Anyone used stem risers to get the weight back on their butt?

[Doug Stampfer]

Dealing with an ongoing thumb joint injury & I want to shift the weight back off the bars to my butt so riding isn't so painful. I've seen some stem risers & wondered if they work. I don't ride anything techy at the moment as it hurts too much to enjoy so just pootle around with the wife on easy stuff so not worried about the handling characteristics.
Be keen to hear any feedback.

 

[RustyMTB]

Try raising the nose of your saddle. Same effect & foc.

 

[timo2824]

Dealing with an ongoing thumb joint injury & I want to shift the weight back off the bars to my butt so riding isn't so painful. I've seen some stem risers & wondered if they work. I don't ride anything techy at the moment as it hurts too much to enjoy so just pootle around with the wife on easy stuff so not worried about the handling characteristics.
Be keen to hear any feedback.

I've ran stem risers, but I like taller handlebars better.

 

[irie]

Wife has one of these on her bike, very strong and well made.

 

[Mikerb]

As above I think riser bars are a better solution. As you state the problem is with your thumb joint you could also try changing your grips to Ergon GA2. They work to distribute bar forces more evenly across the palm of the hand taking pressure off the thumb side. That would be a lower cost first potential solution and still be effective if you subsequently also fitted higher rise bars.

 

[irie]

As above I think riser bars are a better solution. As you state the problem is with your thumb joint you could also try changing your grips to Ergon GA2. They work to distribute bar forces more evenly across the palm of the hand taking pressure off the thumb side. That would be a lower cost first potential solution and still be effective if you subsequently also fitted higher rise bars.

Are Ergon GA2 grips "a lower cost first potential solution" than a £22.99 BBB steerer extender? They will not "shift the weight back off the bars to my butt" as a steerer extender* will.

Edit: *Have to be sure that cables etc are long enough.

 

[Mikerb]

Are Ergon GA2 grips "a lower cost first potential solution" than a £22.99 BBB steerer extender? They will not "shift the weight back off the bars to my butt" as a steerer extender* will.

Edit: *Have to be sure that cables etc are long enough.

about the same price as a steerer extender but I was referring to the cost v buying riser bars.

 

[irie]

about the same price as a steerer extender but I was referring to the cost v buying riser bars.

In which case a steerer extender will be many times cheaper than riser bars.

 

[steve_sordy]

In which case a steerer extender will be many times cheaper than riser bars.

As someone who was thinking about riser bars to ease my neck pain, I am interested in this topic and I had not even considered steerer extenders. I accept that they may be a cheaper option, but are they "better"? I am concerned about the strength of the resultant set up, not the cost nor even how it looks. It may be fine for canal towpaths and other light trails, but are they strong enough to stand up to something rougher?

 

[timo2824]

As someone who was thinking about riser bars to ease my neck pain, I am interested in this topic and I had not even considered steerer extenders. I accept that they may be a cheaper option, but are they "better"? I am concerned about the strength of the resultant set up, not the cost nor even how it looks. It may be fine for canal towpaths and other light trails, but are they strong enough to stand up to something rougher?

My biggest issue is they just look wrong on a $5,000 bike. It adds another spot for creaking noises as well. My Deity riser bars were only ~$75 and they do exactly what I wanted.

 

[skinnyboy]

Dealing with an ongoing thumb joint injury & I want to shift the weight back off the bars to my butt so riding isn't so painful. I've seen some stem risers & wondered if they work. I don't ride anything techy at the moment as it hurts too much to enjoy so just pootle around with the wife on easy stuff so not worried about the handling characteristics.
Be keen to hear any feedback.

Higher bars do absolutely work, taller stacks will be the next geometry must have.

Unfortunately in recent years "manufacturers" have the steerers on new bikes cut at the factory to look cool and racy on the showroom floor (see also cables through headsets) and save the shop the hassle of cutting them if needed.

Leaves a few options: 1. we bin our OEM forks and install good forks with long steerers (anyone looking for a brand new Zeb 170?) since we know what we're looking for (expensive); 2. riser bars/stems (kind of a crap shoot if you don't know exactly where you want your bars); 3. steerer extenders (as Steve mentioned only really acceptable for light use).

Perhaps buy a steerer extender, poodle around with it trying all kinds of different heights until you find what works for you, then get a bar/stem combo that puts the bars where you want them (provided it's even possible with a cut steerer). At first higher bars will seem odd, but that's only because we are adaptable, even to bad designs, and come to regard them as correct. Ride the bike for a few days with what seems like too tall a bar to let your body and technique adjust. If it seems good raise and ride until the last position seems better all around. Should be pretty close to optimum then.

Cheers.

 

[irie]

As someone who was thinking about riser bars to ease my neck pain, I am interested in this topic and I had not even considered steerer extenders. I accept that they may be a cheaper option, but are they "better"? I am concerned about the strength of the resultant set up, not the cost nor even how it looks. It may be fine for canal towpaths and other light trails, but are they strong enough to stand up to something rougher?

As long as the tube extender is as strong as or stronger than the steerer tube then it will be strong enough. Ergotec also have a steerer extension tube (Ahead Stem Raiser #40105001)

 

[irie]

3. steerer extenders (as Steve mentioned only really acceptable for light use).

See above.

 

[Amber Valley Guy]

Another possibility is the bars are to wide for the OP's shoulders (pulling the body forward) and need cutting down. Rotating the bars back can also help, but beware of the wrist angle dropping if the bars are rotated to far. Another solution is buy bars with a greater backsweep say 10-12 degrees instead of the more usual 8 degrees and if those bars also have a slightly higher rise (say 15-20mm more than stock) and a greater backsweep the more they can be adjusted by rotating.

 

[skinnyboy]

See above.

100% agreed on the Ergotec products, good stuff and they recognize the need in the market. Definitely the way to go for an extender for more than just testing. Unfortunately difficult to source here with shipping from Europe being expensive, and still something of a bodge.

Cheers.