Beginner question on raising handle bars

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

BulletTheory05

Über Member
Location
Liverpool, UK
Hey all

So I've got my new bike and having trouble raising the handle bars. I've attached 2 images.

I've loosened the screws or what have you, as shown in the images, and tried pulling up to get the handle bars to raise, but they just won't shift. Am I doing something wrong? Or am I being a weakling here? Cycles seemed to have changed since I last had one, as the last bike I had didn't have those rings around the stem.

Any help, as always, is greatly appreciated

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • 20200524_130056.jpg
    20200524_130056.jpg
    64.2 KB · Views: 16
  • 20200524_130041.jpg
    20200524_130041.jpg
    69.7 KB · Views: 16

Mo1959

Legendary Member
Hey all

So I've got my new bike and having trouble raising the handle bars. I've attached 2 images.

I've loosened the screws or what have you, as shown in the images, and tried pulling up to get the handle bars to raise, but they just won't shift. Am I doing something wrong? Or am I being a weakling here? Cycles seemed to have changed since I last had one, as the last bike I had didn't have those rings around the stem.

Any help, as always, is greatly appreciated

Thanks
That’s as high as it will go in your present set up. All the spacers are under the bar and your stem is angled up.
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
OP
OP
B

BulletTheory05

Über Member
Location
Liverpool, UK
@BulletTheory05 have you removed the black grommet at the top where it says Ridgeback ?

As under there should be allen key slacken that off and hey presto

But looking at your pics the stem is set high already

You will need something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MTB-RISE...123929?hash=item1caed2a219:g:~mgAAOSwrU1bI6nO or these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ahead-Ha...hash=item3ccce0543f:m:mUyKbY9cUtFWXs2S-yNlutg
Thanks for the reply!

I've tried to get the cap off but to no avail. Maybe I'm being a bit weak haha. I'll give it another go.

So what are these black rings used for?
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
Thanks for the reply!

I've tried to get the cap off but to no avail. Maybe I'm being a bit weak haha. I'll give it another go.

So what are these black rings used for?

Only the little rubberised one in the middle not the one with Ridgeback written on it

The rings are spacers that cover up the top of the fork tube and can go either above or below the stem
 
OP
OP
B

BulletTheory05

Über Member
Location
Liverpool, UK
Only the little rubberised one in the middle not the one with Ridgeback written on it

The rings are spacers that cover up the top of the fork tube and can go either above or below the stem
Thanks so much. Got access to it. I've slackened it off all the way but still won't budge. Oh well. Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it
 
OP
OP
B

BulletTheory05

Über Member
Location
Liverpool, UK

Brilliant. Thank you. So it looks like I'm maxed out

Thanks for the help again all
 

WonderBob

New Member
Perfect timing as I was going to ask the same question, and this thread has been very informative.

So if I've understood the info above, bikes with threadless stems are supplied with a set of spacers. The spacers can go above and below the stem, and if they are already at the bottom that is as high as that handlebar will go?

So in the pic below this is as high as they can go?


524580
 

WonderBob

New Member
It IS possible to go higher, but you need additional bits. An example:
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/b...em-raiser-1-1-8-alu6061-with-5-spacers-black/
But this may not actually help you be more comfortable. Just depends on overall fit.

Hi, has any one used one of these stem extenders?
If you add a stem extender do you have to use all of the original stem spacers?

Also I was thinking of adding a Redshift shockstop. Can anyone see any problems adding a shockstop and a stem extender at the same time
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
Perfect timing as I was going to ask the same question, and this thread has been very informative.

So if I've understood the info above, bikes with threadless stems are supplied with a set of spacers. The spacers can go above and below the stem, and if they are already at the bottom that is as high as that handlebar will go?

So in the pic below this is as high as they can go?


View attachment 524580
In a word, yes.
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
How high are your bars in relation to the saddle - above, below, far below? Unless the bars are well below your saddle then the height can't be too far out and maybe it's the reach that needs adjusted by a change to the stem.
 
Top Bottom