davechopoptions

@GTscoob:Those parts are (or in the case of the 685 STIs, were) available aftermarket - very different from the approach SRAM have taken with these OEM only parts.

So much better than the usual shite he churns out.

Better name than the previous Arse Heaven.

I guess 170 can look like 178 when scribbled?

@justinfoil: I think you’re misunderstanding what I mean by effective reach and effective stem length, which is why you see contradictions that I don’t. We should agree to disagree! ❤️

@justinfoil: Your statement about running your bars vertically meaning that your reach is unaffected is what I was referring to. But you know that. I’ve explained it clearly up there, so little point in explaining it again as you choose to ignore it. Your statement about fitting different heights of bars of the same sweep vertically not affecting reach is wrong for the same reasons as your other statements, no matter how sassy your replies are. You can see from the pic in the article - the bars are rolled forward as you (and I) do, imagine a taller bar fitted the same way - the grip portion in the pic is further from the steerer than the bar clamp area - a taller bar exaggerates that further. The taller the bar in that orientation, the longer the effective stem length. Your statement about the horizontal distance to the grips being unchanged is correct, but that’s because the effective reach is reduced, and the effective stem increased by the same figure. Taller bars by any means reduces effective reach, unless reach adjust or head angle steepening headsets are introduced to the mix. Of course the actual reach figure is unaffected by riser bars or spacers as it’s a fixed distance, but that’s irrelevant as soon as you alter stack, and so the effective reach - the dimension you feel on the bike becomes relevant.

@justinfoil: Sorry, but that’s not correct.

@justinfoil: The reach figure is fixed on a bike unless you raise or drop one axle relative to the other as it’s a horizontal measurement along a horizontal plane from the centre of the top of the headtube to the centre of the BB. Nothing to do with hand position - true. However, reach that you feel on the bike - the effective reach, will shrink if you raise the bars on any bike with a HTA of less than 90 deg. Doesn’t matter if this is via spacers or taller bars - you are moving the hand position up along the steering axis - the steerer tube/HTA. If you roll bars forward to offset the effective reach reduction, then you are doing so by extending the effective stem length. The whole basis for this article is flawed and perpetuates a myth.

@justinfoil: You're changing your effective stem length that way. Reach is still shortened, but you've compensated with a longer effective stem length. Fine if you like the resulting handling, but you're not maintaining reach.

If you run the rise of your bars in line with HTA, then there is no difference between the effects of additional spacers or taller bar. If you roll your bars forward somewhere between HTA and vertical, then a taller bar will give a more room horizontally than if you added spacers, but by increasing the effective stem length rather than maintaining reach.