Mercian - ugly cockpit help please

I bought a Mercian fixed a few years ago to mark a milestone, and I got myself all the bits and built it at LMNH with help from them. It was fun, although the bits I bought were a bit mixed up to be honest. First time build problem.

Anyway, it’s a customer frame and a have short arms relative to legs, so the head tube might make your eyes bleed. When I built it the mechanic at LMNH said I shouldn’t cut the steerer until I’d worked out how the fit worked. So she left it as is, with spacers. Also I have an upward pointing stem. It’s ugly. She also said that she thought I’d end up with risers. I’m open to that. I’m not keen on the shape or heft of the current bars (Nitto I think).

Having said all that, it’s comfy. I can lose some spacers though. What should I do, and if I go risers, what should I get? Thanks.

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Beautiful frame but personally I’d lose the stem

If you can comfortably go lower, I'd flip the stem and leave the spacers.

Otherwise, ride your bike in comfort and don't worry about what it looks like :)

If you want it to look pretty but to maintain the same riding position, get a new stem that will run horizontal to your top tube (presumably around -17deg), plus some riser bars that will lift your hand position to the same place they are at the moment. You can keep your brake lever too. To be honest I've never ridden risers to can't suggest a brand/model though..

Thanks - good advice all - I will start by flipping the stem and see if it’s still comfortable enough, and go from there...should be within my mechanical skills.

Try tilting the bars back, you'll never use the lower part, so why worry to get it hrizontal ? A 1970's shape would have a horizontal top part before going into the drops - I think that's where the issue is. It would also give more places to put your hands.

How's the reach? If you primarily ride on the top section of the bars you may want to consider going longer and not lower as it looks like you might end up pretty cramped. Internet bike fit and all but being a T-rex also I've found it easier to support my weight on flat bars so have always gone longer in stem when switching from drops. I'd stick with current setup but get some wider flat or riser bars with ESI chunky grips and go from there.

I would start by getting rid of the track bars first, get some road bars with more flat tops

if you like having your hands on the drops, maybe a set of these: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBNIB302/nitto-b302aa-commuter-handlebar
or these: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBNIRM016/nitto-rm-016-moustache-handlebar
would do the trick

Mount them upside down, with your stem flipped, and the horizontal section will be more or less in the same spot

+1 on flipping the stem, also if you want to keep the drops, get something as compact as possible or Velo Orange do a drop bar with a slight rise, looks nice and affordable ...https://freshtripe.co.uk/velo-orange-grand-cru-randonneur-handlebar/

Are the bars shimmed in the stem? A 31.8mm clamp with 26mm or 25.4mm bars?

It's quite a steeply angled stem, flipping it will be a huge difference won't it?
If it were me I'd get a stem with built in spacers (as shown below) to keep a similar bar position but clean up the aesthetics a bit, combined with shallower drops and some brake hoods for more comfortable hand positions.

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when you ride the bike, where do your hands live most of the time?

i personally don't like the drops-with-one-tiny-brake-lever look and it seems like a strange setup in terms of usability - especially around town. you have to change position quite substantially if you're flying along in the drops and have to brake suddenly.

i'd work out where you like your hands to be and install risers which put your hands roughly in that spot.

That stem looks nice. What is it?

Velo Orange

Less expensive options are available

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems/100-genetic-aq-1-18-inch-ahead-stem-15-deg-318mm-clamp-silver/

Have flipped stem. Looks better already. Will do my statutory exercise this afternoon on it and fiddle with bar angle before deciding what to do next. Thanks everyone.

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Looks way better, perfectly parallel to the tt

Thanks - saddle looking a little jaunty though now!

I agree;)

That's a really nice bike - looks great.

rule of thumb: point your drops towards (where) the rear brake (would be)

Lower section should be comfortable to grip with straight wrists. Any other position is just aesthetic.

(Not disc brake)

^ an important caveat