max spacer height

top_bhoy

What should be considered to be the max spacer height under the bars?

I've had a Pedal Force RS2 frame now for a few years waiting for me to get round and put it together. Finally that day has now approached but when I compare it to my current bike, the geometry is vastly different. I can get it to fit me via stem length and seat post height, etc but the one thing which is clearly vastly different is the headset.

To get the bars at the same height wrt the seat needs about 4.5-5mm of spacers under the bars. Is this too much or is there anything else I can do to raise the bars while reducing the spacers ie get a 17 deg stem and flip it? The last thing I want to do is cut it too short and make it irretrievable without significant cost.

Cheers

PS The RS2 frame looks good and is very light

diamonddog

The bars shouldn't be the same height as the seat

top_bhoy

diamonddog wrote:

The bars shouldn't be the same height as the seat

They're not, there is a 2-3 cm difference.

I should have also said that my only cycling in the last 10 months has been on the mtb (and only over the last 2 months). I have been laid up with an injury which has meant little exercise so not exactly supple at the moment. I'm sure I could reduce it but I don't want to do it too drastically or start off too low.

keef66

I've just built up a Scott CR1-SL. Pretty light full carbon F&F. Scott recommends a max of 40mm spacers below the stem and a max of 5 mm above

top_bhoy

keef66 wrote:

I've just built up a Scott CR1-SL. Pretty light full carbon F&F. Scott recommends a max of 40mm spacers below the stem and a max of 5 mm above

I've just set the bars to 40mm above the headset and that would be a good start point. I can reduce it as and when I get some suppleness back.

Cheers

drlodge

As a rule of thumb, the max spacer height under the stem is the same as the stem diameter. So 1 1/8" stem is 25mm or 30mm at a push. Its normal to have a 5mm spacer on top (as per the rules).