To make more room on my Surly Long Haul Trucker’s cockpit, I added a sec0nd stem that holds my Arkel Small Handlebar bag, bell, AirZound horn and my video camera mount.
I described it when I first got installed it and posted links to some other folks who had done it.
Reader wants to know more about second stem
David Driscoll left me a comment:
HEY THERE! I contacted once before some time ago about your Surly LHT. Thanks to your help, I purchased one… and so far am loving it. It seems a little big at times.. I am only 5′5… but it is the right size as the others were too small…
I have back and front racks with Arkel Bags. And a front Arkel bag and trunk. Got the Green bike an black bags. I had top brake levers put in.
NOW I can’t put my front bag on or my computer, light, etc…
I see your two extra bars so to speak. I tried to print out the pics to take to my bike shop but they way the pop up I can’t do so. Could you e mail me the pics and info on what kind these are and how you did them. They are perfect.
I am getting ready to do a bike tour through Glacier National Park in 2 weeks… so my time is running out. :-) Going for 4 days. I just did a weekend bike ride from San Simeon, CA to Big Sur, CA on the coast. It was beautiful.
Thanks a million for any help you can offer me on these bars. AND for all your info on the site. BIG HELP.
David Driscoll
Second stem made up spare parts
There’s nothing special or exotic about my set up. I had enough room on my stem and primary handlebar stem to take out a couple of spacers and slide in a stem off my kid’s Bianchi. Wayne at my LBS had a mountain bike handlebar in his junk drawer and he cut it off short enough to go between my drops.
I was afraid I’d have to drill a hole in the second stem for the brake cable, but Wayne was able to add an accessory that changed the angle enough to clear the stem. (Since the second stem really isn’t carrying much weight, it wouldn’t have hurt it to drill the hole.)
Great for holding Arkel handlebar bag
Even if I didn’t carry the kitchen sink, the second bar is a great place to mount my handlebar bag.
It lowers the center of gravity slightly and allows a bar-mounted be-seen light to shoot over the top of it.
Dave, if this doesn’t help, let me know and I’ll give it another shot.
There’s more going on in the front of your bike than is my normal preference — but that second stem is a very clever solution!
My bikeshop guy added a second stem so I wouldn’t have to bend over so far. What a great solution for my comfort. Now I find out it has other uses. My mind reels!
Interesting! This is my favorite post about Surly Long Haul Trucker Second Stem.
Ken, I have written to you before, but now, read again about your 2nd Stem on the LHT forum. Like you, I have the small Arkel handlebar bag, which I had to remove when I switched from the original drop bars. But, I have an extra stem, and straight handle bars that I removed from a MTB which might, or might not, be the correct diameter to fit the second stem. Then, like you, I can use my Arkel again.
P.S still looking for a “Wayne” in Cleveland.
Gary,
I’m very happy with my Arkel bag. I use it to carry my Nikon D40, rain cape and Canon FS100 video camera.
I can’t think of a single reason NOT to mount the second stem if you have enough room to do it. I think I’d do it even if I didn’t have a busy cockpit. It gives you so many more options.
just had my Lht built up, include the second bar, an idea i got from here, the set up works great, for my ortlieb handle bar bag, lights, camera mounts, shifters etc, it was the only solution to all the clutter, thanks for a great post
Glad it worked out for you. I’d like to take credit for the original idea, but I swiped it from some other folks. I really like having it there.