HELP NEEDED about raising handlebars on a Scott Contessa 30

Julia.A

Hiya, just bought the above mentioned bike after having a cheap bike so i am still fairly new to mountain bikes, the one before that was a Raleigh Shopper in the late 1970's, ha ha.
I want to raise the handlebars but don't know how to do this, it was easy on my old bike but this is a totally different ball game and i don't know where to start. It does not mention this in the booklet that came with the bike.
Thank you
Julia

cooldad

You can't, if the stem is already at the top of the steerer.
All you can do is fit an angled stem, or riser bars.

Julia.A

What are riser bars????

blister pus

dear sheepsteeth's mum...

Anonymous

Julia.A wrote:

What are riser bars????

Bars where the grip area is higher than the centre, where they clamp onto the bike. They come in all shapes and sizes, so you should probably be able to get one with more "rise" than whatever you have now.

m00nd0g

Could you fit a shorter stem instead?

Julia.A

Aha, now i get it.
Thank you to the three sensible people who replied.
BUT i don't understand about a shorter stem???
But i think i have it covered now.
THANK YOU

cooldad

m00nd0g wrote:

Could you fit a shorter stem instead?

If you want to shorten the reach, won't raise the bars though, will it?

cooldad

Riser bars:



Radical riser bars:

Julia.A

Hiya, now you are making it even harder for me.
Sorry don't mean to be ignorant, my hubby had 3 heart attacks last year (he is fine now) at the age of 42, we both took up cycling as it is a good cardio vascular exercise. We started with a cheap bike and after a year we decided to upgrade being as we have discovered we love cycling. That's why i don't know a lot about bikes. We live in an area which is surrounded with converted railway lines so we can travel off road for miles without me being a road hazzard, lol.
So thank you for your help

Anonymous

Also, as cooldad mentioned, there may be spacers on the bike.
in between the frame bearings, and the stem (the bit that clamps onto the handlebars) there are usually some rings to space it out, called, oddly enough "spacers"

Anyway, if there are any of these above the stem, then you can remove them, and the stem, and re-locate them all underneath the stem, if that makes sense.

Julia.A

THANK YOU ALL, and thanks for the pic's.
I think i am now sorted, and i understand it better, will check out some spacers or the risers.

cooldad

A pleasure, welcome, and need any advice just shout.
I don't actually ride a bike, just hang out here and offer helpful advice and stupid remarks.
Up to you to decide which is which.

paul.skibum

You could try one of these as a replacement stem - set at 60 degrees you would get your bars quite a bit higher - watch what it does to the steering though!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=30642

I thought you could get steerer extensions too but I cant find one on line to link to (effectively a clamp with additional steerer width material above to bring the stem higher).