How high can I go?
 

I have raised my bars on a new fork for a more comfortable ride. It seems I will need about 6-7 inches of spacers. Is this possible? I have never seen a spacer larger than 30mm. Can I stack them? Does someone make a large spacer that I can cut down to my size?

Help is appreciated :)

Thanks

Opinions differ on how many spacers you can use, but 6-7 inches is too high by any standard. If you need that much height I would have to wonder whether your bike fit you in the first place. What kind of bike are we talking about? How much higher than your seat are you trying to raise your bars? Depending on your application, there are hi-rise stems meant for hybrids and city bikes that might get your bars where you want them without taking chances on a mountain of spacers and an overstressed steerer tube.

I am 5'9" and using a 56 frame the bars are just over the height of the seat. I may have to rethink the front end on this build. I am using a merlin RSR frame that is 5 years old. I have been riding my hybrid for the last 12 years and thought I could ride just as high as that bike. I have seen some hi-rise stems and will look into it thanks

Gary

Yeah, stick a steerer extender and a hi-rise stem on a Merlin! :o :( :eek:

If you are already somewhat above the level of the seat you probably don't want to go more than 1-2 inches above that - which might achievable with a stem with a more moderate rise than the hybrid stems. Road bikes are not hybrids. Of course, you can place the bars anywhere you wish but if they are too high you begin to lose some of the advantages of the drop bar configuration - e.g. better aerodynamics & better front/rear weight distribution for long term comfort.

don't listen to these bike snobs, follow your dream! Its my dream to put time-trial bars on a mountain bike w/ disc brakes + skinny rims, weld a 10 speed casette onto a rohloff, get three chainrings, and ride off into the sunset on my 420 speed monstrosity!

what are time trial bars? Are you talking about aero bars?

Please send pictures when you do.

I have move the bars to 3 1/2 inches above the headset Is this height ok to put spacers in? I can stackto this height?

Not if you have a CF steerer.

Won't the bike very very awkward to steer if you raise the handle bars up that much?

Hey Drew! Were you being facetious about putting aero bars on your MTB? I've been thinking about that myself. On long rides I think it would be nice to have a place to stretch out on.

Fun idea. Doesn't Sheldon Brown have a 63 speed?

I am using a carbon fork with an alloy steer tube

I don't ride a MTB--just a hybrid and a cross bike with tt bars for the city. BUT, there is no good reason why not to put bullhorns on a MTB. **** it! Get rid of the stupid straight bars, get some nice, wide bullhorns with a non-existent drop, and rig them with triathlon levers and cross interuptor brakes. Sounds like a much better rig to me.

Right now I'm thinking of rigging TWO sets of interuptors onto my bullhorns, one up on the horns, and one on the straights, with bar-end shifters in the holes.

Somebody needs to come up with some interuptor friction shifters!

Yeah, he does. But alls ya gotta do to get a 63 speed is to get a sram dual drive (3speed internal, 7sp casette), and get a three ring crank. Who knows, maybe SRAM ripped the idea off from sb.

Right on my man!!! It takes all kinds to make a world. Whatever rocks your boat