How Best to Raise Handlebars ?

I need to learn more about how to raise the handlebars on a road bike, and
what effects that will have on handling and frame strength. (Note that I
have posted this to rec.bicycles.tech as well. Please post any replies to
that group, and thanks for any help.)



A while back, I injured my neck and can no longer spend hours hunched over a
standard set of road bike handlebars with my head tilted up to see the road
in front of me. However, it is important to me to be able to ride for
exercise, so after some treatments and a couple of years healing time, I
gave it a try. I mounted a cheap adjustable stem on my old road bike and
determined that with the handlebars several inches above the seat, I can
ride moderate distances (say, up to two hours a couple or three times a
week) without aggravating the neck problem. This will allow me to do
effective workout rides in the hills around my home (lots of climbing).



The problem is that my old bike, with the adjustable stem and very high
handlebars, is just too flimsy feeling to ride long term. As a result, I'm
looking for a new bike that will handle the higher handlebars. At this
point, I'm staring very hard at the Trek 2100C, which is their "comfort"
version of a road bike. By comfort, they mean that the rider sits in a more
upright position than, say, on other pure road bikes. There are some
hybrids available (e.g., the 7700) that might also work, but I would rather
stay in a road bike format. The 2100C gives me the frame and component
group quality that I'm looking for at a price I can (almost) manage. The
extra large 63cm size should work for me (6'4", 250 heading toward 210), but
I worry about reliability and frame strength (the bike's, not mine). For
short workout rides, efficiency is no longer much of a factor. I now care
much more about bike and component strength than weight. Now, finally to my
questions:



1) What are my best options for raising the handlebars on the new bike? I
'm not keen on adjustable stems. I have seen fixed extenders for the
steering tubes (made by Delta, I think) that add about three inches
vertically. There are also angled stems that might accomplish the task at
hand. Is it possible that the manufacturer might be able to give me a fork
with an extra long steerer tube? Comments about these various approaches?



2) How will raising the handlebars affect handling and steering? I know
that my center of gravity will be higher. I'm also aware that this unusual
set up will change my riding techniques completely, but that's just
something I'll have to adapt to. As I said earlier, my old bike is really
twitchy with the bars raised so high. How can I be sure that a new bike
like the 2100C will be better before I commit $1500?





In order to keep this thread under control, I'd prefer not to get into any
extended discussions of other bikes, but rather to keep this a question
about geometry, handling, and safety with the 2100C as my target new bike.
FWIW, the critical geometry data for the 63cm sized 2100C a 104cm
wheelbase, 59 top tube, 74 degree head angle, 72.5 seat angle, 4.5 offset
and 5.8 trail. With the exception of trail, these numbers are very close to
those for my old bike.



I want to get back to riding and need to make a good decision about the bike
and set up I choose. Any help would be much appreciated.



- Magnusfarce

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 10:15:56 -0800, Magnusfarce wrote:

1) What are my best options for raising the handlebars on the new bike?
I 'm not keen on adjustable stems.

Can you find a road bike with a traditional quill stem to ride during the
recovery period? Then all you need is a Nitto Technomic super long stem
and you're good to go. They run around $50 usd.

Thanks -

My old Trek has a quill type stem, but I think that any method used to mount
the handlebars on this frame as high as I need them will result in an
unwieldy front end. I'm hoping that the newer frames in general, and this
"comfort" bike specifically, will be set up to handle the stresses better
and will provide a more stable ride.

- Magnusfarce (OP)


"maxo" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 10:15:56 -0800, Magnusfarce wrote:

1) What are my best options for raising the handlebars on the new
bike?
I 'm not keen on adjustable stems.

Can you find a road bike with a traditional quill stem to ride during the
recovery period? Then all you need is a Nitto Technomic super long stem
and you're good to go. They run around $50 usd.

"Magnusfarce" wrote in message
...
I need to learn more about how to raise the handlebars on a road bike, and
what effects that will have on handling and frame strength. (Note that I
have posted this to rec.bicycles.tech as well. Please post any replies to
that group, and thanks for any help.)

It's difficult to answer your question without knowing what kind of stem you
have. If you have a threaded(quill) stem, then all you need is a longer
stem. Nitto makes several to raise the bar. They're available several
places, http://www.rivbike.com being one of them. The Technomic Deluxe or
the Dirt Drop would do the trick. If you have a threadless stem, it's a
piece of cake, also. Delta makes a threadless stem riser, which Performance
sells for $19.99.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/....cfm?SKU=12679

Hope that helps you. Raising the bar is something EVERYBODY should do,
except racers, IMHO. I recently put a Nitto Dirt Drop on my road bike, and
I'm much more comfortable. I spend more time in the drops, too. :-)

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 00:02:19 +0000, Gooserider wrote:

Hope that helps you. Raising the bar is something EVERYBODY should do,
except racers, IMHO. I recently put a Nitto Dirt Drop on my road bike, and
I'm much more comfortable. I spend more time in the drops, too. :-)

The way most road bikes are set up these days, I'd say you're right. Mine
reside two inches below the seat height and that's very comfy for me--I
can cruise in the drops for miles, but I've got a long back so a little
lower works fine. I've seen the displays in bike shops with them 4" or
more below the saddle! No wonder the, imho, bogus "flat bar road bike"
boom.

On a city bike I had, I switched the flat bars to a set of nitto "north
road" bend since I had some in steel that were really comfy on a vintage
bike. Bad idea--since I like to ride fast, the bars were actually more
uncomfortable since I wasn't able to use my muscles as effectively.
Leaning over *was* more comfy--the problem was the width--there's no way I
needed super wide mtb bars in the city--sawing 2" off each end did the
trick for comfort.

Starting level with the seat on either road or mtbs seems fair enough.

The dirt drops look tempting, btw, but I'm fairly happy with my Ritchey
biomax bars--despite their goofy look. They've got a very shallow drop,
which I love, I just miss the nice flat in the drop that traditional bars
have...can't win them all.

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 00:02:19 GMT, "Gooserider"
wrote:


"Magnusfarce" wrote in message
...
I need to learn more about how to raise the handlebars on a road bike, and
what effects that will have on handling and frame strength. (Note that I
have posted this to rec.bicycles.tech as well. Please post any replies to
that group, and thanks for any help.)

It's difficult to answer your question without knowing what kind of stem you
have. If you have a threaded(quill) stem, then all you need is a longer
stem. Nitto makes several to raise the bar. They're available several
places, http://www.rivbike.com being one of them. The Technomic Deluxe or
the Dirt Drop would do the trick. If you have a threadless stem, it's a
piece of cake, also. Delta makes a threadless stem riser, which Performance
sells for $19.99.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/....cfm?SKU=12679

Hope that helps you. Raising the bar is something EVERYBODY should do,
except racers, IMHO. I recently put a Nitto Dirt Drop on my road bike, and
I'm much more comfortable. I spend more time in the drops, too. :-)

Just keep in mind that beyond a certain point the cables may become too
stretched and will need replaced / lengthened.

jj

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In article ,
Magnusfarce wrote:
Thanks -

My old Trek has a quill type stem, but I think that any method used to mount
the handlebars on this frame as high as I need them will result in an
unwieldy front end.

_ Unless you do a lot of sprinting out of the saddle, you won't
notice it. I have the longest Nitto as far out as it will go on
one of my bikes and I don't notice any unwieldyness. You do need
to get a slightly longer stem to compensate for the additional
quill length moving the bars back.

_ If you want to go even higher, you can get quill to threadless
1 1/8 inch adapters. Most are about 6 inches long, but SOMA made
one that is nearly a foot long. I use that on an old MTB that I
converted to a drop bar fat tire tourer.

http://tinyurl.com/5smfh

_ If you like the trek, then I think these solutions could work
for you, and they would be a cheap experiment. After all folding
bikes have very high quills and they ride reasonably well.

_ Booker C. Bense

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In article ,
maxo wrote:
On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 00:02:19 +0000, Gooserider wrote:


The dirt drops look tempting, btw, but I'm fairly happy with my Ritchey
biomax bars--despite their goofy look. They've got a very shallow drop,
which I love, I just miss the nice flat in the drop that traditional bars
have...can't win them all.


_ If you like the BioMax, try a pair of Salsa bell laps. It's
nearly the same shape with a longer flat in the drop and slightly
more flare.

_ Booker C. Bense


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On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 10:15:56 -0800, Magnusfarce wrote:

1) What are my best options for raising the handlebars on the new bike? I
'm not keen on adjustable stems.

If it's a quill stem (threaded headset), there are steel stems with long
quills that should take care of you fine. I have one of these on my
wife's bike, and it works great. Sheldon Brown sells them in various
extensions, I believe. Steel is a good idea with a long quill.

If it's threadless, then maybe a big, thick riser stem can be found.


at hand. Is it possible that the manufacturer might be able to give me
a fork with an extra long steerer tube? Comments about these various
approaches?

I have some riding buddies who have extended head tubes on their bikes --
but this is custom stuff. To have just the fork longer (and use spacers)
with either threaded or threadless is not a great option, IMO, if strength
is an issue.

Another option here would be to go for a compact frame, since the headtube
is proportionally longer than on a traditional frame. Get it larger than
would be recommended, and you essentially have an extended headtube. Of
course the top tube effective length may be too big, but it might be worth
thinking about.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
_`\(,_ | mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so
(_)/ (_) | that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing. [1 Corinth. 13:2]

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 20:58:15 +0000, Booker C. Bense wrote:


_ If you like the BioMax, try a pair of Salsa bell laps. It's nearly the
same shape with a longer flat in the drop and slightly more flare.

will have a look.