Hey guys.
First time doing this. Does this look okay?
I put gripper gel on the stem clamp and on the grip locks. Gently tightened criss-cross and stuff. Getting a torque wrench to use on Friday to ensure not overtightened (have a history with road bike seat post clamps)...
Your bars look like the could do with rotating fwd a tad.
Could also move the levers away from the grips to give yourself some more leverage on them.
Is that what you meant?
Definitely slide the brakes inward and wind the lever blades in if you can, they look miles away from the bar.
Handlebars have 2 bends in them. One upwards and one backwards. I always start with the upsweep vertical so if you look from the side of the bike the face of the bar is upright. This points the grips up and back towards your hands.
Final wiggles will be personal preference.
I have my NP's at a similar rotation, but I do like my bars rotated back slightly (ignore the lack of gap at the top of my clamp, it's a zero top gap stem)
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I have my levers quite a bit inboard for 1 finger braking though. These do need shifting out to the grips a few mm though I decided on my last ride
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Okay.
Yeh that's what I was after guys. I was unsure about the position of the brakes. I will move them and try rotating the bar forward a tad.
What do you mean by wind in the leaver blades? As in tighten them! How would I do that?
Thanks.
What do you mean by wind in the leaver blades?
Some brakes have a reach adjustment option. Usually it's a small knob or an Allen key to wind the lever in or out. This usually depends on size of your hands/fingers and personal preference. If you have small hands, your arms will fatigue more quickly on long downhills when your fingers have to stretch to cover the brakes so, generally, wind the lever in for smaller hands.
Some (more expensive) brakes also have a free stroke adjuster which allows you to find tune the dead zone between covering the levers and the brake pads actually engaging.
Rotate the bars to whatever position is comfortable for you. There isn't really a correct position. I like to have them set with zero upsweep, other people differ.
Similar with brakes, just move the levers inwards until your finger/s fall naturally onto the end of the lever. I prefer having my levers fairly flat (i.e. not angled down too much.) It makes them easier to reach when you are descending with the saddle dropped.
Re torque wrench, even the smaller 8" lifeline style ones feel OTT for small bolts like bars. I've always just tightened the bolts until I'm unable to rotate the bars then a smidge more, same for the controls.
Have recently bought preset 4 / 5 / 6nm adaptors that fit on the end of a hex key by topeak which feel much more suitable and add common sense to the torque setting by limiting your leverage.
I prefer having my levers fairly flat (i.e. not angled down too much.) It makes them easier to reach when you are descending with the saddle dropped.
I've always preferred this but there is (was?) definitely a fashion for having them almost vertical beneath the bars.
Wound the blades in. That makes such a difference. Rotated the bar, sits higher and moved the brakes. Feels so much better. Thanks for the tips. You tube really is a fountain of knowledge and visual aid...
And yes, I am single and allowed to make mud marks on my rug...
I would consider swapping the shifters and brakes position on the bars. Really all fine touches to your preference, I find with the brakes out in the correct place the shifters need to sit between the brake and grip so my thumb can happily reach. Your thumbs may vary
I will give it a go tomorrow and see with the shifters.
Wot thols2 says.
I like bars with downsweep and levers a long way from the bar. Others find my ideas absurd.
I think part of it is comfort v control as as a confirmed pootler comfort comes first