Saddle to handle bar drop distance?
09-01-08, 05:06 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 50
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Saddle to handle bar drop distance?
What is the saddle to handle bar drop on your bikes? Is 80 mm (3.1") a lot? I suffer a bit from neck ache and was considering changing the stem. Unfortunately the fork steerer has been cut so that adding more spacers isn't possible. MY LBS suggested the Specialized sWorks stem with adjustable shims.
09-01-08, 05:09 PM
#2
.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 40,375
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 27 Times
in
12 Posts
What is the saddle to handle bar drop on your bikes? Is 80 mm (3.1") a lot? I suffer a bit from neck ache and was considering changing the stem. Unfortunately the fork steerer has been cut so that adding more spacers isn't possible. MY LBS suggested the Specialized sWorks stem with adjustable shims.
09-01-08, 05:15 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
What does it matter what anybody else's handlebar drop dimension is? That's like asking what everybody's BB to saddle height is.
If my bike set up was causing my neck to ache, I'd definitely make a change.
If my bike set up was causing my neck to ache, I'd definitely make a change.
09-01-08, 05:19 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 1,113
Bikes: '06 Specialized Allez Expert
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My drop is about 3". The specialized stem is nice; I've got it on one bike, set to a -8*. It's real easy to play with the shims to vary the angle.
09-01-08, 05:27 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Posts: 12,257
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
flip a 17degree stem.
__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
09-01-08, 08:44 PM
#7
labeled rude by nOObs
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: San Marcos, CA
Posts: 2,359
Bikes: Tommasini Tecno, Pinarello Tandem, Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Fixed Gear, Serotta CSI Custom, Bianchi Campione del Monde, Cervelo P3 Carbon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
What is the saddle to handle bar drop on your bikes? Is 80 mm (3.1") a lot? I suffer a bit from neck ache and was considering changing the stem. Unfortunately the fork steerer has been cut so that adding more spacers isn't possible. MY LBS suggested the Specialized sWorks stem with adjustable shims.
09-02-08, 07:39 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,639
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The cheapest solution is to follow the recommendation of flipping a 17 degree stem. You can also get a 30 degree stem from Ritchey (assuming you have enough stack height in your fork tube). I have a 30 degree stem on my "beater bike" and it works nicely for raising my position. Finally, I'd avoid the adjustable stem solution if possible. Adjustable stems are heavy or expensive, and never cheap and light. At that point you might instead consider putting the money into a new fork, as was also suggested.
09-02-08, 07:43 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,393
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
What is the saddle to handle bar drop on your bikes? Is 80 mm (3.1") a lot? I suffer a bit from neck ache and was considering changing the stem. Unfortunately the fork steerer has been cut so that adding more spacers isn't possible. MY LBS suggested the Specialized sWorks stem with adjustable shims.
09-02-08, 08:10 AM
#10
Making a kilometer blurry
You might get with a Dr. to determine the nature of the neck pain. It's possible that you just need to build up the muscles that hold your head up, but you don't want to injure yourself. When I used to live near the mountains, my neck would always get tired in the spring time when I would descend for 30 minutes in the drops on long climbs. My neck was just out of shape from a long winter without descents.
You can also get a steerer extender. You don't need spacers on the top part, since the bottom effectively replaces your stem on the steerer and compresses the headset through the spacers. So, you get infinite adjustability on the upper portion of the extender:
You can also get a steerer extender. You don't need spacers on the top part, since the bottom effectively replaces your stem on the steerer and compresses the headset through the spacers. So, you get infinite adjustability on the upper portion of the extender:
Last edited by waterrockets; 09-02-08 at 08:13 AM.
