I have a 54cm 2005 P2k. I love it. The bike is absolutely faster than my road bike and it keeps my legs fresher for the run. That said I wonder if I could get more aero by removing some of the headset spacers that came with my bike.
I have not measured the spacers but they seem substantial (2 larger ones and 2 or 3 small ones). I was thinking about asking my bike shop to take out at least 1 of the large spacers when I take it in for a spring tune-up.
Question: If I do this, how will removing the spacer(s) affect my bike’s overall fit? Will it lengthen the cockpit? Shorten it? Will I have to lower my seat?
I’m pretty comfortable on my bike now, but wouldn’t mind tweaking my form for some free speed-- as long as it doesn’t mean that I’ll have back problems come August.
If you have an allen wrench you can take out the spacers yourself. Just loosen the nut on the top cap of the steerer tube. Then pop off the top cap. Lift stem off. Remove spacer. Replace stem. Place spacer on top of stem. Replace top cap. Make sure handlebars are lined up properly. Tighten nut on top cap. Be sure the whole assembly is solid and fits together properly before riding. One time i managed to leave wiggle room and had to stop a few minutes into a ride to fix it.
Lather, rinse, and repeat until you have no spacers left. Then get the steerer tube cut, get an adjustable stem, and start looking bjorn-like and studly as you lower your front end until your nose is touching the front tire.
Its possible it will force you to rotate more at your pelvis, thus requiring a minor change in saddle placement or height. That of course, depends on how low you are right now and how much lower you intend to go. Work on flexibility to help avoid some of the back problems lots of guys get when riding lower.
Removing spacers won’t affect the overall fit. Since you’re lower in the front you may need to raise your saddle and slide it forward slightly to keep the exact same hip angle you have now.
You’re basically rotating your entire body using the bottom bracket as the pivot point. If you just lower the front end you’ll end up compressing your hip angle as you get lower.
As Stallion said. But, hopefully, you’ll also need to loosen the stem nuts as well. In any case, don’t forget to tighten those same nuts when you put the stem back.
You forgot to say to loosen stem bolts before removal but hopefully that is obvious. OP should also understand how to pretension the headset (IHS I belive on a P2K) when reinstalling. Don’t ride the bike until the IHS tension is correct or you can damage head tube (especially an aluminum one). It is not difficult but maybe have someone show you how to do it.
Thanks all for your answers. I’m fairly flexible, and my main concern was that if I removed a spacer I would feel either stretched out or squished. I don’t trust myself to mess with my handlebars, but I’ll get my bike shop to do the work. Onto looking like a studly MOP’er
