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@cafewanda
I forgot to log my actual test rides: Saturday 24 July
At Cycle Surgery Spitalfields, I sat on a Specialized Dolce (small) and put my hands on the bars. Far too long, but took it for a (very) short spin any way. I really should have ordered the XS.
Next I went on the Giant Avail XS and that was much better, however the TT was long also, but the ride felt better and I discussed the option of smaller bars, stem and shims in the brake levers. Customer service was so good I was strongly tempted to consider buying the bike on the service alone! I also chatted with another (short) customer who was in the same position as me. She tried the same bikes and enjoyed the Avail much better. I think her arms are a bit longer than mine. Hope she bought it.
As the morning was rolling on and I had an appointment over in Hackney I thought I'd better speed up so collected my bike and went off to Tokyo bikes round the corner. I love the colours and tried 3 different models, but not the singlespeed. I wasn't keen on the 'step through' model but that might have been because I felt the curve of bars were too close to me and would have needed to be trimmed by a few inches. It was just fab riding a bike with 650c wheels and I know if I'd had the money/credit card/overdraft I would have bought one in red!
Because I'd ridden the Tokyo bikes I didn't bother going to OYB on the Sunday to test ride the Trek 47cm and the Cannondale as I now knew the TTs on both were too long for me.
The ride on the 43cm/650c wheels Trek happened last Wednesday (28th July) and it might not have been a good idea to ride over Tower and London Bridges during the day on a bike with flat pedals but, that aside, my arms could actually bend at the elbows! Result! New experience for me.
So, my lesson from all this is TT length is my number one, must get right, measurement. Because of that I really am limited in what I can buy OTP (paint jobs notwithstanding) and I should start saving the pennies for a custom job.