Randochap
Senior hunter
- Location
- British Columbia, Canada
Resist opinions based on fashion or orthodoxy -- for instance comments like "you have too many spacers," or "flip the stem," unless they are coming from an experienced bicycle fitter and the instruction is based on your physiology and not on a nostrum they have adopted by osmosis.
The limiting factor for handlebar height on the majority of modern bikes is the height of the (threadless) fork steerer, cut at the factory or during assembly at the store. This limits options for getting the bars higher. That's why I always insist on an uncut fork, cut once I've decided on the proper position. A lot of shops don't like giving this option (when available) as it creates more work for them and most bikes are delivered to shops with steerer already cut to the minimum.
If you are stuck with a short steerer, modifications might include bars with a higher rise (commonly up to 4") and or a high rise stem -- say 30 degrees.
These choices are discussed and illustrated on VeloWeb's Bike Fit page.
There are no medals for suffering in recreational cycling and there is no need to endure discomfort to fit someone else's idea of what your bike should look like.
The limiting factor for handlebar height on the majority of modern bikes is the height of the (threadless) fork steerer, cut at the factory or during assembly at the store. This limits options for getting the bars higher. That's why I always insist on an uncut fork, cut once I've decided on the proper position. A lot of shops don't like giving this option (when available) as it creates more work for them and most bikes are delivered to shops with steerer already cut to the minimum.
If you are stuck with a short steerer, modifications might include bars with a higher rise (commonly up to 4") and or a high rise stem -- say 30 degrees.
These choices are discussed and illustrated on VeloWeb's Bike Fit page.
There are no medals for suffering in recreational cycling and there is no need to endure discomfort to fit someone else's idea of what your bike should look like.
