Whats the difference between having a set of lo-rise bars and a couple of spacers under the stem and having riser bars?

one* will have the fashion police berating you the other is just as functional.

*which one depends on the current trend obviously

sweep (horizontal and vertical) and the comfort associated with them are the main differences.

if your hands end up in the same position realtive to the rest of you then none.

Looks.

just checking.

mates brand new bike had a load of brand new spacers, then lowered the bars and insisted on chopping the steerer of the brand new forks, now wants to fit a set of brand new risers.

the bike has not yet been ridden

edited: added a lot of “brand new”

mates new bike had a load of spacers, then lowered the bars and insisted on chopping the steerer

Approval..

now wants to fit risers.

the bike has not yet been ridden

..turned into a lol 😀

ive a strange feeling he will also want the shifter windows put back on…

In terms of engineering and strength : weight etc, a higher rise stem plus flat bars must be stronger than a lower-rise stem with riser bars. But it’s just fashion innit?

SLAM THAT STEM etc

Also everyone has missed the correct action; he should have kept the flat bars and increased the travel at the front end by 10mm.

A 10mm rise bar and a 10mm spacer can have 10mm rise, or 20mm rise, depending on where you put the spacer. Or 15mm rise, using two 5mm spacers.

A 20mm rise bar can only have 20mm rise.

If all things were made equal then high stem & flat bars should be stronger but short stems & high bars are often over built with an eye on more aggressive use so tend to be stronger

A 20mm rise bar can only have 20mm rise

You’d think so…

If all things were made equal then high stem & flat bars should be stronger but short stems & high bars are often over built with an eye on more aggressive use so tend to be stronger

How about a compromise?

How about a compromise?

MY EYES!!!!! 😯

sweep (horizontal and vertical) and the comfort associated with them are the main differences.

rally?
There’s flat bars now with all sorts of sweep options, presumably you can rotate them to get the same vertical sweep too. Is that right?

Comfort, which ones are comfier and why? I’d have thought comfort depended entirely on build, overbuilt DH bars will be harsh riser or no, spindly xc may have a bit of give in them again irrespective of rise.

Is that right?

yep, I’ve got a rather nice Ritchey flat bar with a lot of twists going on to make the hand position the same as a riser.