Sounds like you've resolved the issues, as I started reading I was going to suggest a different set of handlebars, I'm in a similar position, got a bike that isn't fit for the road anymore, used to be a big rider over the years (ukpreppergrrl wrote:So today I dug my mountain bike out of the shed...where it's languished for the 16 years I've been in this house, not that it was used much in the 9 years before that when I bought it! The problem has always been that the reach is too long for me - I feel like I'm doing push-ups when I ride it which is very tiring. The frame is the right size, it's just the reach. I've been toying with buying a new bike which fits me better, but finances are not going to permit this. It seems a waste of a resource to have it sitting there in an unusable state when it could be quite a valuable asset at some point. So, after much googling, I've purchased a short quill stem for it (took some time to find out what it was called so that I could look for it!) which is 30mm as opposed to 90mm in length front to back, thus reducing my required reach by 6cm! Two new tyres and inner tubes (they're somewhat flat!) and for £40 all in I'm hoping to have a bike that I may actually ride occasionally...and will be there as a useful form of transport should the need arise! Planning to clean and lube the bike over Easter and fit the new parts as they arrive!
fnarr fnarr) but its very much decorational not operational these days. Her Maj will only ride a bike on proper cycle paths and not roads so its a bit surplus although she does go through the odd phase...
I did find the Haynes Bike Book last night though 
