Bicycle Mechanics - I have neck problems so I need my bars as high as possible. Stem suggestions??

As I have neck problems I need my handle bars as high as possible. Okay maybe not too high :eek: I need to find a fully adjustable stem for a one inch threadless fork. The bike is a road / hybrid. I am aware of the Look Ergo, but at $170.00 its beyond what i am willing to pay although it gives me the height I want. I've seen many stems at 130 degrees but i need more; 180 degrees would be good.

Any suggestions?

Thanks :)

As I have neck problems I need my handle bars as high as possible. Okay maybe not too high :eek: I need to find a fully adjustable stem for a one inch threadless fork. I am aware of the Look Ergo, but at $170.00 its beyond what i am willing to pay although it gives me the height I want. I've seen many stems at 130 degrees but i need more; 180 degrees would be good.

Any suggestions?

Thanks :)

Roadie, MTB, Scooter-Commuter? Threaded, threadless?

The bike is a road / hybrid. Threadless :)

The bike is a road / hybrid. Threadless :)

Threadless makes it tougher. With a threaded, you could just go with a longer quill / shortened stem setup.

With threadless, your limited on the height adjustability. Maybe look at using a Steerer Extension with a very short stem to achive a 180°.

But I suspect the steering would be twitchy at this point

http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&Category=1527


Just my thoughs

You'll also find rise-adjustable threadless stems on Harris's site at http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&Category=640 . Keep in mind that it's gonna be heavy, esp. when you add a steerer tube extension.

www.nashbar.com . Nashbar, baby, Nashbar

I know this is a tad bit off subject, but what do you mean by neck problems?

Koffee

Oh, and you'll get another inch or so of effective rise with a set of "riser" bars, where the grip-ends of the bar are higher than the center where the stem grabs it. Yes, you can find them made from aluminum/alloy.

Hmm I have been thinking of getting the same sort of stuff cause I have a fair bit of drop from saddle to the bars on my road bike....and the reach is still a little too much. I will post some pics later. I have a standard 110mm upside down to give me some lift. How mach rise does a normal stem have (road)?

Brendon

In response to the query about my neck problems... I go to the chiropractor once per month. When I was in High School my buddy and I thought it was fun to "crack" our neck as people do with their knuckles. All i can say is dont do it. If i move my head in a certain way with pressure, like drying my hair sometimes, I feel this "click" and my neck is messed up for weeks. Its hard to describe the effects but if you saw me in this condition you would think, "What's up w/ this guy's head. Its way off to the side." Luckily regular trips to the chiro help alot. Part of the reason i need high handle bars is for what's called "preventative maintanence." Too low and I wouldn't enjoy the ride.

NZLcyclist,
I use a MTN bike stem. You can get one with almost any angle. You can then set the bars at the same level as the seat.

You can put an extender on the steerer tube of your fork. Nashbar and Performance sell one made by Delta. Installation is simple and it allows you to raise you stem about two or three inches.

Since I miss looking though a horse's ears, installed a Nitto Technomic tall stem on my 1984 Raleigh Technium (converted to single speed).

http://www.bikepro.com/products/stems/nittor_rod.html

For an encore, will install a Technomic tall stem on a Raleigh Technium 420 frameset that I just won on ebay. This frameset will (I hope) ride again as a splendid fixie.

Plan to use a multiposition (safari) bar which the Australians recommend for arm, neck, and shoulder therapy ;-)

http://www.christiecycles.com.au/Trekking%20bar.htm

Also will add Cane Creek Ergo bar ends to the safari bar
http://canecreek.com/site/product/contact/02_ergo.html
so that I'll not disappoint my cousins (at the O'Driscoll Clan Ride in Baltimore and the Islands, Southwest Cork. June 27-30) who firmly believe that genes don't count and that Yanks are crazy ;-) "Ta se as mo mheabhair." [Taw shay os mu vyower.]

:roflmao: :roflmao:

I have a couple of threadless 135 mm adjustable stems for 1 1/8" steerer that I have used with the appropriate shim on 1". They work fine. Nashbar $15-20. I now have stuff dialed in so I am not really using them anymore. If you want to try one email me, and I will send it. If you want to keep it you can send me a couple of bucks for postage.
Regards,
Raymond

Get a stem extender - I just got one at nashbar.com - $19.99 - give you an extra 3" of height - easy to put on and works great. I head to get some new shifter cable housing to get some some slack because the extender raised the height that it made the shifter cable a little restricted.

Howdy from Tucson!
Delta stem riser extender for about 20 bucks will raise stem 3 inches. Cheap and easy to installl. Check LBS or catalogs.
Pedal on!

As I have neck problems I need my handle bars as high as possible. Okay maybe not too high :eek: I need to find a fully adjustable stem for a one inch threadless fork. The bike is a road / hybrid. I am aware of the Look Ergo, but at $170.00 its beyond what i am willing to pay although it gives me the height I want. I've seen many stems at 130 degrees but i need more; 180 degrees would be good.

Any suggestions?

Thanks :)
You can turn your bars around backward and swich directions. thatll make you sit up higher

It's probably been said, but if you want to sit a little higher while on the hoods, try rotating your bars up a little.

Maybe if you ate meat your neck problem will go away. Worth a shot!

Maybe if you ate meat your neck problem will go away. Worth a shot!

It certainly isnt worth a shot. Eating meat is the cause of extreme anguish and suffering of animals. why would i want to do that? Besides what scientific medical evidence exists to back-up your theory?
There is a ton of evidence to support the plant-based diet as the most healthy diet one can eat.

It certainly isnt worth a shot. Eating meat is the cause of extreme anguish and suffering of animals. why would i want to do that? Besides what scientific medical evidence exists to back-up your theory?
There is a ton of evidence to support the plant-based diet as the most healthy diet one can eat.

Perhaps he is referring to the research that links high-meat diets w/ an increase in body fat?--adding a set of double chins might assist your neck muscles in holding your head up.

[QUOTE=madpogue]You'll also find rise-adjustable threadless stems on Harris's site at http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&Category=640[QUOTE]

Madpogue,
I've concluded that my bike which I bought ten months ago (also a hybrid) seems a tad short (not height, but length from seat to handlebars). Would the items above help me out to make the distance a little farther? I only need an inch or so, and I am even willing to lean over a bit more.

P.S. Madison is a fantastic city. Went there last year. Teddywedgers, yum.

Hm, I would think that to increase the effective top tube length, you could just go with a longer reach stem. It'd be simpler and lighter.

Sounds to me like you should just switch to a recumbant, as they are sure not to cause you those problems...

someone here said he was going to put BMX bars on his bike to deal w/ his back probs... maybe you could use MTB shifters on a BMX bar and see how that works for you