6 months I have been exploring Taipei mostly using rivers cycle paths on a standard Giant City style bike I bought used, weighs so much difficult enough to wheel up steps. However it’s done the job a proper work horse that I have also used for video filming, that I plan show more of on Forumosa.
Average Kilometres now 330 a week so a upgrade needed.
Again I buy used what I think was a bargain 24500nt ASTER SE F35.
I love it 
I kinda like the color scheme.
That’s not a bad deal, fitted with Ultegra even 
…
Just a small remark, seems your saddle is positioned wrong, way too far forward (unless you are too short for this bike, but that doesn’t seem so from the saddle height).
Lack of stem length is an other one I noticed.
1 Like
…and when taking photos of your whip, you must have crank arms on a perfect horizontal. Otherwise good pick up.
Edit: And forget to mention 330 k/ week? Holy put ranlee to shame, Batman. well done.
2 Likes
OK frame is 54 that I must say was difficult to find used one here, mostly 48, 52.
I’m 1879-80cm height but my extended arms length is is 175-6cm so short arms long body it seems. I had a 56 frame long time ago back home and it never felt right.
I did a 70 k run yesterday and it felt good, some muscle pain up my sides from different riding position I’m used to.
I will play around with the seat.
I wanted all black.
I may repaint it? done before I’m pretty good at spray painting done a lot in car restoration.
We are in the same length / bike size range.
Try set the forward tip of ur saddle some 5cm behind the center of your bottom bracket as a starter, then go from there.
A 90 degree wall edge is the easiest tool to measure from.
1 Like
Take it easy, remember that’s not a car.
1 Like
OK I moved seat back around 5cm, can’t say I notice any difference but only ridden bike once before.
However I do need as much guidance as possible for road bikes, I had Raleigh racer as a teenager, then about 5 years ago I bought a 1970’s Eddy Merckx that I used on UK roads for around 4 weeks I hated it so dangerous and pot holes every where, had too many close calls. So I bought a trainer put back wheel in and used as a exercise bike.
I was lucky to live very close to the Chiltern Hills so mountain trail riding was my thing. I had a number of MTB but kept being stolen, in the end I bought a stolen Santa Cruz Heckler downhiller boy it was good. However that got stolen! so I decide getting to old for downhilling so buy not stolen Santa Cruz Superlight that I still have now almost vintage I would think.
Get back to new purchase, I ride mostly on riversides but am comfortable on roads here, far safer than UK!
This bike is high end and never used one like it before, didn’t know how to change gears 
I find front shifter a bit awkward to use to will get hang of it.
Like to know a bit more about saddle tilt, position on bike really because I do suffer from lower back pain, so far this bike is more comfortable than the Giant one. Cruising at 25-30km is amazing. I’m really enjoying it.
All advice wanted.
1 Like
As everyone is different, all I can give you is basic set-up start, and you will get the fine tuning from there.
I have also found that a correct set-up becomes more important with age, knees and the likes become less forgiving….
Considering that your frame size is correct, go from here:
-
Stand against a flat wall on bare feet, jam a book up between your legs (careful…), and measure the height, it is probably in the 80-ties.
Multiply it with 109%, and you have a start on saddle height, measured from the pedal, following the seat stay center.
Accurately Set Your Saddle Height with the 109% Method - YouTube -
After that, it is easier to measure all future saddle heights from the center of the BB, up to the top of the saddle (see below drawing).
-
Put your saddle itself in the middle of clamps, equally forward/backward, and horizontal, or with a very small tilt down (don’t overdo, surely not as a start).
Most saddles have a marking on the rails. -
Measure from the middle of the saddle (I used a piece of masking tape for the middle) to the center of the handle bar.
The handle bar stem can vary in length (your bike seems to have an extreme short one), and needs to be correct for a comfortable reach.
Normal stem length range is 80-120mm as a reference, shorter for more upright, longer for a lower profile.
After you have set up the above, it’s a matter of further trial and error, but you should be close.
Be sure that your saddle is not too high, and not too low, mostly indicated by pain in the front of the knee (too low), or the back (too high).
The rest comes down to the way you feel things.
Finally, my basic settings (which should give you a pretty good first reference check):
Me: 178 / 80kg / 56yr
Frame: 54cm for most my bikes, compact sizes different but is not relevant for the above set-up.
Saddle to center BB height: 742mm
Middle saddle to middle handle bar: 670mm
Stem 100-110mm
1-2 spacers below the stem
ME!
I will follow your recommendations see how I go, I thought stem was a bit short too but not knowing, stem is part of the fork so I can’t lengthen/heighten in any way if wanted?
Many Thanks.
Stems are nowadays mostly a separate part.
They come as a family, in different length, and with a certain angle (called ‘rise’), which is normally some 6 degree on a basic road bike).
As you have to buy a new one every time you want to change … it requires a bit of assuming and imagination, or more money.
I sold off a lot of my old stuff recently, but I think I have a 80mm one still laying around, no problem if you wanne try, and the steerer diameter fits.
Shows how behind the times I am.
Let you know after measuring up.