More Comfort!

I went and did it: I finally started making the Rambouillet mine by taking part of it apart and reconfiguring it. I have been reluctant to do it because it's so beautiful and so authentically Rivendell. But my neck hurt. I needed a shorter (and taller) stem.

So I cut the hemp wrapping, cracked the shellac on the handlebar tape, unwound the tape, removed the brake levers and shifter on one side, and pulled the bar and stem. The original was a Nitto Technomic Deluxe. Very nice. The replacement was a Nitto Technomic (also very nice, if perhaps slightly less nice), which is taller and about 20 mm shorter (i.e. the bars are closer to the rider). When I had it reassembled, I didn't rewrap the bars because I didn't know if I'd need to try yet another stem.

So I rode 100 miles with the bars (Nitto Noodle) unwrapped, and I decided I sort of like the bars au naturel. They look nice with the silvery fenders, and they feel nice and smooth. Let's face it: cloth handlebar tape, even cushy cork tape, doesn't do much to cushion one's hands. That's what high bars and gel gloves are for.

So I still haven't rewrapped the bars. It's just that they're so beautiful and smooth. I should post a picture for my 0 readers to admire.

In addition, in my quest for comfort, I put the woman's Avocet Touring back on, this time sloped slightly toward the back. This is a cheap seat with a plastic cover that I bought on eBay for $10. I like my Avocet men's touring saddle (with a leather cover), but it's just a smidge narrow for my fat ass. So I thought that maybe a woman's saddle with a flared back end and slightly short nose would be comfortable. Nice hard foam padding beneath the cover, so it doesn't cause raspberry butt.

And lo and behold: High handlebars, woman's saddle sloped slightly back so that I can rock back on my buns a bit, very comfortable. Even after 30 miles I don't find myself continually wiggling around to find a comfortable perch. Nice.

Like anybody cares.