Help a doofus with bar/stem decision
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 3:45 pm
So I've just been informed by my very nice LBS... from a drunken night messing with the bike, I now have cracked my stem and it looks like I've left an 'indent' in the carbon bars where over tightened so it looks like the bars have been 'crushed' although there are no cracks visible.
100mm Stem (circa.135g)
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/giant ... -1-8-fork-
40cmx75mmx130mm width/reach/drop bars (circa 200g)
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/2015- ... -handlebar.
I do own a 110mm Giant Carbon stem in the parts pile, but although I could probably deal with an extra 5mm on the reach, 10mm is too far.
So to the bar experts, what do I do now...?
Replacing like for like would cost me about £340. This is more than I can really afford, however I'm in hot water whether it's £150, £250 or £350 - either way I'm gonna get burnt.
I could try and get an 'ultra short reach' set of bars and utilise the 110mm stem, but the reach is listed at 75mm already.. a 65mm reach seems a bit rubbish, I'm also not sure I trust manufacturer reach measurements anyway..
I could look at the Giant all in one stem/bar, at around the same amount of cash, on paper this should be a good option, but I'm not a massive fan of the giant aero tops they seem a bit 'thick' e.g. just a bit more ovalised than aero...
I could look at getting other brand bars, BUT I've still got to deal with the oversize giant 31.8mm steerer so I'm limited with replacement carbon stems..
I do like the integrated bar stem idea, but again I'm unaware of another which 1) I like and 2) would fit the 31.8mm steerer apart from the unavailable canyon one which I do like the look of.
Budget is a large factor in this, but not as much as the fact that I don't want to 'downgrade' any parts.
I'm looking for your best advice on bars/stems for the sake of my marriage and my sanity.
100mm Stem (circa.135g)
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/giant ... -1-8-fork-
40cmx75mmx130mm width/reach/drop bars (circa 200g)
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/2015- ... -handlebar.
I do own a 110mm Giant Carbon stem in the parts pile, but although I could probably deal with an extra 5mm on the reach, 10mm is too far.
So to the bar experts, what do I do now...?
Replacing like for like would cost me about £340. This is more than I can really afford, however I'm in hot water whether it's £150, £250 or £350 - either way I'm gonna get burnt.
I could try and get an 'ultra short reach' set of bars and utilise the 110mm stem, but the reach is listed at 75mm already.. a 65mm reach seems a bit rubbish, I'm also not sure I trust manufacturer reach measurements anyway..
I could look at the Giant all in one stem/bar, at around the same amount of cash, on paper this should be a good option, but I'm not a massive fan of the giant aero tops they seem a bit 'thick' e.g. just a bit more ovalised than aero...
I could look at getting other brand bars, BUT I've still got to deal with the oversize giant 31.8mm steerer so I'm limited with replacement carbon stems..
I do like the integrated bar stem idea, but again I'm unaware of another which 1) I like and 2) would fit the 31.8mm steerer apart from the unavailable canyon one which I do like the look of.
Budget is a large factor in this, but not as much as the fact that I don't want to 'downgrade' any parts.
I'm looking for your best advice on bars/stems for the sake of my marriage and my sanity.