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When you want to buy your first road bike, you can't go wrong with choosing its size. After learning how to choose the size of your bike, today we're going to tell you how to adjust the bike's handlebar height.
Why adjust the bike handlebar height
To be properly positioned on your road bike, it is important to take special care in adjusting your position on it. In the same way as the adjustment of the saddle height, the adjustment of the riding position and more particularly the handlebar height of the bike is very important because it is one of the main supports of the cyclist on his bike.
Indeed, a bad posture can generate in the long run pains (muscular tensions) but also more serious injuries (tendonitis, etc.) when you will approach long distances. This is why it is imperative to adapt your position to your morphology.
In order to determine the right driving position, several criteria and several elements must be taken into account.
What handlebar width should I choose for my road bike?
In order for your handlebars to fit your body type, the width of the handlebars should be equal to the width of your shoulders. That's why smaller road bike sizes or women's bikes often come with narrower handlebars.
To determine the right handlebar width, you can measure the distance between the two bones that form the ends of each shoulder.
On your bike, you can simply check to see if your handlebars fit your shoulder width. To do this, stand on your bike in a pedaling position with your hands in the bend of the handlebars: in this position, your arms should be parallel.
In addition to this measurement, other parameters can be taken into account when choosing the width of a handlebar. Indeed, a narrower handlebar will favor aerodynamics while a wider handlebar will bring more comfort to the cyclist who uses it. But be careful because handlebars that are too narrow or too wide can bring more discomfort than benefit: too narrow will hinder your riding in technical sections and too wide will increase muscle fatigue in the shoulders, arms and shoulder blades.
What stem length should I choose for my road bike?
The choice of bike stem (and more specifically its length or inclination) is also very important in setting up the riding position.
Cyclists looking for performance - at the expense of comfort - often opt for a longer stem (greater than 100mm) and with a low inclination in order to have a more elongated position on the bike and thus gain aerodynamics. Some even opt for reversible stems with a negative tilt in order to be even more reclined on the bike.
Cyclists looking for comfort rather opt for a shorter stem (between 60 and 100mm) and with a slightly larger tilt (between 10 and 15°) in order to be able to opt for a more raised position and therefore more comfortable.
In order to perfectly choose your stem, in addition to your sport practice, do not forget to also take into account the angle of the head tube of the bike that can vary enormously from one model to another, without forgetting to measure the distance that separates the saddle and the head tube and to take into account the size of the frame.
How do I adjust the position of the brake levers on my road bike?
The positioning of the brake handles is also very important on the handlebars. This is because you need to be able to put your hands easily on the coasters and have easy access to the brake levers in order to ride safely.
How do I adjust the handlebar height on my road bike?
In theory, - and up to a point - the lower the handlebars, the more aerodynamic the rider's position. Conversely, the higher the handlebars, the more the cyclist will be exposed to the wind while gaining comfort in the shoulders and neck area since the weight will be transferred more to the parts of the body (perineum, ischium) in contact with the saddle. As a general rule of thumb, the handlebar position is considered to be equal to or lower than the saddle height by between 0 and 6 cm below the top of the saddle.
Before you start making your handlebar adjustments, consider carrying a torque wrench so you don't overtighten the bolts.
The easiest way to adjust the handlebar height of your road bike is to move one or more spacers at the stem. If the handlebars are too low, place the spacers below the stem to raise the cockpit; if the handlebars are too high, remove spacers below the stem and replace them above the stem to lower the cockpit.
To make this adjustment, you need to loosen the handlebar end cap above the stem and then remove the handlebar end cap with the stem bolt. At the same time, loosen the stem bolts to remove the stem from the head tube and swap the spacers to the desired position. Once the adjustment is complete, reinstall the stem. Start by tightening the handlebar clamp and then reinstall the handlebars. Next, gradually tighten the stem bolts.
If this method is not sufficient, to raise or lower your riding position, you will then have to resort to adjusting your stem or you will have to change it for a new one more adapted to your morphological characteristics.
What to do if I feel discomfort on my bike despite the adjustments.
After making all these adjustments, you will need a few rides to get used to it and start feeling the positive effects of this new position.
If, despite these adjustments, unusual pain persists over the miles, we advise you to opt for a complete postural study performed by a professional and, thus obtain a position perfectly adapted to your morphology on your bike.
Now that you know how to adjust bike handlebar height, how about finding out how to measure the height of a bike seat? And, finally, do you know how to measure your bike?
