Bob Pringle

Advancing age and declining flexibility demand a repositioning of the handlebar on my beloved Spesh Roubaix. The steerer is 1 1/8" carbon and the Sequoia drop bar has a 31.6mm clamp diameter. I'd like to raise the bar as far as possible with a sharply angled stem or, perhaps, an adjustable one. My search has found the Dimension SM 2912 as the most likely prospect, although I'd like a little bit longer one. Can anyone suggest a better alternative?


Regards,
Bob P.

Tom Bombadil

What is the length and angle of that stem?

RoMad

I bought my bike used and the previous owner was much younger and evidently more flexible than me. I put a no name riser stem on it like that looks a lot like the one pictured. It worked okay, but it also makes your bars closer as it raises them. A few weeks ago I put a Delta stem riser on my bike. It let me go back to my original stem and let me raise it straight up. It did the trick for me. They have them at REI https://www.rei.com/product/700227m

StanSeven

It may make more sense to get fitted for a new frame. If an older fit doesn't work, a new fit/frame/bike might be in order. Changing a stem to correct body changes is just one of perhaps many components.

byte_speed

I got hurt in an accident and bought and used the stem riser mentioned above until I got my flexibility back. It served me well.

As Stan mentions, a new frame may be a better long term solution, but whatever works and keeps you riding is good.

Bob Pringle

The stem pictured is 110mm in length x 135º (I assume that means 45º above perpendicular-to-the-steerer). My present stem is 110mm x 16º so the new one would raise the bar about 1.9" while bringing it about 1.1" closer to the saddle. I could mitigate the horizontal shift by moving the saddle back a bit.

I'm concerned about the stem riser because of the carbon steerer tube. Is this a rational concern, or am I being overly cautious? I sure don't want to break the steerer for both physical and financial reasons!

A replacement bike is not in the cards at present. Perhaps the income tax rebate later this summer will have a bearing on that.

Thanks to all for your input!

Regards,
Bob P.

BSLeVan

I've looked at this one at Performance, it's adjustable, and seems pretty sturdy.

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

stapfam

Carbon steerer will not be a problem- Providing you do not have a star nut in it for tension. They mostly use a form of wedge for the tightening screw. AND you do not overtighten the stem to the steerer.

When I went road 22 months ago- I got a riser stem similar to yours and it helped me to adjust to road riding. Still have that bike with that stem fitted and it raised the bars up to the height of the saddle. Just to show how you can adapt though- next bike had the bars 3" below the saddle and it is comfortable.

BluesDawg

Any time you raise the stem you get an effectively shorter reach because the stem does not go up perpendicular to the ground, it follows the angle of the head tube. So the higher it goes, the closer it comes to you. That may be what you want, but you may need to get a longer reach stem to compensate.

maddmaxx 

If you wait about a week more I will give you a review of the Ritchey stem posted by BSLeVan as I just scored one on Ebay. I've been looking at this stem for quite a while but the right time and price hadn't come along yet.

rideon7

I have the stem mentioned and have used it. Good stem but on the heavy side (adjustable stems are). Once I figured out what angle I needed (25 degrees) I got a lighter stem with that angle and the right length (120 mm). A Profile H20 stem works really well for me--available in LOTS of lengths and angles.

rideon7

I have used the Dimension stem you mention. As you mention in a later post, it has a rise of about 40 degrees. That's a very high rise, and I only used it on a Specialized Sirrus frame that was one size too small for me. I suggest a Profile H20 stem in a rise not greater than 25 degrees. For me, anything higher than that was like having the handlebars at my sternum.

doghouse

Have you considered just using a threadless stem riser with your current stem? Try this link. You may have to scroll down the page to see them.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/s...x.html#raisers

maddmaxx 

I promised a review of the Ritchey Pro adjustable stem and here it is.

First, it is one of the lightest adjustables I have ever worked with, much lighter than the old Zoom MTB stem that many have seen.
Second, its probably about as safe as a stem could be. The adjustment mechanism is a 1" diameter spline (about 45 teeth) in the right side stem clamp forging/casting that fits through a splined hole in the forward half of the stem. The unit cannot be adjusted on the fly, and should never fail while riding because it must be taken off the steering tube and disassembled to change the angle. Both stem clamp bolts and the adjustment axle bolt must be removed so the stem clamp portions can be separated. The angle is changed, the stem is reassembled and everything is bolted back together. Good idea...............even if the adjustment bolt were to come loose, no slippage.
This stem did not come with a shim to make it usable on a 1" steering tube.

I think that if you want a quick way to try different bar heights, this stem would be a good way to do that. I've seen it priced at anywhere from $49 to $69 on the internet. This one was $27 with shipping............ I did kiss a lot of frogs however as I have probably bid on 2 dozen of these over the last year waiting for JQ Public to fall asleap. I can be cheap at times (if your not, building bicycles one at a time can get expensive)

Terrierman

I'm happy enough with mine (it was OEM on the Coda) to feel zero need to change it out. I'd be interested in knowing just how much weight it really does add over a comparably sized rigid stem. They really do seem pretty much impossible to screw up or to fail, barring the REALLY extreme, like a major crash or the like.

maddmaxx 

It weighs between 220 and 235 grams depending on which scale I use. Thats about 100 grams heavier than a racing stem and about 70 grams over an ordinary stem. It might actually weigh as much as some of the OEM stems.

Upon further review, if the adjustment bolt were to come loose, the stem might slip a little on the steering tube (rotational) but nothing catastrophic. This would be the same risk as having the clamp bolts on your regular stem come loose.