Giant Escape 1 Disc Handlebar Height

[remfanuk]

HI...very new to taking up cycling primarily for fitness. So I bought myself a Giant Escape 1 Disc 2020 and finding I have too much weight on the bars and therefore not greatly comfortable. I have lowered the seat height slightly but feel the bars need raising somehow.
There are headset spacers but I don't know if it would be safe to put another spacer in there in terms of needing a longer stem bolt? Can I get a bar clamp with a greater raise on it? I am going to get a gel seat so that will add a bit of height to the saddle. Thanks in anticipation

 

[vickster]

Try flipping the stem if you can, otherwise look at an adjustable stem to get a greater angle.
Is the bike the correct size for you?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

If you put your saddle back that’ll reduce the weight on your bars

 

[remfanuk]

thank you for your comments
the problem is more to do with it being quite a long reach to the bars...my thoughts are that if they were simply higher it would not aggravate a neck problem I have...same reason I cannot ride a sports motorcycle anymore.
The Giant store measured me and I fell on the borderline of medium and large so went for the large...I am 6' tall.
If I put the saddle back that would make the reach to the bars worse. It's more the leaning over of my torso to the bars...it feels as if they were higher and perhaps closer to me then that would be ideal.
I have attached some photos in the hope you can point me in the right direction with any links to alternative stems perhaps?

 

[remfanuk]

i am going to move my saddle back if it will...anyone got any links to short stems or other solutions...am hoping to get something ordered by the weekend so i can start enjoying it. thanks.

 

[iluvmybike]

On that bike you cannot raise the height of the bars any further as it stands. When setting up a bike it is important to get the saddle setting right first - if this is wrong you will get all sorts of problems with yuor knees, hips etc . Once that is set you can then make adjustments to stem - you can get stems that are shorter in length - the one on the bike is quite long. If the Giant store 'measured' you for the bike then they didn't do a very good job of it...you didn't say what measurements they did - some places it is very cursory and a bit useless

 

[OldShep]

If I put the saddle back that would make the reach to the bars worse.

It will make the reach longer but you initially said

. I have too much weight on the bars

.
Putting the saddle back takes weight from the hands it’s a cantilever effect.

 

[Smudge]

You can fit an adjustable stem, with tilting it up it will make the bars higher and it will also bring the bars closer to you.

 

[remfanuk]

Sorry i did mean to say move the saddle further forward if i can effectively bringing the bars closer.
Looking at the headset and the steeting tube there is nothing there that i think can be raised without compromising safety. Is that the reason i cant use an adjustable stem?
I say "measured" for the bike. I was sat on it and an adjustment made to the saddle height. I did try a medium City but i was apparently too hunched over with my shoulders being pushed back. I think with the covid19 they did less in touching the bike and sorting me out on it than i would expect normally.
Think i am going to contact giant and see what they can do otherwise i have an expensive bike i cannot ride without pain...i really feel disappointed over the whole thing especially if theres nothing i can realistically buy to sort the issue out. Thanks guys

 

[remfanuk]

i have moved the saddle forward to its maximum setting and going to try it tomorrow...fingers crossed. otherwise i think i am looking at an adjustable stem perhaps...although i still have my old Trek mtb that fitted me great...i wonder if there are interchangeable parts, i.e. the stem.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

If you move the saddle too far forward, you risk making pedalling less efficient and possibly getting knee discomfort. I find it less fatiguing to have the saddle a good way behind the BB axle, which is one reason I like old-school bikes with fairly slack geometry. If you need to shorten the overall saddle to bars distance on a bike to suit your upper body proportions, it's better to do it by shortening the stem/fitting a stem with a steeper rise.
Moving a saddle forward results in a pedalling position similar to TT bikes, which are NOT designed for maximum comfort!

 

[remfanuk]

been out on it this morning with the saddle as far forward as it will go. i did notice the effectiveness of my peddling less efficient as stated above, but only mildly so. the pain in my neck/shoulders was substantially reduced. so i am thinking of going for a Stem like this? then perhaps i can put the saddle back to its middle setting. or do i need an adjustable type stem? links and advice appreciated. thank you

oh...any recommendations for a gel type seat that is comfortable as i am built more for comfort than speed. cheers

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Personally I would go for one with a steep rise angle so it gives you more bar height. Drastically shortening a stem can lower the resulting bar height, depending on the lengths and angles involved. Obviously whatever you buy needs to be compatible with your steerer and handlebar diameters.

 

[remfanuk]

so the new stem came today and i set about it with enthusiasm...then...taking the stem bolt and cap out, slotting the new stem over the steerer tube and replacing the stem bolt it just spun and wasn't screwing into anything. so i took it out and it came out with C (in the photo) but A and B were not attached to it. There is a shoulder to A, seen in another photo. I had to tip the bike upside down to bring A and B out of the steerer tube.
I am unsure how it goes back together and in what orientation. i am desperate to ride this bike but i am being thwarted by my own attempts to get comfy on it. help as always will be greatly appreciate. thanks in advance.

 

[DCBassman]

Not seen that type of wedge before, But I would imagine B goes over A with C screwed gently into it. That whole assembly needs to go back in the steerer to the correct depth and tightened up. Without seeing the inside of C, I'm not sure how this is achieved. However, once it is in the right place, then the spacers and new stem can go back over the steerer and the cap tightened first, just enough to eliminate play in the headset bearings. Only when this is OK, align and tighten the stem bolts and refit the bars.
I would hope for more comments on this before you do it, though, because I've not seen that type of wedge before, only star nuts and rubber bung types.