Riding position/braking reach and comfort with drop bars on a Raleigh clubman help

[ibbz]

Unfortunately until they develop a VR bar tester it is good old trial and error... First things to try are rotate the bars slightly backwards see if that helps, then move the brake levers further up the bars as mentioned by @Guinessisgoodforyou then start looking at getting a higher rise stem and different bars.

That is great advice to start off with !
I’ll do that
And if you’ve any pics of the type of stem and bar as fitted on a bike then I’d most appreciate it and have a clearer idea of what im looking for

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Stem is a Nitto copy here.

 

[Woz]

...... may get a firm foot placed up my backside for what I'm about to write.

IMHO: how the bike looks now, actually looks like it should. The stem length, handle bars, and brake lever position are close on perfect. Fiddling with old bars and these old brake levers, and it's already a very short stem, I think would be a waste of time.

I suspect the frame is the wrong size for you - or - the Raleigh Clubman didn't adjust top-tube length for frame size (it's a known cheap trick) and the head-tube appears quiet steep. Can't see this working out without a radical move away from drop-bars altogether, but it would be good to know what the top-tube length is and just by "how much" you consider the reach too much.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Stem is a Nitto copy here.

Thank you, @Guinessisgoodforyou you have answered a mystery for me, when I put the Nitto on my mates bike he let me have the old stem, I wasn't sure what it was until just now...

 

[KermitGKona88]

...... may get a firm foot placed up my backside for what I'm about to write.

IMHO: how the bike looks now, actually looks like it should. The stem length, handle bars, and brake lever position are close on perfect. Fiddling with old bars and these old brake levers, and it's already a very short stem, I think would be a waste of time.

I suspect the frame is the wrong size for you - or - the Raleigh Clubman didn't adjust top-tube length for frame size (it's a known cheap trick) and the head-tube appears quiet steep. Can't see this working out without a radical move away from drop-bars altogether, but it would be good to know what the top-tube length is and just by "how much" you consider the reach too much.

Advertised as 73 degree parallel frame, would that mean variable top tube lengths ?

 

[ibbz]

This is the spec. The frame size is the smallest they did. I’ve noticed the seat tube is angled backwards.
Maybe that is a factor ?
I may need to sell and replace with something which suits me
It’s sentimental as my dad bought me a Raleigh racer (Europa) from this catalogue. and I may need to see if another model suits me instead
But the picture above of the bars does seem to show that the reach is not as far forward as in the one I have

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

@KermitGKona88 I think so Raleigh did vary tt lengths.

 

[ibbz]

This looks like the west tube isn’t as angled back - or am I wrong ?
It’s a 1983/84 model again
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29551460...a99DENgT8C&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[ibbz]

@KermitGKona88 I think so Raleigh did vary tt lengths.

The catalogue here shows some models have variable lengths according to size
Whereas the Clubman was fixed at 73’
https://www.jordan-maynard.org/wp-c...aleigh-catalogue-1983-Racers-V-CC-Library.pdf

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

The seat tube angle is 73' what is the tt length c-c? Just checked the catalogue and it doesn't say. The above bike is a very different kettle of fish to the Clubman.