Before and After - part 1: flip the stem

When I shopped for my road bike, it was the first time I was riding with a dropped handle bars; by body, especially my back and my neck, was not used to the extended more aerodynamic position.  In an effort to reassure me of the fit and close the sale, the shop said it could raise the bars some to allow for a more relaxed position.  

At that point, I had no idea how into riding I would be, and much less that I'd begin training for racing.  This slightly less aero-dynamic change was probably unnecessary for me, but I wanted to ease my way into the sport.  Among some of my longer rides with more experienced cyclists, they suggested that I was "ready" to flip the stem.  I had no idea what they meant, but they explained that, as long as I was still comfortable, allowing the handle bars to go lower would not only make me more aerodynamic, but also increase my handling of the bike.  The increased handling is what really made me think about this more since I was afraid of losing control of the bike on fast descents.

I started reading into this and I'd see online forum discussions talk about this as if it were a question of religion.  What I have noticed is that ultimately, the racer tends to have the stem pointed down, it does increase handling, and it does make you more aerodynamically.  However, none of this should be at the cost of comfort for fear of back or neck pain.

I decided to flip the stem myself (I'm a little afraid of some repairs, I don't want to break the bike)!  I referred to this how-to post to guide me through the process, and it ended up being a success.  The key is making sure you have correctly adjusted the headset.  I've now ridden the entire 2009 season so far with flipped stem, and I have no discomfort in my neck or back, and it certainly is good to feel the wind go by a little faster in the drops.

Allez means GO!

Here is the machine that carries me through the many miles of pavement in Northern California, a 2008 Specialized Allez Elite Compact, 56cm:

The bike is a race geometry aluminum frame with a carbon fork/steerer and carbon seat-stays.  There are "Zertz inserts" in the seat-stays and fork to help dampen vibration, soften the ride, and increase comfort.  The components are a Shimano Tiagra/105 mix; the rear derailleur is where the 105 comes in (and I honestly think that Tiagra is far underrated).  The drive-train is composed of 50x34T chainrings and a SRAM 11-28t cassette, a perfect compact combination for the flats and the climbs.

This is a great road bike, but I also added my share of upgrades to personalize it.  I swapped the brake pads for Kool-Stop Salmons, an incredible and necessary change from the stock pads.  I now use Michelin Krylion Carbon tires, I find them to be a perfect balance of race-performance and durability.  These tires are wrapped around my new Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels for added stiffness and reduced weight.  Lastly, thanks to my lovely wife, I have Ultegra SPD-SL pedals.

This is actually a big change from the stock appearance of the bike, as seen to the right in one of my first pictures of the bike, before I really knew what I was getting myself into.  The stem is pointed to the sky, the wheels are the stock Jalco/Specialized blend, and my pedal choice was odd with a platform + SPD hybrid that used mountain-biking cleats.  The bike rode VERY well like that, but hopefully my newer additions and changes will carry me farther and faster!