Touring - Stem replacement

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Urbanmonk
03-31-04, 11:05 AM
I'm measuring my seat to bar heigth and noticed that the handle bar is about 1.5 inches lower than the seat. I need them to be level, right? I want comfort for long hauls; this is about as aero as my roadster: seat about 2" above the bars. What is the most comfortable? I know Rivendell suggests bars higher than the seat. Thanks for the tips to come.

Urbanmonk

cycletourist
03-31-04, 12:03 PM
If you are comfortable now then leave it alone. Don't fix what ain't broke, right?

Having said that, I agree that all-day-comfort requires that the brake hoods and saddle need to be level. To accomplish that your handlebar may need to be an inch or so higher than the saddle. A Nitto Technomic Deluxe stem is a good idea (if your bike uses quill stems, that is).

Another thing to look at is where your brake levers are located on the curve. The end of the lever is probably level with the bottom of the handlebar. It is OK to move them up the curve a little (but not too far!) to get a more comfortable hand position.
MichaelW
04-01-04, 10:33 AM
1.5 is not excessive, I have no problems with this amount of drop. I find that length is more critical then height. There is no exact formula for bar position, just see if your current setup works.

Urbanmonk
04-01-04, 11:52 AM
1.5 is not excessive, I have no problems with this amount of drop. I find that length is more critical then height. There is no exact formula for bar position, just see if your current setup works.

What is your set-up like now? I have not gone on a long tour, yet--only a three hour ride. I'm worrying about 6-7 hours in the saddle: shoulders, back, and neck pain being the targets of ache. I can rest my hands comfortably 2 inches from the brake hoods without having to stretch too far. I think a series of adjustments are in order to find the right fit.

Urbanmonk
bradw
04-01-04, 12:46 PM
If this is your Trek 520, you can go back to the LBS and see if they can swap out the stem for something with a little more rise.

My 520 ('03 model) came with a stem that didn't have more rise on the flip side. Check to see if yours can be flipped for more rise, and if not, see what the LBS can do. My shop swapped stems for no charge. But I accepted a stem that wasn't the same brand/model as the original, which is fine with me since it's only a hunk of aluminum.