Stem change

There are several adjustable stems on the market. You can use one if you like. But be aware that you must size the clamp for the bar and for the steerer correctly. The "size 26" you mention is probably the bar clamp size. Stem size (or length) is measured in mm from the cente of the steerer clamp to the centre of the bar clamp along the centreline of the stem.

Also be aware that road bikes are designed for agressive riding positions. Having a bar below the seat is entirely normal.

thank you tafi. yeh the clamp size is 26. the headset for the stem clamp is 1 1/8" I believe. I'm setting my bike up for a fundraising ride in september (waves to wine) and I'll be doing 100 miles on the saturday and 75 miles on the sunday. I believe the more aggressive riding positions are typically for shorter races but, I could be mistaken? Either way, I'm not racing, just riding and a long way (well for me 🙂 ). So I figured it's better to have more comfort over the long run than capability to go fast. 🙂

I guess what I'm getting at is that "comfort" is an entirely subjective concept, dependent not only on the person but also on the activity. Sitting on a cruiser bike might be considered comfortable but actually riding the damn thing any faster than 10km/h is definitely not, and trying to ride it up hills is completely impossible. On the Saturday just past the pros did the Clasica San Sebastian. I can assure you that they all used this agressive road riding position for the whole 234km (145.4 mile) course, becasue it is the most efficient and comfortable for the intended task.

However this leaves you in a bit of a quandry. You see, if you want an upright position with the seat and bars at nearly the same height, I would have recommended you a hybrid or flat bar or touring style bike, since those bikes already have a higher front end to satisfy your position requirement without a great deal of tinkering. Being stuck with the bike you have, there is really little you can do except play with the stem.

Unfortunately neither I, nor anyone else on this forum, can see what you look like or how you sit on the bike, so we arent't going to be much help to you in fitting your bike. It may well be that the stem you have is simply too long (making you feel stretched) and that you might be better off simply changing to a shorter one (they're usually available in 10mm increments) without having to raise the bars. Stems can also be flipped over giving an inch or two change in bar height, also without having to buy an adjustable stem. It may also be that you are sitting too high or too far back.
You may also just need to get used to the bike. Training is the best thing you can do and the sooner you start that, the more enjoyable will be the charity ride.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but there is a lot here that you will need to figure out for yourself. You might have better luck talking face to face at a shop or with more experienced riders. This, combined with your own experimentation is probably the best way forward.

thanks tafi and i totally understand. im actually planning a professional fitting each for my wife and myself as that seems to be the number one thing everyone recommends to us. i was mostly just curious if anyone had horror stories of adjustable stems just giving way to pressure during a ride or anything 🙂

Simply becasue of the articulated joint, these stems will not be a strong as a fixed one and they will not be as rigid either. A fixed stem has no joint and so has one less thing which can go wrong. So if it is possible to use a fixed one, I would always recommend that instead.

That said, I've never seen a failure of a quality adjustable stem that has been set up and tightened correctly. I have seen some cheap ones fail which were obviously not tightened properly. If things are done properly then it shouldn't be a problem.

dhatcher, if you do decide to go with an adjustable stem to dial in the position you want, I can recommend a Ritchey. I have one that I have used on three different bikes to experiment with different angles before buying a fixed stem. The Ritchey adjustable is certainly not for weight weenies. Frankly, it weighs a ton, but it's strong. I'm a Clyde and had no qualms about getting out of the saddle and putting significant weight on the bars.

Have you had your fitting? I'm curious to know how it went.

Just recently got back into road biking and purchased a Trek 2.1. I, too, like the more upright position for riding and changed the stock stem to a fixed 30 degree 70mm Ritchey. Raised my hand position and I ride very comfortably. It's been a while since I've been in the bike market, but it appears that Ritchey parts are built and designed very well. Good luck!

I replaced the stem and handlebars on my mountain bike for comfort, as I don't use it for "technical" riding. The drop bars I put on are more natural for me, and the stem raises them up and back, making my ride far more comfortable. Sometimes you just have to defy convention to make the bike do what you want, and proper fit is everything. I've already changed the positioning on my recumbent handlebars for the same reason, rotating them downward instead of the stock rearward angle, and I'm about to make similar changes on my touring bike to raise the stem even more, as I ride high on my 25" frame to extend my legs when peddling, and the bars are several inches below the saddle. I'm not in the drops that often, maybe 5% of the time.