This picture shows the Ritchey Comp bars up top and the Monkeylite bars down below. There is also a slight backwards sweep in these bars - moreso than in the Ritchey bars.
The seatpost uses a really simple two screw clamp that is similar to the Thompson's clamp. You dont have to remove the screws all the way in order to put the saddle on. This is a really nice feature.
Sorry for the craptastic photos - but I had to take them with my phone. It only took a few moments to put the saddle onto the seatpost, then install it into the frame. The handlebar took a few minutes to remove the old, then put the new one on.
I put the Edge on the stem, and clamped everything together just hand tight. I also threw on the Salsa skewers to replace the garbage that came with the bike.
These Salsa skewers are so nice. The springs arent as flimsy as the old skewers and the lever itself is shaped nicely so that it bends inwards to keep from getting snagged on brush. And - they are red. Ahh. Red.
I took the bike out for a ride at the e-center to see how it handled after losing almost a pound of flab. I really liked the wider and more swept back handlebars. I felt I had more control of the bike, while not being so wide that I couldnt fit through any narrow passages. I found myself going a little bit faster than normal. Unfortunately, the seatpost slipped about an inch and in the process scratched nicely. Thats probably my fault for being afraid of over-tightening. I tightened it up some more and it didnt slip the rest of the day.
Unfortunately, there is a pretty nice sized scratch in the surface of the seatpost right at the clamping area. Im sure its not a big deal, but Im not going to risk it on a mountain bike. I can imagine sitting down hard after a bumpy section and the thing snaps, sending my balls into a sharp carbon dagger. Therefore, I have relegated this seatpost to the roadbike. My road bike had a generic piece of crap seatpost on it since the standard GIANT branded carbon post got stolen. Long story. I will think long and hard about having a carbon seatpost on an MTB before spending the money again. If I do get another one of these posts I will use some of that carbon goo that supposedly helps keep carbon from slipping. To be honest, the Easton seatpost is beautiful, and worth the money on the clamp alone. It looks really really nice on the bike, and helps with the fit a little because of the zero setback design. However, I think it will be more at home on the road bike - where the scratched/gouged bit is not right at the clamping area.
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