Handle bar height, Ridgeback Genesis Day 03

Looking at pictures of the bike on line it appears to have a threadless steerer / aheadset type arrangement which, far from being unusual, has become the standard in the past 10 years or so. The stem clamps round the steerer column and is secured by two bolts. The bolt you can see in the top cap of the steerer is only used to preload the bearings during installation. You can if you want unscrew it and remove the cap; the stem will still be firmly attached to the steerer.

This system is reputed to be lighter and stronger, but the main advantage is for the manufacturers who do not have to produce forks with different length steerers. They are simply cut to size when installing in a frame, since there is no longer a threaded portion to worry about. This also means steerers can now be made of carbon fibre.

So, the previous owner is absolutely correct. Bar height cannot be adjusted easily in the way it used to be with quill stems. Instead it can only be fine tuned by moving or swapping spacers above / beneath the stem, and / or by swapping the stem itself for one with less drop or more rise. Often the first thing to try is flipping the stem upside down so that instead of pointing horizontally or downwards, it angles up.

Hope that helps.

Just noticed that in the pic of the bike I have on screen, the stem is already pointing upwards, so flipping it would be counter-productive for you.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... %2Farticle

Looks like a lovely bike though!

If it really, really is too low for you at the front, you can get a slightly inelegant extension for the steerer. (looking unsuccessfully for a link to one. I may be some time.....)

I just got rid of a couple of bike maintenance books because about 60% of the information has become outdated in the past decade. (headsets & stems, bottom brackets, cranksets, 8 > 9 > 10 > 11 speed transmission, dual pivot caliper brakes, STI road shifters, compact frames, compact gearing, hubs with cartridge bearings, very strange proprietary spokes, and carbon fibre everything to name but a few)

And then regretted it when my son acquired an 80s Peugeot he wants to restore. Lovely adjustable quill stem. Loosen bolt, tap gently, wriggle into new position and retighten bolt. Simples!

Another pet peeve is the fact that most road bikes, even those aimed at the sportive rider, now come with short reach brake calipers that allow no clearance for fatter tyres and / or mudguards, and no eyelets for guards either.

(Kudos to Cannondale for addressing these issues on the 2011 Alu Synapse. Sadly the carbon Synapse is still a slave to fashion)


I think I may have become possessed by Sheldon Brown.