E-bikes are great - they offer you a quick ride, are the best choice for the urban commuter, and are the most ecological option to get you anywhere.
The only downside is that e-bikes are relatively new - so many people might not know their way around e-bikes as they do around the “traditional” bikes or cars.
Here’s an example:
You’ve noticed that the handlebars on your e-bike are sitting kind of low for your liking. And now you’re stuck wondering how to raise ebike handlebars?
Luckily, we know how to do it, and we’re going to show you - all you need to do is keep scrolling!
Why Should You Raise Your Handlebars?
The height of a bike’s handlebars is commonly called the “saddle drop” because it defines how far the saddle sits over or under the bars.
So, why should you raise your handlebars in the first place?
The simple answer is better balance and a better center of gravity:
When your handlebars are sitting low, it will reduce your gravity center significantly. So, if more of your weight is positioned on the front wheel, your traction will increase - and you’ll feel more stable.
Lower handlebars are better suited for climbing because they provide a better balance between the wheels. That’s why lower handlebars are an excellent option for off-road rides, even more so with fat-tire e-bikes.
So, if you just want to ride your bike around town and on pavement, there is genuinely no need to consider placing your handlebars too low. If the bars are low, they could make your bike very hard to control - and it can even be your enemy when you’re going down a steep road.
Here’s a piece of advice:
Place your handlebars in line with your saddle or slightly above it for optimal comfort and control.
If you aren’t sure where to place it, experiment a bit. Trying out different bar heights costs next to nothing, so feel free to do that!
What Is The Perfect Height For Handlebars?
Of course, every e-bike rider is different, and there isn’t some “right,” one-size-fits-all height that will work for everyone. The goal’s to make you more comfortable on your electric bike, so listen to your body carefully to figure out what is wrong with your current height.
Here’s something to pay attention to:
Your back mustn’t be hunched; it should remain in its natural position. As for your arms, you shouldn’t extend them out entirely - they need to bend just a bit in the elbows.
Being perfectly comfortable riding your e-bike is directly related to the height of your handlebars. And if you’re a mountain biker, you know that your handlebars have to be adjusted to ensure the best performance.
Here's the good news:
You don't require many tools to adjust the handlebars to your liking. All you need are spacers and the correct Allen key!
Now, there are a few ways to adjust the handlebar height. And in this section, we’ll discuss two best ways to change it - along with all the steps you need to take.
So, let’s begin!
Using The Spacers
Generally speaking, most e-bikes you can find have small spacers - and there’s usually around one inch of room to raise or lower them. There is a specific reason why:
So that they don’t add on too much weight.
Electric bikes are heavy enough as it is, so they don’t need lots of spacers to make them even heavier. That said, there are different sizes of spacers - allowing you to adjust the height of the handlebars a bit.
Moving the handlebars an inch doesn’t seem like it will make a difference - but it could improve your posture on your e-bike significantly. They can make you feel more comfortable - especially on longer rides.
When you decide to adjust the height, figure out what spacers you wish to move from above the stem - if you want to raise the handlebars, that is.
If you’re going to lower them, on the other hand, move the spacers below.
First up, you should use the Allen key to unscrew the pinch bolts; you’ll find them on the stem’s backside. You don’t need to unscrew them completely; loosening them a bit should be enough to remove the cap on the top.
Once loose, remove the cap, and take off the spacers you wish to remove between the top cap and the stem. Afterward, go back to the pinch bolts and loosen each of them a bit more until you can take the stem off from the tube.
When you do, add some spacers to raise the handlebars to your liking - you can even add some extra if the ones on the e-bike aren’t enough for you.
Then, put the stem back onto the tube, and if there are some spacers left, put them back on top of the stem.
Remember that the spacer or the stem sitting on top should go slightly over the tube; it ensures the cap will stay put on the tube.
When you’re sure everything’s sitting tight, put the top cap back on and make sure it’s tight.
Now, it’s time to make sure the stem is lined up with the front tire. If it is, screw in the pinch bolts to make sure everything is as tight as it should be and do a quick headset check-up:
Grab the front brake, and lean onto the handlebars to see if the tube is moving with your other hand. If the tube moves, grab the key, loosen the bolts, screw the cap a bit more - and tighten the bolts again.
And you’re done!
Using The Stem
Using the stem to adjust the handlebars consists of stem flipping - meaning, you’re supposed to flip it upside down.
In most e-bike models, the stem is located upward. But if that doesn’t work for you, you can flip it to give yourself a different angle.
Cool, huh?
Now, you can do this as an addition to using the spacers, or you can only flip the stem - you can try these combinations to see what provides the best angle for your back.
The first step is figuring out the angle of the handlebars as is; you can use some masking tape to stick a piece to the handlebars and another one on the faceplate.
That way, once you’re putting the pieces back together, you can use these two pieces of tape to line everything up and put it back at the same angle as it was initially.
Now, it’s time to use the Allen key to unscrew the bolts on the faceplate; you’ll find that there are four of them.
Keep in mind that you should unscrew them doing the X shape to ensure that they’re loosened the same.
When you loosen them enough, take off the faceplate, and put some weight into supporting the handlebars. If you can’t do it yourself, it’s better to ask for help; you should never pull the cables on the e-bike along with the handlebar.
With the handlebars removed, it’s time to take off the stem. You can do this part by following the steps outlined in the section above. When you do remove the stem, point it downwards, and put it back onto the tube.
Now, take your handlebars and place them carefully into the stem. Don’t screw the bolts on the faceplate tightly yet; tighten it just a bit. You want to align the tape to ensure that the handlebars are positioned the same way as they were initially.
If they are, use the same method of tightening the bolts in an X shape to ensure that each bolt on the faceplate is screwed in evenly. Better yet, check from time to time to see if the gaps are even - especially the one between the stem and the handlebars.
If the gap’s uneven, you could end up placing too much pressure on one side as you ride your e-bike - and that could cause the bolt to break.
If everything looks good, it’s time to inspect the headset.
Like in the first method, hold the front brake and put pressure on the handlebars with your other hand. If you notice any movement down the tube, loosen the bolts and start over until everything looks perfect!
How To Raise Ebike Handlebars? - Bottom Line
To conclude, raising e-bike handlebars is pretty simple - and there are two ways you can do it. What’s even better, you can combine the two methods to fine-tune everything according to your liking!
All you need are a few tools - you probably have them lying around your home - and a few minutes to spare.
And, of course, if you can’t seem to do it yourself, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. We’ve all been there once before!