kajukembo
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 14
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It was time to get a new ride and I have a friend who has 3 Merckx(s), a Look, a Vanilla, and a steel Spectrum. When I asked, "if you were going to buy another, what would it be?" Without hesitation he said "I'd get a ti Spectrum. No one builds a bike like Tom." This is a guy who has given me a lot of good advice and when I ignore it, it usually costs me money or dissatisfaction. So, I conveniently sceduled a business trip to NYC, with a stop at the barn.
Of all the ingredients that went into the 4 month Spectrum experience (and no it doesn't end after you get the bike), I would say it was the time spent at the barn dialing in the fit. I've heard that Tom can work the same magic, long-distance. When I arrived, my current bike was on the trainer and we quickly got to work. After watching me pedal, he quickly asked me if I ever experience saddle numbness and if my low back ever hurt? "Yes" to both I said. He pointed out that my saddle was too high and slightly too foward. Also, that my bars were too low, and my stem was too short. I'd paid for a "professional" fitting about a year prior. I didn't have any trouble buying the saddle position, but I was a bit resistant to raising the bars. I had met Tom's sister on a century and she'd told me that if Tom was anything at all, it is a master fitter. So, I told my self, "if Tom says the bars need to go up, up they go." We talked about materials, component choices and the other "cool stuff" that we agonize over when outfitting a new bike. Looking back, this was a less important discussion compared to designing the fit and the ride.
Fast forward 4 months, the bike arrives and amazing, it fits. I looked at the bars and boy they were wide. I called Tom because I thought there was a mistake. No mistake. That's exactly where he wanted them. I felt that I was putting out more wattage, but was it all in my mind and the excitment of the new bike? Well, my first race of season arrives at the end of the week and when the gun went off, it was obvious that something was different. It was a 50 ish mile race with about 3k feet of climbing. I moved up through the group on all the climbs. I didn't experience any numbness and very litle low back pain (something that had been with me for years). In the last 10 mles, the field went from about 70 to 40 and on the last hill it went from 40 to 20. I made both selections. I was able to get the the front in the last 500 meters and lead out the sprint. It was the fit. I felt fresh, I felt comfortable, I was putting out more wattage. In the past, my low back usually would fatgue and I wasn't able to respond to the attacks. This time it was different and it was the time at the barn that made it so.
There are a lot of really nicely made bikes out there. Tom makes sure yours is made for you.
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Kahuna
Forum Admin
Reged: 12/11/03
Posts: 162
Loc: Maui, Hawaii
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Hey kajukembo (great name, BTW),
Thanks for that story. It's always great to hear from another satisfied Spectrum owner on this forum. Welcome to the club! What model bike did you wind up getting from Tom? Also, how about a couple of pix for our image gallery?
Aloha,
-K
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kajukembo
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 14
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Compact Super. I'll get around to getting some pics. I have to admit, I shamelesly copied some of the others shown on this wonderful site.
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bags27
new member
Reged: 12/31/03
Posts: 14
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Very long??? Not long enough!!! We can't get enough of these stories. My Superlight Compact is on order, due within weeks (feels like months or years). I don't want to jinx the bike, but Tom was as careful and iconoclastic with me during my fitting. I'm 56 and looking forward to very long distance cycling. Tom's looking forward to my body changing and how the bike will accommodate me. So I read your story with hope and anticipation, and confirmation of my decision that, when it came time for me to chose someone to build my first and likely only ti bike, there was no doubt in my mind whom I would trust.
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Spectrum_Bob
friend
Reged: 12/29/03
Posts: 33
Loc: MD
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If you are really interested in hearing other stories here is mine that I posted on the old forum back in 9-02.
In hindsight choosing to purchase a Spectrum was a great decision. The bike continues to amaze and delight me. In the past year I have lost 30 pounds and my cycling abilities have improved dramatically. This bike is so much more capable than I am; it pushes me to ride faster and with more agility. It also always gets me home. What I mean by that is last summer I was riding on Sky Line Drive in VA; at the last rest stop I was totally spent. I climbed back on and there was something about the fit, the comfort I felt on the bike that all of a sudden I had what I needed to finish the ride. Now to my story on why I picked Spectrum:
I met with Tom June 29th to get fitted for my new Spectrum. As you can guess, I am still waiting - that’s OK, I have two close friends that have already gone through the process to get their dream bikes. I am in no hurry; I am patiently impatient, I have waited a long time for this and wanted to share my experience with all of you.
1992 - I thought I would have to give up cycling. I had a neck injury from a car accident in 1989 that was causing me a lot of pain especially when I rode. A local bike shop gave me bad advice on the fit of a new bike, which aggravated my injury. Since I had just met my wife-to-be on a club ride and we were doing a lot of riding together, I was very motivated to deal with my injury; I knew that I was not interested in a recumbent.
1993 - I had a LBS do a fit kit and we made some adjustments with a custom stem that helped me deal with some pain but affected my balance on the bike. It did not handle well and I was still having neck problems.
1994 - I found a Serotta dealer with a background in sports physiology. We spent a lot of time on a Serotta sizing bike and dialed in a geometry that seemed to make sense. At that time I didn’t want to go to the expense of a custom frame since I was not sure if this geometry would work. We went searching for a frame that would work for me. I bought a 49cm Vitus 992, used the components from my old bike and had Salsa build a custom stem. I was amazed at how well everything worked.
This experience made me realize I was a prime candidate for a custom bike and I began doing research. I was in no hurry since my Vitus rode well and I was comfortable on it.
It just so happens that every year the cycling club I belong to has a guest speaker for their annual meeting. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to listen to Ben Serotta, Richard Schwinn (Waterford) and Tom Kellogg. Each of them discussed their philosophies on bike design and fit. Tom made the most sense. Spectrum was now at the top of my list.
1997 - My wife and I decided to check out the Lehigh Valley Velodrome for the Friday night races and to do some riding in Lehigh Valley. It was a great time. On Saturday we went for a ride. The ride was beautiful with many old stone farmhouses and barns. As we rode past this one quaint little farmhouse I couldn’t help but notice the Spectrum logo on its barn door. Later we stopped at this little bike shop close to the Velodrome; I was on my third flat of the ride and needed a tube (It was the most flats I ever had on one ride). There was a beautiful Spectrum track frame hanging in the shop. I asked the salesperson about the farm and he confirmed it was the home of Tom Kellogg and where he builds his bikes.
1998 - It’s interesting to point out that the two friends that attended the bike club meetings with me both own Spectrums now. Martin best know as Martilini (at least that’s what it says on his top tube) was the first. He got a steel Spectrum that he claims keeps getting more comfortable each time he rides it. I will post a picture of it as soon as I get one from him; it’s a beauty.
2000 - My other friend George asked me to join him on his trip to Tom for his fitting. I jumped on the chance. He has a gorgeous pearled white ti Spectrum with our mantra on his top tube “Amando la Vita.” I brought my Vitus with us just in case Tom would be willing to check my position. George brought two of his old bikes for Tom to see. Everything I have read here on this forum about Tom is true. It was great to be a fly on the wall and take in the whole experience. Tom asked a very detailed set of questions, measured both of George’s bikes and studied George on his bikes in different positions.
About halfway through the process, someone came in the barn. I heard Tom say “Hi Marty” and I looked up to see Marty Nothstein. It wasn’t long after the 2000 Olympics. He couldn’t have been a nicer guy. I had the opportunity to congratulate him on his Gold and shake his hand. It was one of those great cycling moments.
Tom did check my position on my bike. He has you lean on this big old vice that is sitting on a massive wooden beam coming out of the floor. The vice has a double bike clamp in it. So I am clipped into my bike, leaning on this great old vise in this beautiful old barn where Tom builds his bikes and all I could think about was the other untold number of riders that have leaned on this same vice. Tom told me things about my body that I never knew. I am 5 foot 5 inches tall, a 26 inch inseam with a long torso and short arms. When you look at my current bike I have my bar higher than my saddle. I can not ride in the drops because I get pain in my neck and right arm. What I learned is that my riding position is better than I thought. My body proportions more than my neck injury needed to dictate my bar height. I told Tom that I have started saving and intend to have him build me a bike for my 50th birthday.
2002 – Now I am back to where I started, June 29th and I am on my way to get fitted for my new Spectrum. My 50th birthday is July 7th. It has been a bit of a journey. I am fortunate that it is only a three-hour drive. As I walked from my car to the Barn, I see an amazing bike leaning on the wall next to the door. I have learned from spending time on this forum that it belongs to Kahuna. I never got to meet Kahuna; he was leaving as I was getting there but its just part of this almost never-ending story.
I am amazed how much I have learned from spending time with Tom. There have been things about how my current bike handles that I always felt were my own limitations at speed in a corner. Through probing questions from Tom I discovered that these are traits that are inherent to the geometry of my Vitus.
I am also amazed at how much fun the whole process has been. The “fit” is only one part of it. I was like a kid in a candy store. I got to talk about forks, headsets, cranks, gear ratios & wheels. Plus I had a long list of questions. I tried to be careful; I am a self-proclaimed techno-weenie that reads too many reviews in too many magazines. Tom helped guide me to my final component choices. He is very patient and very knowledgeable. I am having Tom build up the bike for me.
Finally it comes down to the paint choices. This has been my toughest decision. Tom showed me an endless palette of colors. It was overwhelming, too many choices. I decided to make a bunch of copies of the line drawing in the on line order form, dig up as many colored pencils I could find and start drawing. After many drawings, several calls to Tom with questions about fades and color combos (not to mention much time to reflect) I made a decision. I picked the dominant color; I am leaving the rest up to Tom. He understands what I want and has so much experience.
One of the benefits of Tom taking so long is you have a lot of time to make all of these decisions. You also have a lot of time to write stories like this to take your mind off of waiting.
I must tell you, I am not a racer. Before my daughter was born I was thrilled to ride 3000 miles a year, now I’m happy to hit a 1000. My wife and I average three to four mornings a week in the basement (5:30 am) to spin for a 1/2 hour before getting ready for work. You should see us, side by side, bikes on trainers. We each have a fan, and a TV/VCR combo in between the fans. We try to get three to four hours on the road on weekends though sometimes all we can manage is a spinervals tape. We have good riding out our front door, a requirement when we bought our house. We take turns riding and being with our daughter. On a really good weekend we get a baby sitter and we ride together.
Our mantra “Amando la Vita” translates to “Loving Life”. I remember taking the training wheels off of my first bike and with a friend learning to ride a two-wheeler. I remember having the only three speed English racer amongst my friends and winning almost every race. I remember wanting a ten speed-racing bike and the salesman talking my Dad into buying a stingray knock off. I have loved bicycles and riding my entire life. I still get a tremendous sense of joy and freedom every time I crest a big climb and get that view down into the next valley. I see myself riding for the rest of my life. I am very fortunate that I am in a position to afford my dream bike.
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MadRocketSci
new member
Reged: 02/18/04
Posts: 6
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Kajukembo, Tom K., and others,
The comments about lower back pain are interesting to me. It's the only issue I currently deal with on my rides, which involve lots of extended climbing on steep curvy roads (bay area coastal region). I'm not sure if my core strength is not up to snuff, or i'm still not flexible enough, or my position needs tweaking, but I noticed on the spectrum order form (i'm in the market for a custom) that tom (at least i think that's him) has a slight curvature along his back. I've always been under the impression that you should be pushing your stomach towards the top tube, rolling your hips forward, so that your spine is in a slight state of "lordosis" (sp??), but maybe that's contributing to my lower back fatigue. Is a little outward curve ok, and does actively trying to push your stomach towards the tt overly fatigue the back on long climbs? It seems that opinions vary on this one...what are your experiences?
thanks,
the Mad Rocket Scientist
(the dorky name that my friends call me  )
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Mad:
I used to have lower back pains more than frequently and riding a bike certainly didn't help. What I found useful for me was one of those large exercise balls. I would lay on it face up and roll very slowly fore and aft allowing my back to stretch. Maybe five minutes of this at a time, every couple of days and no more lower back pain. The instructions that come with the ball also contain exercises that will help with your core strength and balance. My job has me on my feet continuously all day and the ball exercises has helped there too.
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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kajukembo
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 14
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Don’t look at Tom’s pictures on his order form, he’s a freak. I’ve never seen anyone his size that’s using near the effective top tube plus stem length he does. I’ve seen three guys on Spectrums in my life and all of them look completely different when on them. My triumph over lower back pain was a three-fold process. I too would get lower back pain mainly from climbing, but also during long race like efforts in the group when in the drops grinding it out. It was hard efforts with extreme pressure on the pedals that caused it for me. Tom felt that my flexibility wasn’t the problem at all, and that my problem was largely muscular. So, from the time I did my fitting to the time the new bike arrived, I worked diligently on my core strength. There are a lot of excellent programs with or without the use of a Swiss Ball. With a little research you could put together a very effective 15 minute program that you could do a couple of days a week at home. However, I believe that the utilization of a self administered massage technique using a Styrofoam roller has had the most impact for me. The technical term for this is myofacial relief. A lot of “up-to-speed” PTs call it rolling out. I find that if I stretch lightly, roll-out, then put some Borne warming cream on my lower back, I have little if any problems. It only takes about 10 minutes. If I’m in a real hurry I can roll out, apply cream and get out the door in 5 minutes. The fitting and Ti Spectrum was the final ingredient. The fitting put me in a different position when I’m on the tops and I feel like I’m putting out a lot more power. My riding partners say that my hips sit differently on this bike. The bike is smooth, it’s like riding on velvet, it’s just more comfortable and therefore easier on the back.
In my original post, I didn’t talk much about the bike itself, but the experience. The bike surpassed my expectations. I don’t know how Tom did it, but my Spectrum turns quicker/more responsive, but descends and holds a corner much better than my old bike. Usually, you sacrifice one for the other. Also, if you are buying a complete bike, a Spectrum is probably the squarest deal in the business. Tom had to up-charge me for some of the goodies I wanted, but when he invoiced me I was truly delighted on how reasonable everything was. It’s almost like I got the build kit wholesale. We live very far from Spectrum country and the only other Spectrums I’ve seen is owned by my friend who referred me to Tom and another guy I happened upon. Occasionally, someone will comment, “Hmm, a Spectrum, I’ve never heard of one of those,” then they look past it. I’m a firm believer that it’s the rider not the machine, but the Spectrum has become my secret weapon.
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MadRocketSci
new member
Reged: 02/18/04
Posts: 6
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Thanks for the replies! Based on what you guys said I'll be hitting the gym with the swiss ball and foam roller. I've been doing mostly crunches and leg lifts up until this point, but apparently core strength and stability are different things. The rolling massage sounds like it'll help with the soreness. I think I'll also try lowering my seat by 2mm to see if that also helps...
MadRocketSci
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bags27
new member
Reged: 12/31/03
Posts: 14
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I love the Spectrum stories (I can't wait for mine). At 56, almost needless to say, I've had lower back pain, and as a professional researcher, did the research. Here are two possible avenues of therapy that are equally widely embraced:
1. Do exercises designed by Robin McKenzie, especially Seven Steps to a Pain-Free Life: How to Rapidly Relieve Back and Neck Pain--the classic book on exercise for the back. Most PT's use some form of McKenzie when treating (say) herniated disks (as my PT did for mine).
2. Do nothing at all: tell yourself it's nothing at all. That everyone gets backpain and it's from stress, like a headache. Don't fear it, don't avoid it, don't treat it: just deal with the stress. Dr.(he's an MD) John E. Sarno's Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, has cured me a few times, and has saved at least half-dozen of my friends from operations. It's a cult book and I know of another doctor who does very traditional Western medicine who swears by it. Depending on how hippy-dippy you are (I am), it may be the best money you've ever spent...or it may be a waste of $14.
Whatever you do, hope you feel better.
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kajukembo
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 14
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I like the mind over matter theory and believe it can be combined with the proactive approach. The good thing about the proactive approach is that your core will get a lot stronger and it will substantially improve your cycling performance, especially when climbing. Your core wont get stronger on its own. The longer you can go before you physically start breaking down (read that as fatigue) on the bike, the more enjoyment you will have. I've seen guys in their 60s, who have accepted that their golf game is going to get a little worse every year, go on a basic physical conditioning program only to reverse that trend. You should see what it does for their everyday spirit and their enjoyment of the game. Ok, enough preacing, I'm going to go work on my core for 20 minutes now.
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BubbaTex
journeyman
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 56
Loc: Austin, Texas
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(I am a happy Merckx owner, but would like a custom Ti bike later on - thus I am lurking here) you know, I used to get lower back pain too. Even when I was in shape, I would still get lower back pain after rides of 2 hours or more and it was just nagging me all of the time. I had a Paramount which had a 73 or 73.5 STA. The Merckx has a 72.4 STA. I noticed after about a month that I no longer had ANY back pain and I am riding and training harder than ever. Besides seat and stem height, I believe STA is also very important in fit. I'll never go above 72.5 again - thus I'll have to buy a custom (or another Merckx!).
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kajukembo
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 14
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Is your Merckx Ti?
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