Adjustable Stem?
 

Hi Guys,

I bought a new road bike recently (Giant Defy 1). Its awesome. However the bike shop did a crappy job helping me get fit. However I am not new to cycling and have an idea of what works best for me. Took me a few tries, but I think I finally have the seat at the right height. Bike shop set it up way too low and it killed my knees. The ride after my last adjustment felt great. Now I am working on the height of my handle bars. The handlebars are lower than my seat. The stock set up only allows for angle adjustments, not height. I am not that flexible and its a stretch to get down that low into the drops. Ideally I would like to bring it up 2-3 inches. What an adjustable stem like the one below be a good option to give me height flexibility that I am looking for?

25 4 110mm Cycling Bike Bicycle Adjustable Handlebar Stem 1 1 8 0 60°110 Mm | eBay

You need a stem riser and an adjustable stem with a 50-70 degree rise. The higher and shorter, the better the fit.

The Fuji newest I bought a few years ago came with an adjustable stem. I think the manufactures try to expand the demographic of the customers for their entry lever bicycles. The adjustable stem did add some flexibility but it wasn't a perfect solution.

Stems come in many different configurations. A shorter/longer stem can modify the bikes reach. You can change/alter height by purchasing a better configured stem, or merely flipping the stem you already have. So instead of it angling down... it will angle up.

With old bikes, a longer quill stem provided sufficient rise to get handlebars high. With modern threadless stems, additional spacers will only go so far. A 3 to 4" stem riser will get it up far enough so an adjustable or high rise stem with upright rise will get handlebars up to a comfortable riding position.

Ah, the Giant Defy bike fit conundrum. Why does it seem like Giants are the #1 hardest bikes to fit? Their sizing recommendations, that's why. And also, because they list the TT length, but NOT the "effective" TT length.

May I ask the OP how tall you are, and what frame size you ended up with? Also, do you know your cycling inseam?

I also bought a Defy 1 recently, and though everyone, including Giant, insisted that the M was my size, (And one shop actually tried to put me on a small!) the M/L is a much better fit for me. I'm 5'9" with a cycling inseam of 33.25 and arms that are just a *little* longer than I am tall...M was wrong, S was crazy, M/L was pretty perfect.

I usually fit a 54cm pretty well, thought the competitive cyclist calculator shows me on a top tube length from 53 to 54.9, depending on the fit. Turns out the Defy M/L has an effective TT length of 54, which is why the M was too small.

But back to the OP's original question: I think an adjustable stem like the one linked would be a good start. A stem riser might actually add too much height, plus adds a degree of unwanted mechanical flex into the steering. But I think OP needs to be aware that the Defy comes with a 100mm stem, and before buying a 110mm riser, make sure that increasing the reach and making it hard to get into the drops comfortably.

I'm a noob, and just passing along stuff I've gleaned from my own adventures in Defy Fit, most of which is really just trial and error and reading on the interwebs. So YMMV and don't flame to too hot.

Short Pre cut steerers, may be taken care of best, by getting the same fork with an Uncut steerer from the Dealer.

Sorry it took me a while to get back to reply. I am 5'6. not sure of my cycling inseam. I have a size small. Although I have been recently wondering if I would have been better off with Medium. My previous bike was also a small. With both bikes i have had to raise the seat significantly, then have difficultly reaching the handlebars because they are too low. Makes me wonder if there would have been less adjusting had I got a medium out of gate.

With my older bike I ended up installing stem riser like the one NormanF mentioned above. on my new bike i realized the stem was angled down so I flipped it to angle up. Feels better. But I am still adjusting the seat height after every ride. Yesterday I think I finally took it too far and I will have to bring it slightly down. Flipping the stem helped heightwise, but its still feels far to reach the hoods (and forget about the drops). I think I might need to invest in a shorter stem or experiment with moving the saddle closer to the handlebar.

I'm an inch taller than you. Across bikes, I ride a M frame in compact sizing. But I still find I need a stem riser to ride upright comfortably.

IMO either an adjustable stem or a stem riser but not both will get the o.p. a fit that they can work with. Personally I would opt for the stem riser. No moving parts, heavy, but not as heavy as an adjustable. There are a skajillion fixed stems with 15, 17,20 and 25 degrees of rise that will be lighter and of higher quality than any adjustable made. The assumption is that an adjustable will be put on a dept. store type BSO and they don't really last.

H

there are angle adjustable threadless stems and threadless stem raisers ..

sometimes I talk too much... sometimes you could be a little bit more forthcoming...

drop by the shop.. if not on the peg wall, there is the order book [I am not a google substitute )

many times the same part wears several brand names applied for the importer who will distribute it.

all coming out of the same factory, usually Taiwan, so I dont use many brand names ..

what kind of laundry detergent is Best?

Do we have a stem trading section ? might be useful.