Adjustable stems - yes or no?

[robjh]

Sorry to hear you have back problems Rob. I went through that a while ago a raised and short stem helped me get through it so good luck GWS.

Thanks. The worst of the problem was last year and I'm mostly over it now, but longer or faster rides on this one bike can bring it back on. It's the Giant I had on the rides in Wales we did together, I rode it happily for years until one day in July 2016, but anyway that's just the history. My other 2 bikes don't cause these problems (unless my back is already inflamed from the Giant) and the thing they most have in common is smaller saddle-to-handlebar distance and height difference, so this is the obvious thing to try on the offending bike.

 

[Globalti]

I bet 99% of those get fitted then never adjusted again. It's an inelegant, heavy, possibly unreliable and certainly over-elaborate and over-expensive solution to a simple problem, which is normally solved by adding and removing spacers from under the stem. The modern threadless stem is a simple solution for easy DIY adjustment although admittedly not as elegant as a traditional quill stem.

 

[robjh]

I bet 99% of those get fitted then never adjusted again. It's an inelegant, heavy, possibly unreliable and certainly over-elaborate and over-expensive solution to a simple problem, which is normally solved by adding and removing spacers from under the stem. The modern threadless stem is a simple solution for easy DIY adjustment although admittedly not as elegant as a traditional quill stem.

I'm already at the top of the steerer tube. Would you add spacers so that the stem sits partially above the steerer tube itself, and if so how far is safe?
The other option of course is a steerer tube extension of some kind, say this

or this

What does the CycleChat community think of them?

 

[Sharky]

Just checked and mone os a richley

I bet 99% of those get fitted then never adjusted again. It's an inelegant, heavy, possibly unreliable and certainly over-elaborate and over-expensive solution to a simple problem, which is normally solved by adding and removing spacers from under the stem. The modern threadless stem is a simple solution for easy DIY adjustment although admittedly not as elegant as a traditional quill stem.

I am in the 1% group.

Originally set up my bike as follows:-

But two broken collar bones and one fractured pelvis later, can no longer keep that low position and the stem was moved upwards to a more horizontal position.

 

[Globalti]

I'm already at the top of the steerer tube. Would you add spacers so that the stem sits partially above the steerer tube itself, and if so how far is safe?
The other option of course is a steerer tube extension of some kind, say this
View attachment 380075
or this
View attachment 380078

What does the CycleChat community think of them?

Ugh. If you need to fit that there's something fundamentally wrong with your bike size or your position.

 

[Red17]

My Ridgeback hybrid came with one. I've never bothered adjusting setting of it but have spent hours trying to stop it creaking without any success so far.

 

[clockworksimon]

The other option of course is a steerer tube extension of some kind, say this
View attachment 380075

What does the CycleChat community think of them?

I fitted a Zoom version of one of these to my road bike as I didnt have enough steerer tube to get the stem any higher. As my back improved over the year, I have lowered the stem on the extension tube so there are no longer any spacers under it. The bike looks better without the extension but thanks to being able to get more comfortable I am riding every weekend, going further and faster which is more important than looks. I will just point out that raising the bars above a certain point will require you to fit longer gear/brake cables.

 

[clockworksimon]

My Ridgeback hybrid came with one. I've never bothered adjusting setting of it but have spent hours trying to stop it creaking without any success so far.

I presume you have tried spraying WD40 or similar into the joints? This has worked for me when creaks continue despite tightening up.

 

[Red17]

I presume you have tried spraying WD40 or similar into the joints? This has worked for me when creaks continue despite tightening up.

Sprays, oils, greases and different torque settings. Still creaks though.

 

[clockworksimon]

Sprays, oils, greases and different torque settings. Still creaks though.

It would drive me nuts! Definitely would have to replace.

 

[clockworksimon]

In addition to experimenting with stem height and angle to ease back issues, I found that even minor adjustments to bar angle and seat height/angle/fore-aft position also helped.

My Zoom stem extension worked fine, creak-free whilst riding past people pushing their carbon fibre exotica up Mow Cop in the CW125 in September. Without the more comfortable position I wouldn't have managed more than a couple of hours.

 

[Crackle]

I have a bbb stem on my ex-mtn bike

https://bbbcycling.com/en/bike-parts/stems/BHS-24

 

[robjh]

Ugh. If you need to fit that there's something fundamentally wrong with your bike size or your position.

So to the other question. Would you add spacers so that the top of the stem clamp is above the top of the steerer tube, and if so by how much?

 

[clockworksimon]

So to the other question. Would you add spacers so that the top of the stem clamp is above the top of the steerer tube, and if so by how much?

I wouldn't go more than just a few mm above the top of the steerer tube. No science to back this up though.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I have had one on my mountain bike for several years, with no problems at all.

Having used it, and adjusted the stem several times until I got a comfortable set up, I suppose I could try to find a fixed stem with exactly the same dimensions of rise and reach. But, to be honest, that's too much of a faff. I am happy to go on using the adjustable stem unless it falls to bits, which I have no reason to believe that it will.