Back in Black

Yep, back and better than ever!

Bike Guy came through once again but I could tell it was a mental battle for him, old racers never die.

He replaced the fork with one that didn't have the steerer tube cut down, so he could stack it higher. Then he add about a 35 degree (I think) stem and Felt carbon and alloy bar. He kept the same levers (105's). He was gritting his teeth the entire time I was there, muttering warnings to duck when I go under bridges because I'm up so high I might hit my head, I have lost all aerodynamics, so on and so on. He's still a racer at heart...and I never was nor will be. We can always UNDO what he just did and move it all lower if I ever feel the need.

I had him wrap the bars with black cork instead of the white it came with...The Zing looks pretty cool with the the black tape and carbon bar.

The bar is a bit higher but the main difference is the bar is moved back by about an inch or even 1 1/2 inches. Before this new set-up, I did a rough measurement using my arm, elbow against the front of the seat and there was about a 2 to 2 1/2 inch gap from my finger tips to the bar/stem junction. Now there in only about a 1 inch gap.

It's on the trainer and I took my 1st ride. Much better for my right shoulder and left wrist, old injuries that never seem to go away.

Speaking of "the shoulder", it's been just short of 1 year since the rebuild. Pain and grinding is WAY less but not totally gone and I don't need to make sure I have a few dozen Advil with me at all times. It doesn't move the way it used to yet, doesn't' like the arms in front position very well but I'm still working on it. This road bike is using very different muscles than my mountain bike and commuter hybrid-roadie bike.

Here is a picture of the Zing: before and after, the true color is in the 1st picture.
And post-surgery shoulder, just to remind me where I was about a year ago.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!