

 

 

So, I took the Monster out for a ride with Troubadour out to the Fall Creek Trail head.  It is about a 900 ft climb over 3.8 miles.  Really it is about a 600 ft climb over 1.6 miles and then just climbs gradually.  We eventually made the summit and paused for a bit to catch our breath before beginning the descent down the Highballer.

Thanks to Troubadour for the action shots..

 I look like the Pillsbury Doughboy riding a frickin toothpick...

 

 

One thing became clearly obvious.  The 110mm stem and the 660mm bar did not offer the right amount of leverage to control the 4 in wide tires at speed in the twisty bits...  and then I remembered...  Wider is Better....

And the search was on.. Search all of the local sources, but nobody had the parts I wanted in stock.. Off to the interwebs.. A search on Ebay and I found a good deal on a matched stem and bar.. Dropped the stem length down to 45mm w/ 10*rise and a 780mm bar with 35mm rise.  Both are RaceFace Respond components...

 

Parts arrived in a week... I was like a kid at Christmas...

Wider is Better!!!!

Ready for test ride..

After test riding.. I found that I was able to move the seat up another 22mm and was sitting much more upright than hunched over.  The amount of control I now had was unbelievable.  It completely transformed the way the bike rode and steered.  I love riding this bike.. I know, it is so typically American.. We have always got to have the biggest baddest stuff.  I feel the way I did when I rode bikes as an adolescent. Pure joy and freedom.  It has the same effect on people as a Ural.. They aren't quite sure what to make of it, but think it is really cool.. More later.. busy riding....

 

Andy.