raising bars

cookiemonster

Hi

I managed to damage my back a couple of months back, not cycle related, but I'm only now just getting back into cycling (managed 5 laps of regents park yesterday with no pain and able to walk when I'd finished woo hoo ).

With the stem flipped upwards currently have about an 80mm drop (vertical height) from my saddle to the bars. Its ok to ride with, not wonderful though, I rarely use the drops as then I'm seriously tucked in, to an extent that it affects my pedal power. So I want to raise my bars up further, maybe another 40mm, to give a 40mm drop from saddle to bars.

The problem is how?

My stem is a 6 degree, so moving to a 10 degree is only going to give me a little more height, The stem collar is 40mm, and its spaced so there's maybe 35mm of stem left - so the collar sits proud by 5mm. Basically if add spacers then I'm spacing the collar off the stem which doesnt sound like a wonderful idea...

So, questions of the day

1. Does 40mm drop sound realistic; or am I into shopping basket territory?

2. Does anyone make decent road stems that have a more than 10 or 12 degree angle? maybe 20 degree and 130mm long or something? (I dont want to shorten the reach, just raise it up)

3. Will I negatively effect the handling with a 20 - 25 degree stem?


Its a focus cayo btw, and just used for training, sportives, etc - no competitive stuff, and no time trials.

Cheers

Jon

Garybee

1. Doesn't matter what it looks like, so long as it is comfortable.

2. I would suggest you look at adjustable stems. Even if it's just to find out what non-adjustable stem you need to buy.

3. It won't make any real difference to the handling, there will be slightly more flex but you may not even notice it.

cookiemonster

Cheers

Adjustable stems - hadnt considered them, but it makes sense at least, as you say, to work out exactly whats best.

The 40mm question wasnt so much how it looks, but more on whether, on a race bike there is an "expected range of drop" - i.e. if you want your bars higher than your saddle then you probably dont want a race bike So, is a 40mm drop within the limits of what you'd expect on a race bike, or am I trying to do something the bike wasnt designed for (if that all makes sense,,,)?

Garybee

I think it's reasonable, more and more road bikes are becoming availanle with relatively high front ends. Specialized's Roubaix is a good example, sportives seem to be influencing manufacturers quite a lot now.