Raising Handlebar Height

Rydeadeye
Rydeadeye Posts: 25
edited January 2012 in MTB general
Hi,

I've been riding a Boardman Comp medium for the last 6 months and I've been pretty happy with it. However on longer rides I've been getting lower back pain and I think this is because the handlebards are too low.(me seat is set higher then them currently). How do I increase the height? I've been told conflicting information about this twice today. One guy in the Evans store in Liverpool said that you can't increase the height of the handle bars whilst another guy in the Giant shop in Liverpool said it can be increased by adding an extra stem or something.

I've had a look at it and I thought I could add extra spacers or something.

Can someone please confirm what the safest and best way is to sort this?

I think the handle bars are FSA.

Cheers

Comments

  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Can't add extra spacers unless there are spacers on top of the stem already...

    Best bet may be a set of higher rise bars/stem.. there was a very similar thread recently with a load of different solutions/advice.. I'll see if I can find it
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    found it..
    viewtopic.php?f=40028&t=12828412&p=17371441&hilit=+Carrera+Fury#p17371441
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Back pain may be due to something else than bar height. Is the reach comfortable? Do your arms stretch right out or have some bend in them in a normal seated position? Also, are you sure the seat height is correct?
  • Rydeadeye
    Rydeadeye Posts: 25
    Cheers for the advice so far. There are no extra spaces on top of the stem so I guess its looking at alternatives.

    Yep pretty sure the height of the seat is correct. It's the right height as my legs are almost at full stretch when fully extended etc. In terms of reach there's a slight bend in my arms. It feels pretty comfortable in general it's on the longer rides off road. I still think they need to be raised slightly.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Riser bars or higher angled stem or a combination of both then. You can get steerer tube extenders, probably what the guy at Giant meant, but I wouldn't trust them on a MTB.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Other suggestion is to look into building up core strength in the lower back. Had that suggested by some people and a physio for my back, though strangely it never hurts when on the bike or after. Only after sleeping. Core strength issues is often said to be a common cause of lower back aches. I know what mine was though. Coming off the bike unstylishly.

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