Knowing how to raise handlebars on a mountain bike can be your answer to the general discomforts you experience while riding. Discomforts such as the achy neck, and back pains are not new to riders–amateurs and professionals alike.
It is common to see people complain especially new cyclists introduced into the cycling world. This detailed guide will discuss why adjusting the handlebar is important and how you can do it yourself.
The big question is, how do you raise your mountain bike handlebars? How you raise your mountain bike handlebars depends on the type of setup your mountain bike has. Whether your bike is of a threaded or threadless seam, the process of raising a bike handlebar involves loosening the bolts with Allen keys, adjusting the size then screwing it back together.
Not having the right handlebar comes with its problems, and, just like we mentioned at the beginning of this post, achy neck and back pains are the common ones. This article explains all you have to know about adjusting bike handlebars and how to do it yourself.
Before we dive into the article, this guide will look at:
- why you need to adjust your handlebars
- how to raise mountain bike handlebars (threaded headset)
- how to raise mountain bike handlebars (threadless headset)
- Health benefits of raising mountain bikes handlebars
Why You Need to Adjust Your Mountain Bike Handlebars
People choose to adjust the handlebars on their bikes for various reasons. Whatever the reasons may be, it is of course a worthy one. Despite the various reasons, some are common and are worth looking at. They can range from personal comforts to harnessing the optimum performance of your bike.
Other reasons why you need to adjust your mountain bike handlebars include:
- Comfortability
- To ensure maximum visibility
- To accommodate the growth of a kid
Comfort remains one of the reasons why you might need to adjust your handlebar. Like other machines, bikes are best enjoyed only if the rider is comfortable. Getting the handlebars adjusted properly helps to prevent pains, aches and other bodily harm associated with bad body postures while riding a bike.
Mountain bikes by nature are not designed to be ridden in an awkward or hunched-over position. For this, adjusting your handlebars remain one of the best ways to ensure your comfort is guaranteed during each ride.
Also, your visibility matters as far as riding your bicycle are concerned. Having clear visibility, especially on mountainous terrains helps to reduce bike-related accidents to the barest minimum. Adjusting the handlebars helps the rider to ride while upright rather than in a hunch position. Such a position creates room for discomfort among other things.
Another reason for adjusting the handlebars on a mountain bike is the need to accommodate the rapid growth of your kids or teenagers. Kids are known to grow rapidly and if care isn’t taken, they would have outgrown their bikes within six months to one year.
For this, the handlebars need to be adjusted to accommodate the growth of the children or teenagers. While adjusting the height of the handlebar is generally required for kids, for ageing individuals, the reverse is usually the case.
How to Raise the Handlebars of a Mountain Bike
All mountain bikes are not the same. Knowing this is the first step in determining how to raise your mountain bike handlebars. Generally, most mountain bikes have a flat bar handlebar. This type of handlebar is most preferred due to its versatility and or being flight weighted.
How to Raise Mountain Bikes Threadless Headset Handlebars
You will need the following tools:
- Allen keys
- Torque wrench. If your frame is made of carbon fibre, then a pre-set Torq will work just fine
- Some manufacturers of stems, won’t use Allen bolts, instead, they will be Torx keys. If this applies to you, you’ll need a T20 or T25 Torx key
- For quill stems, a hammer might be required.