How do I raise the handlebars with something like this?
I'm a bike newbie. Trying to find a way to add a bike riser that can angle more upright for my aging mother to use. But do I need a straight post? Is this thing easy to replace with something that would raise the handlebars?
Do not touch the black nuts. They are for headset bearing adjustment and do not affect the height of the bars.
There’s a 6mm Allen bolt in the tip of the stem. Loosen it and the stem should come loose. If it doesn’t come loose after loosening, tap it with a mallet or hammer. Now the bars can be raised. But don’t raise them higher than the *max height* line.
Limit_Ok on
If you look closely, this stem is already at max height.. as you can see the min insertion point marks. You can’t safely raise it any higher.
You could replace the whole stem for a longer one. You need a quill stem.
TarnishedVictory on
I tend to get a new stem and some BMX bars. The new stem for two reasons. First, it’s often necessary as the BMX bars don’t always fit. But also because with taller bars, you get increased leverage at the stem and want a stem that has much better clamping power.
That all said, you might find good options from the folks at a local bike shop. They’ll be better at figuring out costs vs what fits. That looks like an old school wedge style goose neck stem, and might limit your options.
If she doesn’t need a lot of lift, there are various handle bars that might just be a little higher, or even compatible goose necks with a higher stance.
If you’re looking for less that an inch rise, you might be able to loosen the goose neck wedge, lift it up a bit, and tighten it back down. (Someone pointed out that it looks like it’s already maxed out in this regard)
GenericName187 on
You have a quill stem. You loosen a bolt in the center to loosen the wedge in the fork.
Your stem is already at the maximum height. You could look for a stem with more rise or a longer quill, but your mother may also benefit from a riser handlebar with more rise or [back sweep](https://www.thebikesmiths.com/products/kalloy-al030?variant=6914460418082). That may also put her in a more upright comfortable position.
If you do replace the stem, measure the diameter of the quill, or it may be stamped on the quill itself. The common diameters are 22.2 mm and 25.4 mm.
The handlebar clamp on newer handlebars and stems is 31.8 mm, your stem is likely a 25.4 mm clamp diameter.
fallingveil on
That stem is one of two popular types of bike stems, called a quill stem. [Here’s what the whole thing looks like inside the frame.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0081/1222/files/QUILLEXPANSIONLABELLED.jpg) The vertical bolt is tightened from the top, which levers the wedge it threads into sideways, locking the stem into the fork’s steerer via friction.
Your stem appears to be at maximum safe rise, as I can see the minimum insertion marks at the bottom. This is also a relatively short reach stem, in that it keeps the bars closer to the rider than most stems. Therefore, if your goal is a more upright riding position for your mom, I’d suggest looking at altering the handlebars instead. Riser bars are easy to come by, as are bars that sweep the grips back toward the rider for a more ergonomic, upright hold. [Many do both!](https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/25110-wald-handlebar-steel-867-chrome-4278)
Plastic-Gift5078 on
Seriously, if you need to go higher than this, consider a bike that best fits you.
7 Comments
[deleted]
Do not touch the black nuts. They are for headset bearing adjustment and do not affect the height of the bars.
There’s a 6mm Allen bolt in the tip of the stem. Loosen it and the stem should come loose. If it doesn’t come loose after loosening, tap it with a mallet or hammer. Now the bars can be raised. But don’t raise them higher than the *max height* line.
If you look closely, this stem is already at max height.. as you can see the min insertion point marks. You can’t safely raise it any higher.
You could replace the whole stem for a longer one. You need a quill stem.
I tend to get a new stem and some BMX bars. The new stem for two reasons. First, it’s often necessary as the BMX bars don’t always fit. But also because with taller bars, you get increased leverage at the stem and want a stem that has much better clamping power.
That all said, you might find good options from the folks at a local bike shop. They’ll be better at figuring out costs vs what fits. That looks like an old school wedge style goose neck stem, and might limit your options.
If she doesn’t need a lot of lift, there are various handle bars that might just be a little higher, or even compatible goose necks with a higher stance.
If you’re looking for less that an inch rise, you might be able to loosen the goose neck wedge, lift it up a bit, and tighten it back down. (Someone pointed out that it looks like it’s already maxed out in this regard)
You have a quill stem. You loosen a bolt in the center to loosen the wedge in the fork.
[https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/stem-removal-installation-quill-stems](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/stem-removal-installation-quill-stems)
Your stem is already at the maximum height. You could look for a stem with more rise or a longer quill, but your mother may also benefit from a riser handlebar with more rise or [back sweep](https://www.thebikesmiths.com/products/kalloy-al030?variant=6914460418082). That may also put her in a more upright comfortable position.
If you do replace the stem, measure the diameter of the quill, or it may be stamped on the quill itself. The common diameters are 22.2 mm and 25.4 mm.
The handlebar clamp on newer handlebars and stems is 31.8 mm, your stem is likely a 25.4 mm clamp diameter.
That stem is one of two popular types of bike stems, called a quill stem. [Here’s what the whole thing looks like inside the frame.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0081/1222/files/QUILLEXPANSIONLABELLED.jpg) The vertical bolt is tightened from the top, which levers the wedge it threads into sideways, locking the stem into the fork’s steerer via friction.
Your stem appears to be at maximum safe rise, as I can see the minimum insertion marks at the bottom. This is also a relatively short reach stem, in that it keeps the bars closer to the rider than most stems. Therefore, if your goal is a more upright riding position for your mom, I’d suggest looking at altering the handlebars instead. Riser bars are easy to come by, as are bars that sweep the grips back toward the rider for a more ergonomic, upright hold. [Many do both!](https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/25110-wald-handlebar-steel-867-chrome-4278)
Seriously, if you need to go higher than this, consider a bike that best fits you.