just fitted new bars and stem to my bfe and the shifter hits the top tube. Obviously not a problem during normal riding but worried in case the frame gets damaged when I crash and the shifter smacks the top tube. Haven’t got any more adjustment with spacers so options are to change to a higher rise stem or bars, or just gently nip the shifter up so it will rotate when I crash. Your opinions please?

The latter – and apply a layer or two of frame/helicopter tape. Do you want to compromise your riding position permanently?

slammed stem and incredibly wide flat bars?

fashion doesnt always function well.

if thats where you want your grips, just nip the clamp and protect the frame as best you can.

if the shifter did not hit the top-tube on your previous set-up then i guess you have dropped the bar height, was this intentional?, if you were happy with the bar height before then i’d be tempted to explore a slightly higher bar rather than rely on a nipped up shifter to rotate if it does hit the top tube.

A bfe rides better with a more upright position anyway 😉

Heli tape sorts that issue out. It’s more common than you think, I’m surprised there aren’t more bikes around with dents in the top tube.

New bars and stem are a bit lower than the old set up, must admit I didn’t even think about top tube clearance. Might try a higher rise stem but the new set up feels so much better and with 150mm forks the bars are high enough. Really only worried about damaging the frame so will fit some helicopter tape.

my race bike , shifters and brake levers hit – ive left them lightly nipped but they have hit the chopper tape you can see but the no carbon damage…

I read the title as “shitter hitting the top tube”! Probably just as bad in a crash 😀

It’s a bfe frame so should be pretty tough, the plastic shifter would probably come off worse anyway

Try moving the shifters towards the grips slightly, if you have clearance/you can live with the revised position. I’ve just been through a similar palaver and that and a combination of tweaking the lever angle just slightly sorted it out.

trail_rat – Member
my race bike , shifters and brake levers hit – ive left them lightly nipped but they have hit the chopper tape you can see but the no carbon damage…

Certian flaming barbed carbon heart interface death is almost now certain 😈

or just gently nip the shifter up so it will rotate when I crash

Shifters and brake levers should only just be nipped up anyway, for exactly that reason.

steve , only if it breaks out my locks and explodes into a million bits and flys to my AC unit in the balkan region of turkmenistan.

Do they still hit if you rotate them to be more level?

All the frames I’ve had that would do that, were only doing it because they also allowed very low bars… I tend to set everything up as low as possible to start, then work up to comfort, and by the time I’ve got the bars where I want them the problem’s gone anyway.