Installing a new stem

[Kalidurga]

Thank you, Knotted & DebW I read the article on threadless headset adjustment at Park Tool and it sounds about as I figured. I could probably do it myself, but I'd be paranoid the whole time of not adjusting it properly. Better to leave it at the shop and have someone with experience take care of this, just in case.

Those bearing retainers shown on the Park Tool site are cool looking. I wonder if anyone's ever considered making a ring or bracelet that looks like one...

xeney, can you be more specific as to what's difficult about adjusting the Ritchey stem? The mechanics of it, or determining the "sweet spot"?

Kitsune: The "playing piano" thing is from a quote I read recently. I think it was credited to either Merckx or Hinault and of course I can't remember now where I saw it. Not being an mtb'er, I don't know how much it applies, but I'd guess that the same general principle would be at work. The way I interpret it is that you don't ever want to have too much of your weight or too tight a grip on the handlebar. There should be enough lightness and looseness to your torso, arms and grip that you feel you could play piano. How much that applies to hucking a drop or threading a rock garden, I dunno.