# Tall Head Tube/High Bar Bike for old guys?



## astr0moose (Aug 13, 2007)

Hi all, 

Curious if anyone else out there is trying to find a frame that sort of goes against the grain. Meaning, not long and low, but short reach and high bars. Deity has a 3" bar, but I am looking for a bike where I can have the bars well over the saddle at full height. I'm sort of tired of spacers and high rise stems, not to mention how weak that makes your setup. 

Anyone else out there who has a big gut and/or bad back? 

I may have to go out and have one made, but I thought I'd ask around first.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

I'm all for that set up.

I ride for the scenery, and the way to see it is upright. Otherwise you spend too long studying the few yards ahead of your front wheel.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

I have a custom frame which fits me perfectly, not to high, not too low. Sure enjoy it...


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

I ride fast, steep, technical trails. Long, low, and slack is what works for me. That being said, I went from no spacer to a single 10mm spacer, and it's been much easier on my back when climbing. Don't feel the need for anything higher though.


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## thecanoe (Jan 30, 2007)

I went with more travel which raises the front, a riser stem and riser bars. All good now. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## astr0moose (Aug 13, 2007)

Well, thanks for chiming in guys. I'm far past a single spacer, though. I feel like I need my bars to sit several inches above my seat, at full height.

As usual, it's just me (sign). Time to get serious about custom. 

To think, all that BMX bar jerking ruined my back. Shocker, right...


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## roadkill401 (Mar 14, 2017)

I was wondering how many have upgraded the handlebars to carbon to get some extra cushioning effect? Trying to figure out how much and how far to go in customising my new bike to make it ride great.


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## angelo (Sep 3, 2004)

roadkill401 said:


> I was wondering how many have upgraded the handlebars to carbon to get some extra cushioning effect? Trying to figure out how much and how far to go in customising my new bike to make it ride great.


I just did that recently. Added a Renthal fatbar (40mm rise) onto a stock 2015 Kona Wo and it has made a nice difference. 20mm wider than the stock, and the vibration/shock seems to have been decreased noticeably.


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## hwcn (Jul 31, 2010)

astr0moose said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Curious if anyone else out there is trying to find a frame that sort of goes against the grain. Meaning, not long and low, but short reach and high bars. Deity has a 3" bar, but I am looking for a bike where I can have the bars well over the saddle at full height. I'm sort of tired of spacers and high rise stems, not to mention how weak that makes your setup.
> 
> ...


Because of both a bad neck and anatomy, I find I need to have my handlebars 4-5 inches higher than my seat. Since I have accept this, I can ride longer, harder, and have been having so much fun mastering rock gardens of central PA. I'm 55 and conquering stuff now that I couldn't in my 20's, all because I finally set up my bike for my comfort.

They way I achieved my desired position was a 40mm handlebar, coupled with a new fork that I cut the steerer long and was able to add 2 inches of spacers underneath. You could also get a fork with more travel to raise the front.

Good luck in your quest.


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## roadkill401 (Mar 14, 2017)

I have been looking at some options for myself. I just upgraded to a new Giant Anthem 2, but could only get in in a Large frame. I am 6'2" so sort of all somewhere between the L and XL size. With the stock parts that shipped with the bike, I am going to need to do something with the bars and stem.

As I am in Canada, quite a bit of the shopping options get outrageously expensive with our crap government and their policies.

I was looking at some items from MEC:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5021-135/110mm-Stem-35-degree
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5038-111/Carbon-Mountain-Riser-Bar-(31-8mm)

Figure those would help to solve the reach issue from the seat to bars along with raise the bars up some to get them above where the seat height needs to be.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Steve Garro built my Coconino for me, pic is just one of his latest. Steve is no stranger to accommodating unique bodies, rides a hand cycle himself nowadays.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Are you thinking along the lines of a hybrid bike?: They put you up higher on the bike with elevated bars.


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## btl68 (Nov 18, 2010)

I recently bought a Jones Spaceframe Plus LWB 29 bike and the bars are well above the seat. Very satisfied with it so far.


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## roadkill401 (Mar 14, 2017)

Can't remember if I posted the photo with the stem changed to my bike. If I did already, i must be going senile in my old age.









it was pretty easy to swap out the 7deg stem with a 35deg. Now am waiting for some better weather so I can take it out. We have that yuck right now where it's too warm for it to be frozen, but to cold and alternate snow/rain for anything to dry out. Hopfully in 2-3 weeks it will warm up from the mid 30ies to the mid 50ies in the day and I can get out for some fun.


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## astr0moose (Aug 13, 2007)

Thanks for the comments. While I have added the hi rise bar and stem to my bike already (Ibis Mojo3), I was looking for something purpose built, for serious off road riding. It appears I will have to go full custom to get a tall head tube and still have some stand over. Because as you increase your distance from the upper headset bearing, you loose strength. And as someone who has broken bars, and fork steer tubes, and anything on the front end--you realize the importance of having a strong front end. 

It will probably be awhile, but I'll post some pictures when I get something made and have ridden it a few times. Unless, of course, someone out there already made one..


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## oldmanknees (Feb 26, 2018)

I'm curious... how do an angled stem (like the 35 degree one roadkill401 posted) or riser handlebars affect steering?


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

astr0moose said:


> Thanks for the comments. While I have added the hi rise bar and stem to my bike already (Ibis Mojo3), I was looking for something purpose built, for serious off road riding. It appears I will have to go full custom to get a tall head tube and still have some stand over. Because as you increase your distance from the upper headset bearing, you loose strength. And as someone who has broken bars, and fork steer tubes, and anything on the front end--you realize the importance of having a strong front end.
> 
> It will probably be awhile, but I'll post some pictures when I get something made and have ridden it a few times. Unless, of course, someone out there already made one..


It would help quite a bit to know how tall you are and how much higher you want your handlebars above your seat when fully extended. If it's on the order of 3" and you're 5'10" or shorter, that should be easy. If you're 6'2" tall and you want it 6" above your seat, that's a different story. But you need to be specific.

I'm 5'9" tall on a medium Yeti SB5 with a 160 mm Pike fork. Unsprung, the seat is 39" off the ground and the handlebars where my hands rest are at 43", for a 4" rise. There's nothing I climb that is negatively affected by that geometry. I can drop the fork to 130, but I never do and it's great on the downhills. I ride in northern Utah and Moab.

You could try other things like putting a 2.6" tire on the back and a 3" on the front, if there's room.


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## roadkill401 (Mar 14, 2017)

oldmanknees said:


> I'm curious... how do an angled stem (like the 35 degree one roadkill401 posted) or riser handlebars affect steering?


I have not found any downside. In my case the stem is 30mm longer than what was on the bike before, but as I have also gone from a 6deg to a 35, the offest distance from the seat isn't really all that much. I did want a bit more forward as I am 6'2" and have pretty long arms. They were completely sold out of the XL fames so I was stuck buying the L but I got it for such a good price that I couldn't turn it down, and as I knew I was going to replace the stem anyways to get the bar height up for me, I got about 13mm more reach when all it said and done.


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

I've been known to drop my dropper to the bottom for a better look around,
for a bit, then back on the throttle 

I run one 10mm spacers below my Thompson stem with Its zero degree rise and moved to a handle bar with a 15 degree rise. The fact that I have a slack bike means I don't need any stem rise. This makes my grips level with my saddle with my dropper at the top pos. Oh and, AND My bars also have 15 degree pull back...

That extra pull back was a big help. It let my elbows come in a tad for a taller ride position.
I can still climb and descend well as long as I get low over the bike.

The Dropper Is key for a good fit. For me It Is also a critical component that helps me to move about on the bike.


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## seevee7 (Apr 10, 2018)

Like the OP, I was looking for a bike that would be more comfortable for my 50+ year old back. I found a thread just like this one on another website, which directed me to the Salsa Fargo. Took me a little while to find one, but I did find a slightly used 2015 model. Some details:

2015 Fargo 3 Green | Salsa Cycles


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

i found the specialized Fuse. It still comes as an xxl. Stack 661. Reach 480 top tube 680. As im tall i added uncut steerer and 38mm riser bars. So my bars end up aboute parallel to the seat. 

Its another option to keep in mind. Cheaper than custom. 


Its 3.0” tires are just slightly smaller in diameter than 29”. But give lots of cushion and grip. Its a perfect trail bike. Imo


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

I can't imagine giving up the control benefits of a modern bike. Short stems and bar rise address shorting torso, feeling plenty upright and not having a bike with old school characteristics I can't stand. I've ridden with contemporaries who don't like new bikes and have done silly things to fit and choose wrong size. They might be comfy on flat going trail but can't handle steeps, flow and berms well.


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## b622r (Sep 20, 2006)

Great stuff here. I am not slower but will take less risk...has not impacted my enjoyment at all. Have no issue taking the path around a gap jump if it doesn't look right to me. I want to keep doing this as long as I can so will I will avoid risk that could result in a premature end to riding.


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