Re: Wal-Mart Italian Road Bike for $1198

SMS wrote:
> Stephen Harding wrote:
> 
>> With the addition of stem extenders and high rise, long stems
>> and many long seat posts available on the market, all my bikes
>> are quite comfortable.
> 
> 
> That reminds me of the old Midas commercial where the competitor only 
> has one model of muffler, and the mechanic says "fit? we'll MAKE it fit"

> and brings out a bunch of adapters and pipes.
> 
> What you're doing will work, but it's the wrong way of getting the bike 
> to fit.

Why is it "wrong"?

I don't see it as any more "wrong" than moving an existing
seat post up or down, sliding the saddle back or forward on
the post, or, in the days of quill stems, moving it up or
down, not to mention rotating an angled bar forward or backward
to adjust reach a bit more.

I've only had to buy an extra long seat post for that 54cm
dumpster queen I rescued, which is a way too small frame for
my 6'1" body.

Yet I've managed to ride it quite comfortably for up to 65
miles.

I'll agree that adding extra money to purchase a special long
seatpost or stem extender is more money needlessly spent if
one could have purchased a more appropriate frame size to
start out with.

However, I am of the opinion a three frame size range would
get most people properly adjusted on their bikes using the
seatposts/stems/risers/saddle positions the bike came with.

Just my opinion.  Mike J surely sees many more types of
bicyclist/bike matching challenges than I do, so what seems
fine from my more limited perspective may not capture the
big picture in fitting issues.


SMH