Spacers. Advice please

TKF

Since the other thread was ruined by the usual suspects I thought I'd start a fresh one.

I'd like some helpful info on spacers please. There's plenty of info around on seat height and how it corresponds to leg length/angle but not a great deal for the height of the bars.

I'm sure it's a personal thing but I'd be happy to hear some anecdotal thoughts on what helped/hindered others when they changed things around. How many goes until you got it "right"?

fwiw I'm 6ft with a 34'' inner leg and I ride a 2011 56cm Spesh Allez Sport and the spacers have never been touched i.e. I'm on top o' the lot.

If the bar is high or low how does it typically affect your climbing? I tend to do a mix of seated and standing and would guess standing with a lower bar would make things more difficult/uncomfortable?

MountainMonster

Spacers are purely a personal preference as long as the right rize frame is to be had. I ride with about 20mm of spacers above my stem because I prefer a lower bar and more hunched over position, but that is just me.

As far as finding the right position for you, given the amount of work needed for switching spacers around, I would just start swapping. It won't be expensive or hard to go back to your current set up if you move the spacers to a point which doesn't suit you.

Wirral_paul

They'll make less difference on a climb than they will on the flat or a descent. You'll obviously sit more upright with lots of spacers and so be less aerodynamic in general - but this doesnt matter on the climbs really.

Why not try experimenting with slowly dropping the bars by moving a spacer from below to above the stem. If it works (ie you feel comfortable after a few rides) then you can gradually cut the steerer tube down to suit

turnerjohn

as the guys say above; make a few small changes and see what works for you. Your know quickly enough what feels better and what doesn't. As a rule you shouldn't feel preasure (i.e. being forced by your body weight) on the bars; weight should be evenly spread out so no undue preasure points. Don't be affraid to play with the spacers.
Oh one thing...dont go to long to quickly or your get back ache !...slow and small changes are the call of the day

BruceG

TKF, the spacers issue is purely personal to the rider wether he wants (or in fact can get) a lower position then he will not use as many if any at all, thats the point set it for what YOU as a rider want. Its not about what others use.

You may have some issues though as your frame is verging on too small ironically I to am 6' with a 34" inside leg, I have been riding specialized for some years now both Allez (winter bike) and Tarmac (yes I am a specialized fan I like their bikes). I sort of worked out from personal research that a 58 was right for me and had this confirmed on a bike fit. Therefore you may be compromising a little on your set up and may want to look at stem length along with stack heights. But it will only be a little as you are really on the max upper limit for a 56 frame.

Trail and error for the spacers it really isnt hard to do, BUT use what suits you, dont just set it a certain way because thats what others do, as the other guy was asking!

Tom Dean

Looking at the Allez geometries, the 56 has a fairly short headtube so no wonder you need the spacers if the frame is on the small side for you. The 58 has 20mm longer seat tube, 17mm longer top tube -the head tube is 35mm longer! http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=11Allez

rpd_steve

Personal comfort. There is a bit of an advantage to getting low for aero at speed/descending but IMO it is more important to be comfortable. There is no point being a bit more aero if you cant perform because your in pain!

I set mine by starting at the top. I found it completely comfortable in the drops and the flat bars, but the hoods were a bit of a weird half way that felt uncomfortable.
I dropped it 10mm, then another 5, giving it a few days in between. I then found I could spend all day on the hoods which were now on a comfy height, and the drops for a reasonable about of time, but they still stretch me out a bit.

Worked for me. Bear in mind that dropping the stem will also increase the reach a bit if your stem is on the long side.

MarksMintness

RPD Steve wrote:

Personal comfort. There is a bit of an advantage to getting low for aero at speed/descending but IMO it is more important to be comfortable. There is no point being a bit more aero if you cant perform because your in pain!

I set mine by starting at the top. I found it completely comfortable in the drops and the flat bars, but the hoods were a bit of a weird half way that felt uncomfortable.
I dropped it 10mm, then another 5, giving it a few days in between. I then found I could spend all day on the hoods which were now on a comfy height, and the drops for a reasonable about of time, but they still stretch me out a bit.

Worked for me. Bear in mind that dropping the stem will also increase the reach a bit if your stem is on the long side.

Ditto. I have just flipped the riser stem on my trek 1.1 and removed a spacer to see how I got on. I was finding the hoods difficult to use and was in the drops all the time! Now I find the bar and hoods a lot more comfy and the hoods are lower now to get some good speed on the flats and descents. I've still got 2 or 3 cm of spacers under the stem so can remove more if needed but at the moment it seems fine for me.
Have a play I think is the way forward and try a few rides.

TKF

Interesting comments about flipping the stem as I've never even heard of this. Maybe a trip to the lbs for a proper fit is in order.

BruceG

As supplied standard his stem will be in the lower position, any flipping will increase the handlebar height, and as his frame is going to be a little snug as mentioned before this may not be a good move, unless of course he is struggling with apparent pressure on his hands or arms, which I doubt given the frame sizing. Just something to be aware of.

As said though a bike fit may be in order, but only of course if the OP feels there is something drastically wrong with his position, or was the query original query just to satisfy curiousity?, which i hope the info supplied has done

Tom Dean

TKF wrote:

Maybe a trip to the lbs for a bigger frame is in order.

FTFY

Pross

Tom Dean wrote:

TKF wrote:

Maybe a trip to the lbs for a bigger frame is in order.

FTFY

Not really. In fact it is pretty unhelpful. There is no reason why a 56cm shouldn't be fine, I am 6' 2" with 34" inside leg and my bike fit had me down as on the cusp of a 56 or 58. I opted for a 58 as I like to be a bit more stretched out but I could easily have gone for the 56 and a longer stem. Bearing in mind that my torso is going to be about 2" longer than the OP. You have never seen him on a bike so it really isn't good to be suggesting (even if just joking) that they go to the expense of a new bike, slightly too small is far easier to adjust than slightly too big.