Help with sizing the cockpit/suitable bar/stem for my 90s Raleigh...

[TOMAS]

I'm sorry if this has been asked a tonne of times but im looking for suitable stems/bars for my Raleigh restomod...

Ideally I could probably do with the next size up but it was a gift to me. The std ITM Dyna bars and stem were too low for me, I also didn't like the shape of the bars in that they sloped downwards to the hoods.

So this current TEMP setup its pretty comfortable but clearly doesn't suit the bike at all. Current bars are 44cm/85mm reach/125mm drop. Stem is 90mm with around 15deg rise. Its also fudged with a 1" quill to 1.1/8" ahead adapter!

Im looking for a silver quill stem that looks flatter (horizontal) but that I can raise high and about 100mm long. Once thats sorted its onto bars - again silver in colour and very compact 42-44cm width. Depending on stem bar clamp size will effect whats possible.

In a nutshell, I need comfort but at the same time don't want this thing to end up looking daft!

I considered Deda Speciale 26 bars in silver but again not sure if they'll be flat enough in transition to the hoods... I like it all very flat.

 

[Woz]

It's been asked many times, but the ultimate best reply is always the same. A frame the right size for you is the way to go.

 

[pigman]

If thats where you want your saddle and you want your bars roughly level with the saddle using a horizontal quill stem, its very unlikely you'll find anything of quality to get that height.

Realistically your options are a bigger frame or go for the modern trend of high seat/low bars

 

[Nob]

That stem is awful….& would say the frame is too small for you…as has been stated above…..

 

[TOMAS]

If thats where you want your saddle and you want your bars roughly level with the saddle using a horizontal quill stem, its very unlikely you'll find anything of quality to get that height.

Realistically your options are a bigger frame or go for the modern trend of high seat/low bar.

Just measured the setup I have at the moment - bar height is 92.5cm, saddle height is 104cm (both from floor) - giving a 11.5cm drop between bars and saddle, which is far from roughly level i'd say. Yes I know the stem is fugly, none of it suits... im just playing about with what I have in the workshop to get me somewhere comfortable. I'm 5'10" and i've measured the top tube C-C on this @ 55cm.

 

[TOMAS]

It's been asked many times, but the ultimate best reply is always the same. A frame the right size for you is the way to go.

I would assume a larger frame would not only give me a longer headtube but would also give me a longer TT & a more reach - I deffo don't want any more reach, just higher bars. 100mm stem length max would suit on this setup, its got a 11.5cm headtube... really just need a suitable looking quill stem that has facility to be raised up a fair bit... I understand raising it more WILL reduce reach also, so maybe a 110mm stem.

As stated the donor complete bike was gifted to me by an ex Raleigh director who had it custom made for him and he's same height as me, the Di2 groupset was gifted to me by a regular customer of mine, thus far this build will only cost me a new set of hoods and bar tape. I have the original silver dyna seatpost also.

 

[Midlife]

Do Nitto make some some strange high up stems?

 

[TOMAS]

Do Nitto make some some strange high up stems?

Cheers, i'll certainly look into them! I might be crap at explaining this but I dont need 15degree rise... in the pic the stem is almost slammed... a quill stem with say 7degree rise would be fine but then slid up to its highest point or close to?

 

[Mike-p]

Nitto technomic?

 

[CC Rider]

Hi,
I had a similar problem with needing a shorter than standard top tube to get a comfortable reach and bought a frame that, in theory, was way too small for me. I looked at taller stems, such as Nitto (can't remember which one) and this one from Soma - there are others out there but I'm afraid I can't remember them right now.
My solution, as I already had a very nice stem and bars that I wanted to use, was to machine a spacer that pressed into the frame where the headset would, then pressed the headset into that. It may not be to everyone's liking but I'm happy with it - it works well and makes for a very individual build!
CAUTION! This spacer option only works if the forks have a long enough steerer tube to ensure proper engagement with the stem! In your case, you would probably need different forks.
Another option would be a quill stem extender such as this (more searching may find a UK supplier). There are plenty of quill stem extender/adaptors but you'd have to go to Ahead type forks.

As for the bars, like the top of my bar set up pretty flat but prefer the bottom of the drops to be angled so that they're comfortable on the wrists to drop to. If you're interested, these bars are Cinelli Eubios. Having made a bike that finally fits me I also realised that the Cinelli bars had quite a short reach compared to those on my winter hack so recently bought a set of 3TT Forma Anatomica bars that are virtually identical (the open end to the plugs is about an inch shorter).
Persevere - it's worth it!