Coolbob
Well-Known Member
I've been very pleased with the riding position and pretty much left mine where the Giant Tech set everything when I picked up the bike in June. Two of my friends purchased Momentum Transcend E+ bikes after riding mine: Denny is happy with his bike as is, Robin is experiencing neck and wrist pain and would prefer to have the handlebars higher and possibly closer. I told her that the handlebar setup on the Transend looks different from the quill and threaded steerer tube systems I'm familiar with and I'd take my bike apart and figure out the options for raising her handlebars.
I was surprised how far that the threadless steerer tube extends above the head tube, I'm accustomed to the steerer tube extending only 1/4-1/2" above the top head tube bearing. The OEM stem has a 15" angle and is held in place by two 5mm screws, a long screw on the top that threads into the star insert in the steerer tube and one that clamps around the steerer tube. The handlebars are standard 31.8mm diameter and the steerer tube is a standard diameter of 28.5mm (1-1/8"). Assuming the cables on her bike are long enough, it should be easy to add a stem riser extension and reuse the stock stem with a longer top screw. The stock stem is about 60mm in length, so a short stem could be substituted on top of the stem riser extension to bring the handlebars back by at least an inch. I suggested that she order a stem riser extension, short stem and adjustable angle stem (~$65 for all three at Amazon) and we can mix and match components until she feels comfortable.
All of this got me to thinking I'd like to have a little less upright riding position, especially with it being so windy this fall, so while I had my bike apart I removed one of the aluminum spacers which dropped my handlebars about 1/2". Just the 1/2" drop on the handlebars makes the bike feel less like a cruiser and more like my old mountain bike. Next I'm going to see if I can take out another spacer without the stem bottoming out on the steerer tube. The urge to mod never ends.
I was surprised how far that the threadless steerer tube extends above the head tube, I'm accustomed to the steerer tube extending only 1/4-1/2" above the top head tube bearing. The OEM stem has a 15" angle and is held in place by two 5mm screws, a long screw on the top that threads into the star insert in the steerer tube and one that clamps around the steerer tube. The handlebars are standard 31.8mm diameter and the steerer tube is a standard diameter of 28.5mm (1-1/8"). Assuming the cables on her bike are long enough, it should be easy to add a stem riser extension and reuse the stock stem with a longer top screw. The stock stem is about 60mm in length, so a short stem could be substituted on top of the stem riser extension to bring the handlebars back by at least an inch. I suggested that she order a stem riser extension, short stem and adjustable angle stem (~$65 for all three at Amazon) and we can mix and match components until she feels comfortable.
All of this got me to thinking I'd like to have a little less upright riding position, especially with it being so windy this fall, so while I had my bike apart I removed one of the aluminum spacers which dropped my handlebars about 1/2". Just the 1/2" drop on the handlebars makes the bike feel less like a cruiser and more like my old mountain bike. Next I'm going to see if I can take out another spacer without the stem bottoming out on the steerer tube. The urge to mod never ends.
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