MTB Handlebar Rise

[Bjorn881]

I currently have an alloy 780mm bar with a 12mm rise, I find my head is always orientated down and I predominantly ride steep and technical enduro trails (Tokai and Jonkershoek) where I find I'm leaning forward a little bit too much. I'm looking for advice as to whether to go for a handlebar with 27mm or a 38mm rise and the pros and cons of each?

[Zebra]

You cannot reverse/flip your stem upside down for a different angle?

 

Chris

[DieselnDust]

Leaning forward suggests that your reach is too long

[Steady Spin]

How long is your stem?

[Bjorn881]

I have a 60mm stem installed

[Thermophage]

Yeah, like okes are suggesting - reach possibly too long. But I also prefer a higher rise bar, 18 to 25mm or so I've found most comfy.

 

1) If possible, swap spacers from above to under your stem;

2) Consider rolling your bars ever so slightly more backwards;

3) Lift your brake levers - if they are rolled down (i.e. the traditional marathon seated comfy position) it CAN have the effect of pitching your weight a touch forward on steeper sections where your wrist will be awkwardly bent;

4) Shorter stem. Rapide and Lyne ones are great value. 50mm, 45mm, etc;

5) Your bars may be a touch wide - wider bars = longer effective reach and they only come in 780/800mm so that people have multiple options to cut them down; and

6) It MIGHT also be your fork diving on the steeper stuff - consider maybe adding some LSC or speeding up your rebound a touch too.

 

Few things to try before going straight to buying a stem (unless you can loan one from a mate first).

 

 

Also as for the pro's and cons. It'll depend a touch more on how much wiggle room you have with stem spacers as you can get a pseudo higher rise fiddling there.

I do find I cannot run 780mm bars comfortably (1.73cm if that makes any sense) as i struggle to lean the boke over through the bars and weight my hands correctly.

I have the SAME feeling with a flatter bar. I do find a higher rise bar assists me initiating leaning the bike over more easily as my elbows are not as straight for the same width bar.

 

Hope you come right man.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Thermophage

[DieselnDust]

I have a 60mm stem installed

 

That doesn't tell me much other than you have a 60mm stem.

bike?

Reach and stack?

Your height?

Your arm length?

Saddle position?

 

The question you posed is not possible to answer without a lot of information.

You have described symptoms indicative of too long a reach and that could be caused by a number of factors like Thermo suggests.

More information and some pics will be really helpful in guiding you to an answer