Mountain Biking - Handle Bar height

Gday y'all

I have a query mainly pertianing to XC. is there a handlebar height in relation to the seat that is perfered?

A lot of the guys i race with have the seat quite high in comarison to the handle bar giving them a hunched down position. Previously, before i had my fork changed my handlebars were lower, however when the new forks were changed they added a spacer to the top to make the handlebar higher. i was jsut curious what effect this would have had. i feel quite upright at the momnt and am more or less looking for some set up advice.... what adv would i gain ( if any??) from having the spacer taken out? would the bike be snappier in handling?

thanks in advance,
g

if you take out the spacer, you'll be put more forward...more weight on the handlebars, less weight on the back wheel, etc.

i figured this, but what effect would it have on the handling of the bike?

I feel like I can handle a bike better being more forwrad than upright...IMO I have better control than being upright.

thats what i thought. at the moment i feel too upright and just unbalanced ( more so than usual!!) i think ill get it cut down next service....

I feel like I can handle a bike better being more forwrad than upright...IMO I have better control than being upright.

Man the more you talk lately the more I think you need a road bike haaha...

Man the more you talk lately the more I think you need a road bike haaha...
what's that supposed to mean?

Instead of getting your steer tube cut, try taking a spacer out and placing it on top of the stem to try it out first. It looks a bit weird, but it is better than permanently being stuck with a too short steer tube if you don't like it.

Instead of getting your steer tube cut, try taking a spacer out and placing it on top of the stem to try it out first. It looks a bit weird, but it is better than permanently being stuck with a too short steer tube if you don't like it.
An excellent idea. I'm glad you caught that.

From what I've read, the back should be roughly at a 45-degree angle and the handlebar to seat distance should be short enough to allow you to get behind the saddle easily and long enough to not hit your knees when peddeling out of the saddle. When I get the proper seat to bar distance, the bar always winds up about 2.5" below the saddle (measured with no load on the bike) to get the 45 degree back angle.

I like the set-up as it gives good comfort (three hour rides) and good control.

Al

what's that supposed to mean?

Lower bar, slicks, you don't spend a lot of time on trails, and you spin out on mtb gears.

Instead of getting your steer tube cut, try taking a spacer out and placing it on top of the stem to try it out first. It looks a bit weird, but it is better than permanently being stuck with a too short steer tube if you don't like it.

ah, why didnt i think of that :D good stuff, ill see what i can do. thanks to everyone for their advice :)

Lower bar, slicks, you don't spend a lot of time on trails, and you spin out on mtb gears.
haha...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Next your going to be wearing spandex and using clipless pedals and a jersey with holes in it to hold bottles...then you will ignore us and move onto roadie snobiness....:( :eek

ahah