I asked before but I am still confused...

[Abitrary]

If you're trying the find the perfect setup, then you won't. Some days you'll be feeling sluggish and wish the the bars were higher.

If your uncomfortable on the bike in the first place, go to a shop to get you set up. They'll make sure that your saddle / pedal position is right first before even thinking about the handlebars. Once that is right, you might find that you need a shorter or longer stem anyway

 

[John Ponting]

Clearly I'm missing the point here...apologies...

I don't think an adjustable stem will give you the height difference that you seem to want - they only tilt a few degrees and at the same time alter the reach. Up and close; level and away; down and close.

my suggestion is in Beginners in the thread about raising bars. It may need a little lateral thinking.

yeah i read it and still no comprende...any way I'm not raising the bars I'm lowering them and want to loose the excess fork pole it creates....I'm still missing the point I reckon...

Set the bar height to your preferred LOW setting then use a raiser to set them to your preferred HIGH setting

...wait...I think I hear a penny dropping....
so I take the bars right down...cut off the excess fork tubing and swap my stem for an adjust able one so that if I want I can raise up the bars again...am I close?

BUT get the low correct; leave a couple of spacers above the bar; use a raiser when you need high bars.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Thankyou, I think I am starting to understand. So I set the lower bar position (leaving two spacers above) and cut off the excess tubing. Then when I want to have higher bars at some point in the future I buy something called a 'Raiser' (which I am assuming is like a stick on extra bit of tubing type thingy?) and fit it to the fork tube.

...am i right...ish ?

So all I need to do now is cut off the tubing....I bet that is easier said than done.

 

[John Ponting]

You're just about there.

pop over to beginners, I have posted some links to raisers to give you a visual. At least one seems to provide 70mm height increase.

cutting a steer tube shouldn't be beyond a normal Junior hacksaw - afterall it is thin walled hollow tube (I'm sure).

Don't forget that if you screw it up then you are looking at new forks for the galaxy as well as a nice light Italian racer - try explaining that to the Finance Department.

 

[Abitrary]

Thankyou, I think I am starting to understand. So I set the lower bar position (leaving two spacers above) and cut off the excess tubing. Then when I want to have higher bars at some point in the future I buy something called a 'Raiser' (which I am assuming is like a stick on extra bit of tubing type thingy?) and fit it to the fork tube.

...am i right...ish ?

So all I need to do now is cut off the tubing....I bet that is easier said than done.

That makes a raiser sound as elegant as it is practical. I tried one and it was a nightmare. It was too thick and it just felt / looked wrong

 

[John Ponting]

Sounds like short term best is an adjustable angle stem to see if it helps you at all and if it changes the dynamics enough.

If you really are "planning" a second bike for more sporting rides then an adjustable may get you through the negotiating period and make galaxy restoration quick and easy.

 

[P.H]

I don't think an adjustable stem will give you the height difference that you seem to want - they only tilt a few degrees .

The one I linked to goes from 0 to 60 degrees, in a 120mm size that would give a height difference of around 70 - 80mm. I'd suggest that anyone needing more had the wrong size bike.

at the same time alter the reach. Up and close; level and away;

That's exactly what you want, as you pivot from the hips the higher the bars the closer they should be. The advice I received when I had a proper fitting session was that even with a rigid stem the length would be determined before the angle and would remain the same.

 

[John Ponting]

The one I linked to goes from 0 to 60 degrees, in a 120mm size that would give a height difference of around 70 - 80mm. I'd suggest that anyone needing more had the wrong size bike.

That's exactly what you want, as you pivot from the hips the higher the bars the closer they should be. The advice I received when I had a proper fitting session was that even with a rigid stem the length would be determined before the angle and would remain the same.

I bow to your far superior knowledge. I've never used an adjustable stem as both my bikes fit me.

just a small point - the one you linked to is only listed as 90mm or 110mm.

 

[P.H]

just a small point - the one you linked to is only listed as 90mm or 110mm.

It's available, from that link, in sizes up to 130mm.

 

[John Ponting]

Once again, you'se the man!

The parker page shows
bar bore: 25.4mm
extensions: 90, 110mm
comes in high-polished silver and sand-blasted black
but the options pull down at bottom has a bigger selection.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Perhaps I'm fortunate in having a hybrid with an adjustable stem and "flat" bars. I tilt the stem up, loosen the bars and push them forward and swivel all controls on the bars a bit and I've got the same reach.

But to be honest, I'm still faffing about after nearly 11 months ( last four months, no cycling ) .

I think I just need to get used to the bike again before I mess too much 'cos it felt "nearly there " before I had to stop riding for a while.

 

[andrew_s]

For clarification...
The top image shows raising and lowering the handlebars by moving spacers from above to below the stem. When in the low position, you've a great stack of spacers above the stem, as you found.

The bottom image shows what happens when you turn a stem over.
The thin line is at 90 degrees to the fork steerer tube that the stem clamps on to, and the angle between the thin line and the stem varies according to which model of stem you have. There are some where the angle is zero, in which case there is no movement, but most are angled to some extent, so your existing stem may be OK.
Adjustable stems give any angle rather than just the two, at the expense of a bit more weight, cost and another bolt or two to keep tight (and they are uglier).

 

[NickM]

andrew s, you know your onions.

BTFB, handlebar raisers are an abortion and look like one. Adjustable stems tend to creak infuriatingly and you'll never be happy because... they're adjustable.

Better by far to have two stems, or (if you're lucky) one which you can simply turn over to get the two positions you want. Luckily, SJSC supply road Ahead stems in multiple lengths and angles. But they are £35 a throw, so it makes sense to sit down with paper, protractor, ruler and pencil, and draw until you know for sure which one suits you.

 

[GrahamG]

Got to agree with the above couple of posts - just a second stem or flipping one stem would surely suffice.

 

[bonj2]

forgive me if this is a stupid question, but why do you need it at a different height when loaded to when unloaded?