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Old 07-31-16, 05:01 PM
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Spacers

Hey all-

Somewhat of a noob question. I just bought a giant defy. After reading through these forums I read a few threads on spacers and handlebar height. When you buy a new bike and keep everything stock spacer-wise... is that ok? It fits me great as-is but I thought I read somewhere if you need "that many" spacers then the bike doesn't fit right. So what's the deal? Seems keeping a bike stock and it fitting correctly shouldn't be a bad thing.
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Old 07-31-16, 05:25 PM
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Old 07-31-16, 05:29 PM
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Sorry I'm not home. It's whatever the stock bike would have, though.
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Old 07-31-16, 05:31 PM
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If no fit were done on you at the shop, the handlebar height would just be right by pure, dumb luck. That would be fine, but it is not to be expected. The stock spacer stack allows the bars to be dropped to fit the size and riding style of a wide range of buyers. Then the steerer tube can be cut to fit after the right spacer stack for that rider has been determined. If you are comfortable, fine, but as you learn more, strenghten your core muscles, and possibly adopt a more aggressive riding position, you may want to lower the bars, cut the steerer, and remove some spacers.
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Old 07-31-16, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by ejewels
shouldn't be a bad thing.
It's not.

I had a professional fit and still have the stock 2cm of spacers. I did flip the stem and the bike fits great.

Ride it for awhile, then move the stem down 1 spacer and ride it some more. If you're not comfortable, put it back.
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Old 07-31-16, 05:39 PM
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Thanks guys. Good to know using all of the spacers is OK and doesn't mean the bikes doesn't fit. I will try and work my fitness and possibly remove them and see how it feels.
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Old 07-31-16, 05:39 PM
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You Mean Handle bar stem spacers , between the stem and the headset, I must assume.

What kind of riding do you do? You have a road Bike * The Young flexible roadies like the bars Low and..

Typically a factory Pre Cuts the steerer tube on the fork according to the frame size, and You Dont have any choice .

unless You get a New fork.

You can go Lower and put spacers above the stem so not cut it off shorter yet, so you can change your Mind Later.

* https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/showcase/defy/

I on the other hand dont have a road bike but , for example, a Touring/ Trekking Bike
and I have preferences that the bars be higher than the saddle Because Im Not Into Road Bikes any More and 40 years later have different preferences based on self analysis of my fit..

If the shoe fits wear It is the Bottom Line .


Whats right for you may not be right for Others , since every body is different, they have to do their own fit analysis,

then may want a shorter or longer or up-angled stem , the variations are available, at point of sale Or thereafter.


./.

Last edited by fietsbob; 07-31-16 at 05:46 PM.
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