This seems a group with enough bikes, including some that are OT, that this question can be best answered here.
I have the impression that OT brifters, Shimano especially, stretch the rider out if the bars had the same reach they used to, long ago,or if those mostly ugly stems for threadless headsets were as long as gracefull quill stems used to commonly be (120-130mm)
Am I mistaken in this, having just grown older and less flexible, or was there a change? I'm interested, not just for the history, but because I don't recall seeing advice on fitting which would acknowledge and compensate for the change.
Harry Travis
Washington, DC
USA