How To Raise Handlebars On Road Bike: 9 Quick Steps
Almost 63% of adults in the world know how to ride a bike, and many more are learning each day. Learning how to ride and riding a bike comes with a whole lot of adjustment as well. We all know that each person has his own personal preferences.
They might want to change the rims or brakes and know how to raise handlebars on road bike for extra support and safety. A proper handlebar adjustment is good for the rider’s posture, it can help prevent unwanted injuries while riding.
So, if you’re wondering how to raise handlebars on road bikes or how hard it can be, then you’re at the right place. Raising the handlebar is an easy job. You will need to loosen the bolts on your bike with an Allen key, now adjust the headset to the height you like making sure that it is aligned correctly. Now tighten up the bolts just like before, you do not want to over-tighten them or keep them loose. Both situations can be dangerous for you.
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Factors to Consider When Raising Handlebars
There are several factors that need to be considered before jumping into raising the handlebars of your bicycle. The factors that affect any rider’s efficiency include, the type of riding he wants to do, body positioning, and bike geometry. Let’s discuss more these factors.
Types of Riding
As easy as it sounds, raising the handlebars requires a lot of careful steps and consideration of what type of bike riding you intend to do. Raising the handlebars can be good for your neck and posture, it can relieve stress from your back and neck and may be more comfortable to ride. If you’re a more aggressive rider and like to race or mountain climb, then rising the handlebars is not for you because it can make bike control a little difficult.
Body positioning
When you are raising your handlebars, you need to keep the body positioning a priority. If you have a shorter torso or limited neck and shoulder flexibility, then raising the handlebars will offer more comfort to you. However, it might make it harder to ride if you have a longer torso or want to ride in an aerodynamic position.
Bike Geometry
The geometry of the bike is another important consideration when you’re thinking of raising the handlebars. The right handlebar position depends on the angle of your bike’s head tube, and the length of the top tube and stem. You need to study the overall geometry of the bike before making any modifications because raising the handlebars can change the handling characteristics and stability of the bike, which can in turn compromise your safety if not done properly.
How To Raise Handlebars On Road Bike
- To raise the handlebars loosen the clamp bolts
- Remove the top cap
- Slide off the stem from the steerer tube
- Now adjust the bar the way you want it
- Place the steering tube into place
- Replace the cap and bold
- Align it with the front wheel
- Tighten up the bolts
- Give it a ride to check if you like it
Step 1: To raise the handlebars loosen the clamp bolts
As a first step, you will want to loosen up the bolts, so you can clamp them in place later. Losing up the bolts allows you to adjust the height of the handlebars. Once you like the positioning, tighten up the clamp.
Step 2: Remove the Top Cap
To do this part you will need an Allen key, once you have it you can loosen up the top cap and slide it off your steerer tube. Once it is removed you will easily be able to slide the tube up and down and also will be able to replace the cap easily.
Step 3: Slide off the stem from the steerer tube
Now slide the handlebars off of the stem and slide them in an upward or downward direction. Once you like the position, tighten the clamp bolts in place to secure them. You will have to make sure to double-check all the clamps before installing bar tape and all other things.
Step 4: Now adjust the bar the way you want it
At step four you can now adjust the bar the way you want, but before doing that, see if your posture will be stable in that position or not. Because a bad posture can cause various injuries that can be hard to recover from.
Step 5: Place the steering tube into place
Slide the steerer tube through the head tube.
Step 6: Replace the cap and bolt
Replace both the top cap and bolt once the tube is in place. Tighten all bolts in sight before taking any other step.
Step 7: Align it with the front wheel
You have to make sure that your handlebars are parallel to the front wheel of your bike. The bars shouldn’t be at an angle, only straight.
Step 8: Tighten up the bolts
The bolts on both clamps should be tightened, so the handlebars can be secured in place.
Step 9: Give it a ride to check if you like it
This is the most important step of all, you need to check the adjustment to make sure it’s not too tight or too loose. If they are angled up then it means they are too tightly secured. To fix this you can also flip the stem 180 degrees so it goes forward and not backward.
Troubleshooting: Common issues that can arise when raising handlebars
Knowing how to raise handlebars on a road bike can benefit a rider with a more comfortable riding position, but if it is not done correctly then it can cause a number of other problems. Problems like cable tension troubles, unstable steering, and slippery handlebars, these problems might not sound as big but they are safety hazards when riding on a busy road or with a group of people. Here’s a closer look at these problems and solutions:
- Cable Tension Issues
While raising the handlebars it is very common that the cable tension may become extremely tight or extremely loose. This can cause problems in shifting and braking while riding the bike. If you want to solve this problem, you might need to check your bike’s cable tension. If it’s too tight the gears may not shift and breaks may not release properly. On the contrary, if the cable tension is too low then the gears could slip and the brakes may not fully engage.
- Steering Instability
This can occur when you are raising the handlebars, it completely changes the bike’s handling characteristics and stability. If you want to solve this problem, angle the handlebars to the right height and align them with the front wheel. If you think the bike is still unstable, you will have to adjust the overall geometry of the bike.
- Handlebar slippage
Handlebar slippage is another problem that commonly occurs. This happens when the handlebars are not perfectly aligned with the stem of the bike, or the bolts are not secured enough. You can easily fix this problem by adjusting the bolts to the recommended torque specifications that are provided by the manufacturer.
Read More on Road Bikes
Conclusion:
In conclusion, raising the handlebars of your road bike can provide significant benefits to you, it can improve your posture, and relieve stress from your neck, shoulders, and back. It will make your riding more desirable and delightful. All these effects can be negative if you make an error while adjusting the handlebars. But troubleshooting these problems is child’s play.
FAQ’s
Can You Raise The Handlebars On A Bike?
Yes, you can raise the handlebars on your bike.
How Do I Adjust Road Bike Handlebars?
You can adjust the height of your handlebars by loosening, moving up or down and re-tightening.
How Can I Make My Road Bike More Upright?
The handlebars on your bike can be adjusted to lean more upright by adjusting the stem bolts, moving them up or down and re-tightening.
What is threadless?
If your stem has bolts pinching it onto the steerer tube, it’s most likely threadless.
What is bar height?
Bar height is also known as saddle-drop which is the measurement of how far the top of the saddle sits above (or below) the bars.
How To Raise Handlebars On Road Bike: Resource
1. RAISE Your Bike Handlebars for a More UPRIGHT Sitting Position
2. How to change your handlebar height
3. Raising Handlebars on Mountain Bike
Thanks for the useful information. I am now able to successfully adjust and lift the handlebars of my daughter’s bike. Hopefully, this will make its ride more comfortable and safer.
I have successfully applied to my daughter’s bike with very simple steps: First, remove the hub bolt or nut a few turns. In the next step, you need to pull the handlebars of the bike up meticulously until your child has the desired height to use. Align the handlebars to ensure proper orientation, especially since the bike pedal may have gone sideways during the first process. The next thing that you should align the handlebars with is the saddle. Note that the handlebars can be above, level with, or just below the saddle. If the saddle is already in place, make sure the handlebars are slightly below or equal to the height of the saddle. And finally, squeeze the steering wheel and get the job done.
Thanks
Just check if your type of handlebar is sporting a threadless or threaded headset stem., You should be able to freely raise the handlebars, whether on a specialized mountain bike, road bike, and even a child’s bike, whether it’s an Apollo bike or any other brand.