groups.google.com will always get you all the news.

thanks, I quit the newsgroup habit about 5 years ago, but recently found
these cycling groups....

I ended up with a Giant TCR2, and just the other day got it to a point
where I feel I'm well fit to it. I had to get a very long,
very high stem. I think I probably should have gotten the
next size up on the frame, though I got this bike at a very
cheap price (it was a last-years-model, etc).

It's 130mm long, and rises sharply up. It looks silly from
an elitist cyclist's point of view

Yeah, I've noticed the frame geometry on those -- seat post very exposed.
But they have the cool aero seat posts... (-; Did you change the stem
because you were feeling pain in the arms or shoulders?

Even with that stem, the top of my bars is lower than
the bottom of my saddle.

On the R600, there are a BUNCH of spacers on the
stem and that keeps the bars just below the level of
my seat. I am thinking of flipping the stem over so that the bars drop an
inch from where they are at. Of course I could just leave things be and be
a man and use the drops more...

You can tell us if it fits by if anything hurts, and if
you feel properly efficient.

I have about 1300 miles on this bike and I'm not hurting.
But I wonder about my efficiency. I don't have enough experience, or group
ride yet, to compare myself to others. I have this constant tinkering type
of mentality though and maybe it would be worth my while to go into the
local shop and pay a guy to fit me. Even if he just says everything is
fine, it might give me some piece of mind. Any thoughts?

If you live in Rhode Island and would like to ride with
somebody your size, I'd be happy to ride with you.

I'm in FL, sweating my butt off. If I ride more than an hour I can't seem to
carry enough water!