How Do I Raise the Handlebars on My Huffy Mountain Bike?

How high your mountain bike handlebars sit will greatly affect how comfortable your ride is. Handlebars that are too low may provoke lower back, neck, hand and arm pain. If your handlebars are too high, you may get a sore behind from all the jouncing around. If you're perfectly comfortable riding on your mountain bike and can comfortably reach all the grip positions on your handlebars without locking your elbows, scooting back and forth on the seat or straining your back or neck, you don't need to adjust your handlebars.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Set of hex keys

Step 1

Use a hex key to loosen the bolt on the very top of your handlebar stem. What size hex key you need will vary from bike to bike; it's best to have a set of several hex keys on hand so that you can try as many as necessary to find the right fit. If the bolt just won't come loose, tap it carefully with a rubber mallet.

Step 2

Lift straight up on the handlebars once the bolt is loose; they should come up fairly easily. You can lift them as high as necessary to get a comfortable ride until you see the "safety mark" on the stem; this indicates that you've raised the handlebars too high and should carefully press them back down into the stem until you can't see the mark any longer. If there's no safety mark on your stem, make sure that there are at least two inches of stem inside the bike frame at all times; that's the minimum margin necessary for a safe ride.

Step 3

Tighten the bolt in the stem again to hold it in place. Once you've got it tight, stand in front of the bike and pinch the front tire between your knees, then try to turn the handlebars from side to side. If you can twist the handlebars without applying Superman-like force, the bolt is too loose.

Tips & Warnings

If you can't get your handlebars high enough with the stem you currently have, you may need to purchase a taller stem or an extender from a bike shop. An extender fits inside the frame of your bike, adding a few inches of height. You simply insert your handlebar stem into the top of the extender and tighten it in place.

You may need to adjust the handlebar height several times before you find the level that works best for you. Make sure to tighten the bolt in the handlebar stem fully each time you test the handlebar height, even if it makes for extra work loosening the bolt on your next adjustment; trying to ride with a loose handlebar stem could result in injury.

Article Written By Marie Mulrooney

Marie Mulrooney has written professionally since 2001. Her diverse background includes numerous outdoor pursuits, personal training and linguistics. She studied mathematics and contributes regularly to various online publications. Mulrooney's print publication credits include national magazines, poetry awards and long-lived columns about local outdoor adventures.

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