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| English
English |
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Adjusting the Height of the Handlebar
In principle, road racing or gravel bikes are sports bikes designed for speed.
For this reason alone riding a road racing or gravel bike requires certain basic
preconditions of the trunk, shoulder and neck muscles.
The height of the handlebar compared to the saddle and the distance between
saddle and handlebar determine how much your upper body will be inclined for-
ward. Lowering the handlebar gives you a streamlined position and brings more
weight to bear on the front wheel. However, it also entails an extremely forward
leaning posture which is tiring and less comfortable, because it increases the
strain on your wrists, arms, back, upper body and neck. As a general rule, you
should be able to adopt all three basic handlebar positions on a road racing bicycle
without any problems.
On road racing and gravel bikes an Aheadset
®
-stem allows the vertical adjust-
ment of the handlebar. This requires special knowledge. In this regard, the descrip-
tions hereafter may be incomplete. If you are in doubt or if you have any questions,
contact your STEVENS dealer.
Danger:
The stem is one of the load bearing parts of your STEVENS bicycle.
Changes to it can impair your safety. If you are in doubt or if you have any
questions, contact your STEVENS dealer!
Danger:
The bolted connections of stem and handlebar have to be tightened to
the prescribed torque values. If you disregard the prescribed values, the
handlebar or stem may come loose or break. Use a torque wrench and do
not exceed the maximum torque values! You find them on the components
themselves and/or in the chapter
“Recommended Torque Settings”
.
Caution:
Keep in mind that
readjusting the position
of the stem changes the
position of the handlebar,
brake levers and shifters.
Readjust these compo-
nents, as described in
the chapter
“Adjusting
the Tilt of the Handlebar
and the Brake Levers of
STEVENS Road Racing
Machines, Cyclocross
Bicycles and Gravel
Bikes”
.
Note:
When doing any
adjusting observe the
instructions of the stem
manufacturer. Ask
your STEVENS dealer
to explain to you both
function and adjustment
of your stem or let him
do that work.
Caution:
Never try to unscrew the
top race of the headset
when you only want to
adjust the stem, as you
will otherwise alter the
bearing play!
Note:
Spacers can only be
removed by shortening
the steerer tube at the
same time. This change
is irreversible. Have this
shortening only done by
your STEVENS dealer
when you are absolutely
sure about the position.
Danger:
In case you turn the stem around, the cables may be too short. In this case
riding on your bicycle is dangerous. Ask your STEVENS dealer for advice.
Danger:
Do not mount any stem extenders, speed-lifters or the like.
Danger:
Spacers must be removed by the STEVENS dealer only, as this requires the
shortening of the fork steerer.
Danger:
These routines require a certain amount of manual skill and (special) tools
and are best left to your STEVENS dealer. Nevertheless, if you want to try
it by yourself, read the chapter
“Adjusting the Height of the Handlebar”
beforehand.
Stems for Threadless Systems, the Aheadset
®
-System
In the case of STEVENS road and cyclocross bikes or gravel bikes with Ahead-
set
®
the stem also serves to adjust the bearing preload. If you change the position
of the stem you have to readjust the bearing play.
You can adjust the height to a limited extent by displacing the spacers or by
turning the stem around in the case of flip-flop models, see the chapter
“The
Headset”
.
