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Upright handlebar and stem - how to?

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01 / Original postUpright handlebar and stem - how to?Jack Kessler · 15 Jun 2003 02 / This pagePosts 1–9Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #9Peter Cole · 18 Jun 2003

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Original section
Cycling Equipment
Published
15 June 2003
Last activity
18 June 2003
Original author
Jack Kessler
Posts
9
Discussion status
Public discussion
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1,556
Views / 30 days
0
Topics
Touring

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  1. Original post
    Jack Kessler
    Archived post
    #1

    This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

    ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C332C3.88483170 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    Is there any reasonable way to set up a modern touring bike like a Trek = 520 with a long stem
    and upright handlebars? Sheldon has something = called a stem extender but it seems lame to have
    to put an extender or = even two to be able to ride sitting upright. With the old threaded =
    forks one could get a 16" or 20" long quill, usually from Sugino or = Sakae, but those aren't
    available anymore.

    Any ideas or suggestions?

    ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C332C3.88483170 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META
    http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML
    6.00.2726.2500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Is there any reasonable way to set up a = modern=20 touring bike
    like a Trek 520 with a long stem and upright = handlebars? =20 Sheldon has something
    called a stem extender but it seems lame to have = to put an=20 extender or even two to be able
    to ride sitting upright. With the=20 old threaded forks one could get a 16" or
    20" long quill, = usually from=20 Sugino or Sakae, but those aren't available
    anymore.</FONT></DIV>
    <DV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
    <DVI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Any ideas or=20 suggestions?</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

    ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C332C3.88483170--

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  2. Rob Myhre
    Archived post
    #2

    I own a Trek 520 and faced the same problem. I tried a stem with a 40 degree rise to get the
    handlebars higher (level with the saddle is where I like it) but even that wasn't enough. I end up
    up buying a stem extender. It looks like the kludge that it is, but it works.

    I really think a touring bike should have a geometry that easily allows the handlebars to be level
    with seat. And threadless headsets are step backwards in bike technology.

    Jack Kessler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]... Is there any reasonable way to set
    up a modern touring bike like a Trek 520 with a long stem and upright handlebars? Sheldon has
    something called a stem extender but it seems lame to have to put an extender or even two to be able
    to ride sitting upright. With the old threaded forks one could get a 16" or 20" long quill, usually
    from Sugino or Sakae, but those aren't available anymore.

    Any ideas or suggestions?

    Report
  3. Ronald
    Archived post
    #3

    You could increase the length of your forktube with the BBB Extender:
    bbbparts.comextender.html

    Used it this week for a friend who needed his handlebars 5 cm higher, works great. Max extension is
    85mm. BBB also had some very steep stems, other possibility is a Look Ergo stem but very expensive.

    "Jack Kessler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]... Is there any reasonable way to set
    up a modern touring bike like a Trek 520 with a long stem and upright handlebars? Sheldon has
    something called a stem extender but it seems lame to have to put an extender or even two to be able
    to ride sitting upright. With the old threaded forks one could get a 16" or 20" long quill, usually
    from Sugino or Sakae, but those aren't available anymore.

    Any ideas or suggestions?

    Report
  4. Jamie
    Archived post
    #4

    This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

    ------=_NextPart_000_0052_01C33389.9C27DC60 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    Go to your local BMX dealer and check out there 4/6/8" riser bars a = friend is using one for down
    hilling and a short stem .And doesn't look = that bad at all.Just a thought.

    --=20
    J/O Trailblazer At large !! ------=_NextPart_000_0052_01C33389.9C27DC60 Content-Type: text/html;
    charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META
    http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML
    6.00.2800.1170" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#b8b8b8>
    <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Go to your local BMX dealer and check out there =
    4/6/8" riser=20 bars a friend is using one for down hilling and a short stem .And = doesn't look=20
    that bad at all.Just a thought.</FONT></DIV>
    <DIV><FONT size=3D2><BR>-- <BR>J/O Trailblazer At large=20
    !!</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

    ------=_NextPart_000_0052_01C33389.9C27DC60--

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  5. Bfd
    Archived post
    #5

    "Jack Kessler" <California [email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    Is there any reasonable way to set up a modern touring bike like a Trek 520 with a long stem and
    upright handlebars? Sheldon has something called a stem extender but it seems lame to have to put
    an extender or even two to be able to ride sitting upright. With the old threaded forks one could
    get a 16" or 20" long quill, usually from Sugino or Sakae, but those aren't available anymore.

    Any ideas or suggestions?


    Rivendell can set you up. Need a long quill stem, Riv sells a variety of stems incluiding the Nitto
    technomic and various shape handlebars to get you bars up here:

    rivbike.comhandlebars stems tape

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  6. Ken
    Archived post
    #6
    Quoted message said:

    Is there any reasonable way to set up a modern touring bike like a Trek 520 with a long stem and
    upright handlebars?

    Why not get a hybrid? Hybrids are essentially touring bikes with upright handlebars. They come in
    all price/quality levels.

    Report
  7. Rick Warner
    Archived post
    #7

    "Rob Myhre" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    I really think a touring bike should have a geometry that easily allows the handlebars to be level
    with seat. And threadless headsets are step backwards in bike technology.

    You have two things here that are only partially related. Yes, a touring bike, or an 'all-around
    bike', e.g., the Rivendell Atlantis, really should have a geometry that allows for the bars to me
    high. I fully agree with that.

    There is no real problem with threadless headsets per se; the problem is that a bike with a
    threadless headset takes away one easy way for folks to hack a fix for a geometry where the top of
    the head tube is too low, the long quill solution. The problem with the 520 as it sold is that in
    each size the top of the head tube is only about correct *if* you are at the low end of the body
    size that fits that frame. It is exacerbated by the fact that the steerers are cut and a stem
    installed again on the low end of body fit for that size frame. They could do a better job *if* they
    left the steerer un-cut and let the LBS cut the steerer to fit the rider.

    There is one big advantage to having a threadless h/s on a touring bike. In the case where I need to
    adjust the h/s on the road, I can do it with just a set of hex wrenches. With a threaded h/s you
    need to carry the two mongo box wrenches. Granted you hope a loose h/s on the road is rare, but
    easier to be prepared for this issue if you have threadless.

    - rick warner

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  8. Jasper Janssen
    Archived post
    #8
    (Rick Warner) said:

    There is one big advantage to having a threadless h/s on a touring bike. In the case where I need
    to adjust the h/s on the road, I can do it with just a set of hex wrenches. With a threaded h/s you
    need to carry the two mongo box wrenches. Granted you hope a loose h/s on the road is rare, but
    easier to be prepared for this issue if you have threadless.

    Personally, I've found that a regular headset will keep fine for at least an hour or two when you
    adjust by hand and tighten the locknut. Just occasionally stop and check, and you'll get home and/or
    to a bike shop who'll loan you their wrench.

    Jasper

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  9. Peter Cole
    Archived post
    #9

    "Rick Warner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    There is no real problem with threadless headsets per se; the problem is


    that

    Quoted message said:

    a bike with a threadless headset takes away one easy way for folks to hack a fix for a geometry
    where the top of the head tube is too low, the long quill solution.

    You can get steerer tube extenders and make threadless setups just as tall.

    Quoted message said:

    There is one big advantage to having a threadless h/s on a touring bike. In the case where I need
    to adjust the h/s on the road, I can do it with just a set of hex wrenches.

    The big advantage to threadless is that it prevents the common problem of stems corroding in place.

    Report

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