How to Raise the Handlebar on a Diamondback Mountain Bike

Mountain biking is a rugged sport where a comfortable bike that properly fits you is a necessity. If you are unhappy with the height of the handlebars on your Diamondback mountain bike, you can adjust them to the necessary height to make the ride more comfortable. Before you adjust the handlebars, figure out if your particular bicycle model has a threaded system or a threadless system. A threadless handlebar system will have a series of "expanders" that control the height of the handlebars, while a threaded system will consist of a solid metal unit that fits into the bike frame.

Threaded System

Unscrew the screw on the top of the central handlebar pivot point partially, using a star screwdriver or Allen wrench. Don't remove the screw; you need to loosen it only to contract the expander within the stem to adjust the height of the handlebar.

Raise the handlebar to the height that you feel most comfortable with simply by pulling upward on the stem while the screw is loose. Line the handlebars up horizontally, using the front tire as a visual guide. Tighten the screw at the desired position to re-expand the expander and lock the handlebars in place.

Verify that the handlebars are at a comfortable height on your Diamondback mountain bike by riding it for a short amount of time. Re-adjust the handlebars following this procedure if you are not comfortable with the new height.

Threadless System

Unscrew the screw on the top of the central handlebar pivot point partially, using a star screwdriver or Allen wrench. Loosen the two pinch screws located on the side of the handlebar stem. Don't remove the screws; you need to loosen them only to remove the stem.

Remove any spacers above the handlebar by sliding them off the bike frame. Hang onto these--you will need them to raise the height of the handlebar.

Lift up on the handlebar until it slides off of the bike frame. Note that the brake cables are still attached to the handlebar, so do not drop it or you risk ruining the alignment of the brake cables.

Add the spacers that were previously above the handlebars to the spacers below the handlebars. Place the handlebar unit back on the bike frame.

Line the handlebars up horizontally, using the front tire as a visual guide. Tighten the pinch screws and the top screw to lock the handlebars in place.

Verify that the handlebars are at a comfortable height on your Diamondback mountain bike by riding it for a short amount of time. Re-adjust the handlebars by repeating this procedure and rearranging the spacers, if you are not comfortable with the new height.

Tips

Because threadless systems use spacers, they are much less adjustable than threaded systems. It may be necessary to purchase a new custom stem if you are still unhappy with the height of your current handlebars after the adjustment.