Mr Gooderbar

I took my first ever day of paid time off with no plan to do anything for the first time in my life this past Friday.  Originally, I'd left it open in case they needed volunteers at the Old Fort Strong Endurance Festival... which I couldn't commit to as a bike cycle sport "athlete" before it sold out (because life).

I ended up kinda needing an actual day off.  I had a shit Thursday which resulted in me leaving late with a very disturbing feeling in my stomach about some unresolved issues I'd left behind.  All I really wanted to do that night was install my new titanium riser bars which showed up at work earlier that day.

On my ride home (in the dark), I had a few too many not so wonderful interactions with inattentive drivers.  I was first headed to the store to pick up some beer, and while ambling my way to the cooler, I walked past the wine section... with an 800mm handlebar strapped to the bottom of my tiny commuter sack.

CLANK.

Ungghh... that was a close one.  Harbinger of things to come?  We shall see.

So even though I was going to be off all day on Friday with nothing to do and 20°+ temps in the morning, I decided I needed one in the "W" column... so I installed the bars that night.

I took the next day slow and easy... and I also looked at my retirement account balances to see if I could make this situation a more permanent thing.  Knock out some chores, have a nice, non-rushed visit with my mominems, wait for warmer temps and head out for the maiden ride.

Huh.

All told, I ended up with over fifty miles of riding with the new bars this weekend.  I knew before I started the first ride that 800mm was probably too much, but you can only make bars shorter and not the other way around (except those weird ones from Ibis).  Hard to believe that I would be aware of an extra 10mm per side from what I'm used to, but here we are.  I noticed it in the same (but opposite) way as when I tried 760mm bars and hated it.   Can't rightly put my finger on it, but wrong is wrong.  780mm is right, and as soon as I get a fresh hacksaw blade, 780mm they soon shall be.

I did a fair job riding away my job-related frustrations on Friday.  Kinda hard to focus on anything but steering a wider-than-I'm-used-to bar through the narrow gaps between trees at the Backyard Trails.  Banging pinkies into immovable objects in 30° weather teaches you lessons real quick like. 

Obvs, I'm still working to get the fit dialed in 100% on this bike.  It feels good, but I want gooder.  

When I get it all to my liking, I'm guessing I'll be able to jump over a mountain.