I even sorted the longer stem scenario, my other half wanted that bike so everyones a winner 😉

I cant recommend the chaps at Rourke enough, superb knowledge and made to feel very welcome, nothing was too much trouble. The whole thing is an experience and so much more than just buying another bike.

Behold

The new camouflage paint scheme?

Grrrrr, still can’t add images 😳
Put on Flickr, copied url and added to post using IMG.

Why oh why??

moorsey have a look at https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN15714.html

Thanks Mrblobby, very kind of you.

BEHOLD 😉

Like.

Another “ custom “ frame and another pile of headset spacers.
I don’t think I have ever seen a custom frame posted on here without a stack of spacers installed.

Why wouldn’t you have the frame built so it fits you without the need of what looks to be 30mm of height?

To me, a custom frame should be simple, elegant and most importantly fit.

If you spend a lot of money on a custom frame that will last a lifetime, why restrict the fit to the flexibility, riding style and back/neck/shoulder health you have today?

You’d have 30cm of adjustability with a quill stem, you can pull it up with a twist of an allen key in the middle of a ride if you needed to.

Shame it’s not as easy with threadless headsets, nor as pretty, but fixing the position for ever seems a bit short-sighted.

Does look lovely, moresy! It would look nicer with fewer spacers, but it won’t look quite as nice if you mudguards on it either – practicality isn’t always pretty!

True or have a nice looking bike/ frame of the correct size and change the stem as the fit requires.

Each to their own.

Each to their own.

Yup, there’s plenty that would say a high rise stem on a road bike is way more gopping than a horizontal stem and some spacers.

I’ve a Croix de Fer Ti coming tomorrow which i will be swapping bits from my Croix de Fer 20. It is a medium, so will be selling it as a frame and fork….

Appreciate all the comments, hadn’t really thought too much about the spacers and not too bothered personally. All I know is it fits spot on and really pleased with how the design turned out. The spacers might have been to lessen the angle of the top tube as I did say I preferred the classic straight top tube look. Unfortunately I’m a short arse so a bit difficult to achieve that whilst maintaining a relaxed riding position.

Croix de fer ti a lovely looking bit of kit by the way, was amongst the contenders in my initial decision making process.

I’d get an in depth bike fit and then design and order a custom titanium frame from china. It works out the same or less than a custom rourke or off the peg ti.

You also get to design a bike, which is highly attractive to me.

Complain a plenty, moan, moan, moan, moan moan, moan – headset spacer etc etc moan moan, never designed a frame and think slammed stems are everything, moan, moan

The op clearly runs their bar height in a relaxed position and isn’t that tall.

How would you design his bike, slam the stem and extend the steerer tube would create a massively sloping top tube and compromise standover which is far worse than a few spacers.

If keeping the headtube the same is essential I’d prob have a single spacer, a slightly higher rise stem and some Spesh hoverbars and put the bar in the same position but without any single aspect looking out of proportion.

But I know sod all about bike design so there’s probably a flaw to this approach somewhere.

(Not that the bike doesn’t look good by the way!)

Same size as you and Genesis bikes just don’t fit me.

Love your new bike and agree that a few spacers are essential.
Also think it looks nicer with the guards.
Beautiful, you must be well chuffed.

Very nice indeed, moorsey. It looks very stylish and tasteful. The colour scheme, silver components and finishing kit all look just perfect together. You clearly had a strong vision of what the bike should look like when you chose the paint scheme and parts, and it looks like you have executed that vision flawlessly.

The only problem I can foresee is that such a bike demands that the rider be equally stylishly and tastefully attired, and it may not be easy to find the sort of kit that would go with such a bike, since ideally it too needs to be classic and understated in appearance (although a plain white jersey, plain black shorts and white socks would be perfect in summer).

As for the comments about spacers, I think you have chosen correctly. The suggestion that there is a definitive correct bar height which will never need to vary is ridiculous: it’s not unknown for pros to ask their mechanics to change the number of spacers during a stage race. Slammed stems neither look good nor are they good practice (manufacturers like Trek insist upon a minimum amount of spacers to reduce the stress on the steerer). As for high rise stems, I fear that there is simply no hope for anyone who could even think of fitting such a thing to a lovely bike like that.

Beautiful bike.. a really good choice. Stem position simply replicates where a quill stem and threaded headset would put the head tube, looks just right on a bike of that style.

Thanks for the kind comments, nice to get others opinions and advice.

Slowster- not sure ‘stylish’ is a label often attached to myself but I am currently searching the web for some more classic atire, fortunately some nice subtle stuff out there at the moment.

Rusty – agree on the mudguards, thought it would bugger up the look of the bike but does seem to compliment it.

Jameso – never thought of it from the quil stem perspective, nice!

Thought i would reply whilst waiting for the storm to die down and get some more miles in on this lovely steed. Have mudguards will travel!

Rather like that. Think the spacer stack actually suits the classic style of the bike, as has been said a bit reminiscent of quill stems. Nicest Rourke I’ve seen in a while.