My Spectrum Experience (very long): Bikefanclub.com

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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