I would like to increase the height of my handlebars because of neck pain.
Is it impossible to add any additional spacers in this setup because the fork is too short?
If yes, can I at least rotate the stem (as shown in the last picture) to gain at least a few mm?
by Upbeat-Ganache4249
11 Comments
You can rotate the stem, or get a new stem with more rise.
No, that’s the maximum amount of spacers.
You can flip the stem. But look at a different stem. There’s several options with +10-30° and they don’t cost much.
No, don’t add any spacers, that wouldn’t be safe even on an alloy steerer, which you don’t seem to have. Also your steering would depend on a single bolt. Not great. Ways to get you more upright: flip your existing stem, get a shorter stem, get a stem with a more positive angle, handlebars with a rise (like Ritchey Ergomax), possibly more than one of these at once.
As others have said ‘flip’ the stem, if this isn’t enough to make the required difference, then consider a different stem with a higher ‘rise’, also perhaps consider changing to a riser drop bar to give a few mm’s more height.
I’ve used this tool before to assist me in understanding the impact of the different lengths and rise ratios.
[http://yojimg.net/bike/web_tools/stem.php](http://yojimg.net/bike/web_tools/stem.php)
It’s fairly easy to use.
You can definitely either flip the stem, get a stem with more rise, and/or there’s handlebars with built-in rise.
If the fork has a carbon steerer tube, that setup looks too short as is. In the 2nd pic, the top bolt of the stem is kind of clamping on to nothing. The top of the stem should at least be level with the top of the steerer; ideally the stem should be slightly below the top of the steerer, with a 5mm spacer above the stem. I’d check out if the headset top cap comes in a shorter-rise version to lower the stem a bit. I know that’s the opposite of what you’re going for, but it’ll be safer. It’s a bummer that whoever built the bike cut the steerer so short.
That steerer tube has been cut too short. The top of the steerer tube should extend above the top stem bolt so that the stem load is transferred evenly between the two bolts. You are risking a cracked steerer tube or a catastrophic cockpit failure, especially on a gravel bike. You have three options: replace the fork, replace the headset top cap with a lower profile one and flip your stem, or put your orthodontist on stand-by.
I suggest getting a new fork and then getting a fitted.
Fork is already cut dangerously low. What brand shipped this bike? Or did a shop cut it?
There is work around. You need a new fork. The guy who cut the fork either wanted it slammed or forgot to take the length of the stem into account. I did that once..doh
There’s a German saying, “dreimal abgeschnitten und immer noch zu kurz” (cut thrice and still too short).
redshift handlebars have a good rise