Mr Happy saves the Day!

Mr Happy Stem

After my commute last week and the ride at the Blow Hole (aka River Highlands State Park) the stem that I had on the Qball just wasn't fitting right.  I felt squished in the cockpit.  Ironically, while my kids were riding around drive way on Friday, I noticed that one of the bikes was sporting the stem that I originally had two years ago.  On Sunday, I switched out stems and on Wednesday I got to test it out.

Oh what a feeling!

This is it!  Riding the bike I don't feel squished into the cock pit anymore and the hand positions feel so natural, too.  The Fme bars fit so well and are the perfect complement for the Monster Cross.  One thing I have found is that they they don't work well for an out of the saddle climbing position but now that I think about neither did the Woodchippers.  To climb, I find myself scrunching up in the cockpit as if I were riding a full susser mountain bike.  I cleaned every climb yesterday and without asking for Granny's assistance!

The one thing I can't get over is every time I ride this bike on single track is how soft it is compared to riding the Dillinger or even the Fetish Fixation 69er as rigid bikes.  Aluminum is just so harsh and unforgiving and it's funny, when I first got the Qball I think I rode it for 6 months rigid and hated it because at the time I just couldn't appreciate it.  Now that I have been on three separate aluminum bikes, both rigid, hardtail, and even full suspension, I finally understand when some says that Steel is Real.