Help me fix Habanero mt bike?

[[email protected]]

Several years ago I bought a Habanero mt bike.

I bought a 17 inch frame which I think in retrospect
was a bit small for me

I have plenty of adjustability in the seat height.....
but where I find it really uncomfortable is in my
handlebar height and the "reach" to the bars.

My bars need to be higher......and farther forward
towards front wheel.

Can I just replace the neck on this bike to solve this
problem?

Isn't there something called a riser neck..... that
angles at say 120 degs....and will allow greater reach
and height? My current neck is at 90 degs

If yes..... are BOA necks a good brand to get? If
yes... any advice on what model BOA to get?

Any and ALL advice will be appreciated as I have a VERY
high quality bike just setting unused cause its
uncomfortable to ride.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>Several years ago I bought a Habanero mt bike.
>I bought a 17 inch frame which I think in retrospect
>was a bit small for me
>I have plenty of adjustability in the seat height.....
>but where I find it really uncomfortable is in my
>handlebar height and the "reach" to the bars.
>My bars need to be higher......and farther forward
>towards front wheel.
>Can I just replace the neck on this bike to solve this
>problem?

The part you need to replace is called a stem. You probably
can find the one to get a better fit.

>Isn't there something called a riser neck..... that
>angles at say 120 degs....and will allow greater reach
>and height? My current neck is at 90 degs

Stems come in many angles and lengths.

>If yes..... are BOA necks a good brand to get? If
>yes... any advice on what model BOA to get?

BOA?? I think that is a model made by Profile. Assuming
they come in the right size for you, they should work fine.

>Any and ALL advice will be appreciated as I have a VERY
>high quality bike just setting unused cause its
>uncomfortable to ride.

Best bet is to go to your LBS where they can swap out a few stems until
you find the one that fits best. Otherwise you may end up buying many
stems trying to find the one that fits you best.
-------------
Alex

 

[Werehatrack]

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 14:43:56 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>Several years ago I bought a Habanero mt bike.

Nice choice.

>I bought a 17 inch frame which I think in retrospect
>was a bit small for me

That's an easy mistake to make.

>I have plenty of adjustability in the seat height.....
>but where I find it really uncomfortable is in my
>handlebar height and the "reach" to the bars.
>
>My bars need to be higher......and farther forward
>towards front wheel.
>
>Can I just replace the neck on this bike to solve this
>problem?

As noted already, the part is called a "stem", and yes, getting the
right one will probably solve the problem. The trick is finding out
what's the right one.

>Isn't there something called a riser neck..... that
>angles at say 120 degs....and will allow greater reach
>and height? My current neck is at 90 degs

They're typically labelled with the angle of deflection from straight
since most of them can be installed either angled up or down. For the
angle you mentioned, it would be a 30 degree stem. That might or
might not give you enough height to get you where you want to be.

>If yes..... are BOA necks a good brand to get? If
>yes... any advice on what model BOA to get?
>
>Any and ALL advice will be appreciated as I have a VERY
>high quality bike just setting unused cause its
>uncomfortable to ride.

If your local bike shop isn't willing to allow some try-before-you-buy
stem swapouts in order to find the one you really need, here's a
different suggestion; adjustable stems are made whose angle can be
changed just by loosening a bolt. They're not a perfect solution. As
the stem pivots on the adjuster, it moves in an arc; when adjusted to
bring the bars up, it also moves them back somewhat. However, if you
add a steerer tube extension to the bike, such as this one

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/stems.html#raisers

you can move the whole stem up a couple of inches, which might solve
the problem all by itself, or it might allow an adjustable stem to get
you perfectly dialed in. If the starting location for the adjustable
stem is higher, it wouldn't need to have as much angular deflection in
order to achieve the final height that you need...assuming that it's
somewhere close to the right length.

Another possible solution exists as well; "riser" handlebars, with
anywhere from 1/2" to 3" of upwards bend. They are commonly available
from a number of sources.

Choose what fits your budget best, but be aware that in the search for
the perfect fit, you may have to change something more than once.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[[email protected]]

>Another possible solution exists as well; "riser" handlebars, with
>anywhere from 1/2" to 3" of upwards bend. They are commonly available
>from a number of sources.

Im pretty sure they are flat bars. So a set of riser
handlebars might be an easier better fix than changing
stem out huh?

Any specific recommendations of a GOOD quality set of
riser bars to buy?

 

[S o r n i]

[email protected] wrote:
>> Another possible solution exists as well; "riser" handlebars, with
>> anywhere from 1/2" to 3" of upwards bend. They are commonly
>> available from a number of sources.
>
> Im pretty sure they are flat bars. So a set of riser
> handlebars might be an easier better fix than changing
> stem out huh?
>
> Any specific recommendations of a GOOD quality set of
> riser bars to buy?

Already addressed in AM-B.

Bill "just so you all can sleep tonight" S.

 

[SuperSlinky]

[email protected] said...

> Several years ago I bought a Habanero mt bike.
>
> I bought a 17 inch frame which I think in retrospect
> was a bit small for me
>
> I have plenty of adjustability in the seat height.....
> but where I find it really uncomfortable is in my
> handlebar height and the "reach" to the bars.
>
> My bars need to be higher......and farther forward
> towards front wheel.
>
> Can I just replace the neck on this bike to solve this
> problem?
>
> Isn't there something called a riser neck..... that
> angles at say 120 degs....and will allow greater reach
> and height? My current neck is at 90 degs
>
> If yes..... are BOA necks a good brand to get? If
> yes... any advice on what model BOA to get?
>
> Any and ALL advice will be appreciated as I have a VERY
> high quality bike just setting unused cause its
> uncomfortable to ride.
>
> Thanks in advance!

It would help if we knew how tall you are. There are many stems
available, but not many of them offer a lot of rise. There are some
cheap 40º (that would be 130º according to the way you described it)
stems available from Performance. This is the most rise I have seen.
Thomson has them in 15º, and that is the most you will typically find.
Note that as the degree of rise goes up, the effective length decreases.
Coincidentally, the Habanero cycles site has a stem calculator that
illustrates this: http://www.habcycles.com/fitting.html. If you don't
have a riser bar, get one, or if you do have one, get one with more
rise. This is a better solution, IMO, than a riser stem. Then get a long
stem. Stem length does have a noticeable effect on handling, with short
stems being twitchier, and long stems being slower.

 

[[email protected]]

>If you don't
>have a riser bar, get one, or if you do have one, get one with more
>rise

Any brand/modesl of riser bars you can recommend?

 

[SuperSlinky]

[email protected] said...

> Any brand/modesl of riser bars you can recommend?

Easton, Answer Pro Taper, Race Face are all good ones. Lots to choose
from. It all depends on what you need and what you want to spend. Since
you want your bars to be higher and further away, look for bars with
more rise and less sweep. I have Answer Pro Taper bars, but at 5'9"
165lbs, I'm not that hard on equipment, so I'm not the person to ask
about what will hold up under severe stress.

 

[[email protected]]

>It would help if we knew how tall you are.

Im 5' 10"...... maybe 5' 11"

Weigh 200 lbs..... but have small frame and features. A
bit over weight

Pants leg inseam is 32?

Help any?

 

[SuperSlinky]

[email protected] said...

> >It would help if we knew how tall you are.
>
> Im 5' 10"...... maybe 5' 11"
>
> Weigh 200 lbs..... but have small frame and features. A
> bit over weight
>
> Pants leg inseam is 32?
>
> Help any?

If you are still reading, I would say that a 17 is a little small, but
not too small. Your inseam is short for your height, so your torso
length calls for a long stem and riser bars as suggested. Maybe a 120mm
stem and a 2" riser bar would be a good start.

 

[[email protected]]

>If you are still reading, I would say that a 17 is a little small, but
>not too small. Your inseam is short for your height, so your torso
>length calls for a long stem and riser bars as suggested. Maybe a 120mm
>stem and a 2" riser bar would be a good start.

Yep Im still reading!

I will give it more thought tomorrow after having had some sleep

 

[S o r n i]

SuperSlinky wrote:
> [email protected] said...
>
>>> It would help if we knew how tall you are.
>>
>> Im 5' 10"...... maybe 5' 11"
>>
>> Weigh 200 lbs..... but have small frame and features. A
>> bit over weight
>>
>> Pants leg inseam is 32?
>>
>> Help any?
>
> If you are still reading, I would say that a 17 is a little small, but
> not too small. Your inseam is short for your height, so your torso
> length calls for a long stem and riser bars as suggested. Maybe a
> 120mm stem and a 2" riser bar would be a good start.

A 32" inseam isn't short for someone 5-10.

Bill "IMO, since it almost exactly describes me" S.

 

[SuperSlinky]

S o r n i said...

> A 32" inseam isn't short for someone 5-10.
>
> Bill "IMO, since it almost exactly describes me" S.

I'm a little over 5-8 and my inseam is 32". Don't forget your bicycle
inseam isn't the same thing as your pants size. For your bike inseam,
you are supposed to cram a book into your crotch all the way to the sit
bones and measure the distance to the floor.

 

[[email protected]]

>A 32" inseam isn't short for someone 5-10.

I didn't think it was either..... but what do I know

 

[[email protected]]

> Don't forget your bicycle
>inseam isn't the same thing as your pants size. For your bike inseam,
>you are supposed to cram a book into your crotch all the way to the sit
>bones and measure the distance to the floor.

I didn't know the above

I was using my pants inseam then.... if that make a
diff

 

[SuperSlinky]

[email protected] said...

> I didn't know the above
>
> I was using my pants inseam then.... if that make a
> diff

Yes, it makes a difference of about an inch or two.

 

[Mark Hickey]

SuperSlinky <[email protected]> wrote:

>[email protected] said...
>
>> I didn't know the above
>>
>> I was using my pants inseam then.... if that make a
>> diff
>
>Yes, it makes a difference of about an inch or two.

FWIW, I am also 5'10", wear pants with a 32" inseam (33+" "cycling
inseam"), and fit perfectly on my own personal Habanero 17" MTB. In
fact, I wouldn't dream of rding the more technical trails in the area
with an 18.5" Habby.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

 

[[email protected]]

>FWIW, I am also 5'10", wear pants with a 32" inseam (33+" "cycling
>inseam"), and fit perfectly on my own personal Habanero 17" MTB. In
>fact, I wouldn't dream of rding the more technical trails in the area
>with an 18.5" Habby.

Then it very well may be that I do in fact have the correct size frame
but only need a correct size stem then? No?

Maybe if I just swap out the current stem for a longer one with more
rise? Ore maybe use riser handlebars?

Bottom line..... which method would you recommend...... swap out stem
and use current straight handlebars..... or keep current stem and use
rise handlebars? Or maybe a combo of both?

Also.....can I send a digital picture of my current habanero setup to
you so you can see what Im talking abt?

 

[SuperSlinky]

Mark Hickey said...

> FWIW, I am also 5'10", wear pants with a 32" inseam (33+" "cycling
> inseam"), and fit perfectly on my own personal Habanero 17" MTB. In
> fact, I wouldn't dream of rding the more technical trails in the area
> with an 18.5" Habby.

Mine is a medium Titus Loco-Moto. It is a little big in the top tube,
but you just don't have as many choices as you do with road bikes.

 

[[email protected]]

>Mine is a medium Titus Loco-Moto. It is a little big in the top tube,
>but you just don't have as many choices as you do with road bikes.

What do you mean?

Can you explain?