Reach

Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary · letter R
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1. The extension of a handlebar stem. This is usually measured along the forward extension of the stem, at whatever angle this turns out to be.
2. The distance forward from the horizontal part of a drop handlebar to the drops. This is measured along the plane of the end section of the bar. The easiest way to measure this is to set the bars on a table or other flat surface, facing down. Use a book or other square reference to get the ends of the bar pointing straight up. Measure from the bottom of the middle section of the bar to the tabletop. Strictly speaking, reach is a center-to-center measurement, but with most bars the thickness is the same at the bend as it is near the middle (but not at the central bulge) so the thickness of the bar cancels out.
3. The effective length of the arms of a caliper brake. This is measured from the centerline of the center bolt diagonally down to the middle of the brake shoe. Reach is commonly expressed as a range (allowing for the fact that the brake shoes are adjustable, typically over a 10-15 mm range.) For more information, see the article about caliper brakes.

Copyright © 1996, 2008 Sheldon Brown

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