What's The Best Stem Length For You? | GCN Does Science
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2017
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When road cyclists think about stem length, we tend to only take into account the effect it has on our position on the bike. But mountain bikers change stem length depending on the handling characteristics they want for their bike. So do different stem lengths change the handling of road bike? Dan and Si do some GCN science to find out.
Testing three different stem lengths, 80mm, 110mm, 140mm, Dan and Si perform two different skill challenges, a 'suburban challenge' and a descending challenge. Will there be any difference in times between the stem lengths?
Let us know what you think of the trend towards longer stems and smaller frames in the comments down below 👇
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Have you noticed the difference in handling with a different stem? Let us know 👇
Yes I have
Yes, i Have, Changed the Steams the last 3 Years, every year an all of my Bikes. First just because of an comfort aspect, than because of the Handling affect aswell Started with 90 mm an the Roadbike and Mountainbike, went to a 100, and now i´m at 110. The funny thing, it got more and more Comfortable, the Longer i went, and i got faster. also tried a 120mm stem an one of my MTB´s , but changed back to the 110 since it Handled better
And, if you think about Stem lengts, you shoult have a look at the Shape and measures of the Handlebar aswell, specially on a road bike
I am using a 110mm stem on my Stevens Ventoux Disc. I checked it with a 130mm stem and it was way too long for me. Especially on the hoods, because of the very big Shimano hydraulic disk brake ST-RS 685 brake levers.
But on my older Carver Evolution aluminium road bike before 130mm is absolutly perfect. 110mm is way too short on this bike... My conclusion is that it depends on the different geometry of each bike frame...
+Global Cycling Network. Geez chaps, didnt you watch yer watts on these runs? (half kidding) No really, yer speed appeared to be a factor too as you both went faster on 140mm vs. 110mm, yet blazed on 80mm. WTF? Redux in the works??? #speedkillsitMates #speedmatters :-0
"6 inches Dan, that is huge" - does a lot for my ego, thanks guys
6:35 just a totally different animal down there
6:40 too
"Depends on where you measure from." 🎉
As a shorter rider, changing my stem from 110 to 80mm provided big improvement to both comfort and stability, I spent years on the 110 and changed after a back injury - I was talked out of changing years ago by a guy in a bike shop for various technical reasons mainly around stability and i now know he was mis-informed because everything about my ride is better with the 80mm stem. The bike is a little more twitchy but that actually suits my physiology better, fighting the bars is more natural to me than reaching out for them.
How tall are you? I'm 5 feet and 6.5 inches I just ordered a 110mm stem after riding with a 90mm stem. I hope it isn't too long of a reach. (I do plan to drop in stack height though)
I've gone from an 80mm stem the bike was spec'ed with a specialized roubaix 2017 to a 70mm stem. my times have been getting better, I feel less stretched out and uncomfortable and my confidence has increased because it just feels right.
Realize You've already installed a lever onto the steering post.
You're using leverage to add more power to turning the steering post.
The Stem is a lever.
It's got NOTHING to do with muscle tiredness.
You're adding more power to turn the steering post.
So, You've ADDED 7 more power units to assist you to turn the steering post in cornering.
You've ALSO chosen a lever angle of ZERO degrees, which causes your steering performance to be extremely aggressive.
YOU must turn a lot to get the bike to turn.
Once you start the bike turning, it turns a lot in a short amount of time.
Very aggressive steering performance.
You're bike DOES NOT feel safe and comfortable.
We own road bikes with adjustable Headstem angle.
You're running the MOST powerful leverage setting on your bike.
Your bike moves from side to side VERY aggressively.
@@dreyn7780 its for comfort…….
@@LittleBU96 boom roasted
How tall are you
My bike fit was with a person with 14 years experience and who used the knee over pedal method if possible for both knees, but that isn't always possible since many people have one leg longer than the other. Setting saddle height had to the movement on the hips and making sure each knee produced the same minimal side to side movement. He ended up switching saddles using a woman's saddle which stabilized my hips and stopped excessive movement. The stem length and rise was all dependent on not just comfort, but achieving proper elbow bend with the hands on the hoods where the majority of the riding takes place. He also used a goniometer. I would have to say I came away from the bike fit with a much more powerful pedal stroke and felt more efficient. His advise on the bike didn't have anything to do with stem length or rise, but on striving to be and stay relaxed by dropping the shoulders. That was the best advice yet.
My bike is one size too big for me so I went from 120 to 70mm. It's more nimble, more playful now, which makes city riding a joy, but less comfortable and less stable at high speeds which makes longer rides less enjoyable.
Anyway, my point is: get the frame size right so you won't have to compromise with the stem length.
I've learned more about bicycles and cycling during this Summer than ever before from Dan, Simon and the whole GCN Crew. Much appreciated. And now that I've been gathering the components to do a flatbar to dropbar conversion on my Specialized fitness bike, I was relieved to hear Dan advise that "If you are a shorter rider you'll need to go for a longer frame with a shorter stem" since I intend to swap out the 100 mm stem for shorter 80 mm to compensate for the slighly longer top tube. I'll let you know of observations in the reach and steering handling in due course.
I’m ridin a fixie straight 52 and I’m a short rider 5,6. From 110mm my back, leg, wrist sore in a 100km ride. But now using 70mm and it feels great though the handling is twitchy.
I am glad it's not just me then I put a short stem on my gravel bike for quicker handling through descents but it took me two months to get used to the twichy feel and I actually had to practice cycling in a straight line I then found with a slightly lower grip I was able to learn to keep the bike steady.
I use a 3 cm stem in my Emonda, because I was supposed to get 50 frame and got a 52 instead. It does feel harder to control on descent but climbing is so smooth and powerful. Coming from a 48 frame with a 120 cm adjustable stem
Idea for a “GCN Does Science” vid- MTB clips/SPD’s versus Road/SPD,SL’s- are the road ones really much more efficient?
beigemaster86 I use mtb pedals for my road bike because I commute so makes easier to walk in
well, they are significantly lighter if nothing else - so it's a resounding yes.
@Joe no that much weight doesnt mean anything mate! xD Ive been using xc shoes and pedals for 20 years and NEVER been dropped because of them.
Durianrider Cycling Tips cuse it’s only 200g different with shoes and mtb pedals... not everybody is able to afford 20 bikes under 7kg like u do
@@joestevenson5568 Shimano has some one-sided SPD pedals (ES600) that are only 50 grams heavier than their Dura Ace SPD-SL pedals. I'll take the convenience of being able to walk in cycling shoes, plus having the same system for my commuting and road cycling bikes.
This is actually really interesting and useful!
When I bought my bike 2 years ago, I was convinced to buy a medium, whereas now, I know more about bikes and fit, I was considering getting a smaller stem.
I hadn't considered the twitchiness of the 80mm, so I may now rethink this.
I was thinking about increasing my stem length just a tad from 100 mm to 110 mm for a slightly more aero position. The first thing I did was to check out the GCN archived presentations on this topic! Thanks for the insights and the resource! Since my bike is several years old it looks like I can pick up a the Bontranger RXL in the 110 mm length for less than $40. Not too expensive to experiment with!
I am 183 cm tall and my 58 cm Cervelo S5 was quite twitchy. I swapped out the 3T stem for a 120 mm Ritchey. The bike really responded well, much more stable and easier to ride in a group. I now have a 2017 Trek Domane and it doesn't seem to need the longer stem for stability. The bike is fairly stable as is. However, I am still considering a longer stem just to put me in the riding position I like. I have a tendency to feel more comfortable the farther forward I get.
Thanks really helped me, changed from 70 to 110 on my boardman 8.9, huge difference to handling and most important comfort.
I think the TDF could benefit from a few cone sections: maybe throw some in along long straights on TT segments to break up the monotony, or add some to the riskier descents to keep the speeds in check at the switchbacks.
Do not forger this. Short stems put the riders weight back weighting the back wheel more and taking weight off the front steering end. A balance of weight between the front and back wheel is what provides best stability and speed.The other thing that a short stem does is put more weight on the rear end and cause more saddle discomfort. The Italian set up has a rider in a normal position look down and see if you can see the front hub. If properly positioned your handlebars should obscure your front hub. bicycle 101 for stem length and position. All you need to do is calculate a proper seat height. cheers to you all the Viva-Velo Thomas Fleishman , Grand Junction, Colorado
Thank you.
That’s why I’m always having a spike rear problem. Because I’m using short stem and I’m 116kg. I will use long stem. Thanks 🙏
@@mowhugspanda7769 did it help?
When I have a short stem I lean farther forward, putting more weight forward
9:02 - That bike is fking beautiful
These guys do a great job. Really relaxed and amusing and informative. Enjoy this channel esp. due to these two. Great stuff.
Your video editing are really great these days. Seriously loving he whole experience.
Thanks guys for this info. Always love the comedy!
For me the (old) rule; “when on the hoods, the fronthub should disappear behind your handlebar”, works fine. Really don’t know what it is based on... Have been experimenting this last season and went back to my former stemlength. And yes, the hub disappeared behind my handlebar again! But.... the whole bikefitting thing is about trial-and-error! (A brand like Giant has a reason for NOT working with exact framesizes). Furthermore; the fit changes when you yourself get fitter!
exactly, i just remove and add spacers according to my beer belly
The handling does change. My stock Cervelo S5 was a little too twitchy. I installed a 120 mm stem and the bike calmed down to a more "weekend warrior in the peloton" acceptable level.
This video is really great! please more content like this exploring how bikes work!
what a great clip - well scripted, great visuals - glad to see you make the product promo clear and obvious. THANKS
I tried a longer stem (120mm instead of the 100 that came on the bike), to try to give my ridiculous gibbon arms a bit more room. I did find that I had to shift my weight forward a touch, as there was slightly increased speed wobble on downhills with less weight directly on the bars. Definitely found the handling smoother once I'd made the adjustment, though.
1:14 That's not what my ex told me 😢😢😢
Garrubrations ruclips.net/video/4zLfCnGVeL4/видео.html
She knows it's better with an 8
Hahahahaha
It's not just whether it's six inches, of course. Was it angled down or up at the time?
@80% nomore fun for you bigboy
I found a big improvement with mine - Cube Peloton 56cm - going from 100mm to 120mm. I feel much more confident cornering now.
GCN, where can I find out more about Tom Sturdys findings in regards to "bigger frame, shorter stem" theory. Thank you
I ride a Ridley Helium sized Medium. It's a bit long for me (I'm all legs... no torso to speak of), so I run an 80mm stem. And the head angle is a pointy 73.5 degrees. I've got about 8500 miles on this setup and I love it!
On my hardtail 29er mountain bike I like a 110mm stem (up from stock 75mm), I use a 75mm (up from 50mm) on my full suspension. I have a 130mm (up from 110mm) on my road bike but the frame is a bit small for me.
I'm one of the fastest people at my local forest on a few Strava sections on my aluminium boardmans so I must have my setup somewhere near. I pretty much bought a load of stems and kept swapping them around as well as raising and lowering stack heights until I was happy.
Most pro XC riders use long stems.
I ride an S-work venge Vias with a zipp sl sprint 130mm stem and the S-works aerofly handelbar(flat one) and the first thing I noticed is that the long stem handels much smoother than the shorter one. and in the criterium I ride you don’t need to do those slaloms so that will not be an issue;)
Have you a practical chain stay length comparison video? And symmetrical vs asymmetrical chain stay comparative review?
I use a 80mm stem on a 55cm frame with somewhat aggressive racing geometry to make it more comfortable for causal centuries. I could have just got an endurance bike, but it's nice to have the option to throw a longer stem on for faster and shorter rides. There's definitely a difference in handling from the 110mm stem that the bike came with. I actually didn't think the 110mm stem was responsive enough, whereas I think the 80mm is a bit too responsive. I think a 90-100mm stem would probably be the sweet spot in terms of comfort and handling for me with that bike.
I've ridden an 80mm and a 11omm stem on the same bike for good bits of time; the shorter is not terrifying on descents. I guess it's getting used to the setup that counts.
A while ago I switched from 120 to 90 for comfort reasons, and I've gotten used to the extra responsiveness over time. It did feel a little twitchy at first but I actually really like it now.
I use a 60mm stem on my road bike and I prefer it to a longer stem.
The 85 feels fine on my small AWOL with it's more upright position. I have a 110+ on my 54cm Merlin. I originally spec'd it with a 90 but it scared the pants off of me on descents. Any twitch would set up a harmonic ...terrifying.
Yes sure, I agree. And comfort is paramount, just like Taylor Phinney said on this very channel.
It depends how long the top tube is . My tt is 53.5 that had a 110mm stem, I was too stretched out. The 90mm fits me perfect . If I had a smaller tt I could work with a 100mm stem .It's all about your reach and comfort level .I'm still slightly aero with my 90mm stem at -6° in the drops,if I wanted to be more comfy on a longer ride I'd just flip my stem at +6°
I like what you said is it still working? I didn’t listen to my mechanics to go less than 90.
Refitted myself then worked on stem length 6 degree
Much research followed even went to 60 then 70 after trying 80
Back to 80 not contemplating frame size or bike geometry
I ride Felt VR6 and upgraded it wheels, pedals aero handlebars and a wee bit more
Back to 80 now but considering my fitness level now but definitely understand if reach and fit
58 might be too large and I’m 6 ft tall
Original 110 installed on an extreme downhill permitting my bike 43mph recorded
Uphill an ant could have kept up.
It was still hard to control going full gas downhill with 110
I haven’t tried this w 80 yet but it’s what I have for now and hope less twitchy so to speak.
Than 70
Is the position on the bike specifically handlebars that compensate for more control with a shorter stem like 80 on a downhill experience?
Eventually thinking a 90 stem due to reach because another bike isn’t in the picture for some time. And 90 would be the least as suggested from what I’ve researched.
Ride on my friends, I’ll be there to💫🥰
Stay safe and Ride🎈
If you shorten the stem, surely you should widen the bars? That's what happens in mountain biking. It's true that the bike frame design counts into this too, but the wider bars can mitigate the shorter reach somewhat and make it less twitchy by also restoring some of the leverage lost in the stem.
I think the "wanting to rail" was because you are leaned forward, putting more weight on the front wheel.
You mentioned a great topic at the beginning of this video. What is faster a small fram with long stem and laid back seat post or a proper fit frame. Or what is faster fit French fit, Eddie fit or compative fit
"It all depends on where you measure from..." Something men have been saying for millennia.
Wrong.
We're tuning NOT measuring.
We're not gossiping either.
I used to ride a 170mm - YES i found one.. 😮 - bike frames are archaicly backward in design and I've always thought off-the-peg lean too far back + have too short a top tube, so i got a custom steel and now I'm happy ! 😉
Good video. Slightly off topic, but concerning descending. THE best (by a country mile) handling road bike I have ever descended on is the Trek Domane SLR with 28 mm tyres. The decoupler thingy on the seat tube effectively provides damping for the rear end. Rails and sticks to the road like glue. All the test rides and reviews understandably focus on its handling of cobbles, but it seems no one ever went downhill on one.
So. Much. Innuendo.
"It depends on where you measure from."
I have just changed stem from 110mm to 80mm, it's more comfortable for me, I have no numbness in my hands but it's a bit harder to keep straight line when I'm holding drops.
I've been thinking about shortening my stem on my main bike, as my other bikes have shorter stems and they feel better when out of the saddle/on a climb. All my bikes are steel and the newest frame is from 1986. My main bike is a 1981 Dawes (531) has been converted to use a modern group set - campag veloce. It's top tube is longer than my others, and I'm running a 125 cinelli stem with criterium bars. Thinking of going down to a 90mm
Intersting results. I use an 8cm stem fully slammed and like you, find it very front end nervy on downhill at speed. I had to go with the frame size to fit my height with the shorter stem over the standard 11cm, or feel stretched and experience discomfort with reach.
TBF as someone who's mountain-biked for years, short stems only really came in once head angles relaxed and bars widened - I have thrown a 45mm stem on a vintage mountain bike with steeper head angles and it was a bit new trousers time
4 years ago I got my 1st road bike , it had an 80cm stem that was ok on short rides but my back was sore after 10 miles , I then got a 60cm stem , that was really comfy but way too twitchy at speed , then I got a 70cm stem and wider bars ( 44cm) and it all came together very nicely , I can do 80-90 mile rides in relative comfort :)
80cm stem? No wonder your back was sore!
@@callumsmith338 Why? Was it too long?
@@neutronshiva2498 "cm"
😂😂😂😂😂😂@@callumsmith338
I'm personnaly coming back from injury, broken shoulder after a nasty crash. I recently started to ride my bike again, and since my arms stayed inactive during 3 months I found that I felt really bad on my bike, as if it was 2 sizes too big for me. Indeed I lost a lot of flexibility. I then immediatly swap my 110 stem to a 80 mm and I have to admit that my bike feels much more twitchy and, well, much safer on descent. I first thought it would be provisory but it might stay that way a bit longer than expected.
For all those cyclists who are between sizes, made a mistake, or inherited a wrong size one playing around with stem length is about the cheapest way of improving the handling.
Gotta love the Emonda
It makes a difference to me , but very dependant on frame size and geometry. I have a 120mm on a slightly smaller frame with quick steering and a 100mm on a larger one with slacker steering. I am thinking of changing that for a 90mm to make it handle a bit quicker
What size stem "should" you ride? The one that came with the bike.
Forget the stems, I want that Pro Stealth saddle.
Lovely video as always! I have shorter legs with long torso, there isn’t much choice. To get ideal knee angle, am stuck with zero offset post with little showing above the collar with long stem in endurance geometry. I am realizing racing geometry bikes will be a better fitting since reach is longer and seat tube angle is steeper. Someday i hope i will enjoy a bike as builder intended :(
Can't believe I've only just seen this. I used to have a flipped 80 or 90mm (can't quite remember) on my winter bike. The idea being a more upright riding position. On steep fast downhills the front would oscillate uncontrollably and get worse if I braked (a tankslapper in motorbiking circles). Very scary indeed!
I have myself also found that a short stem makes the handling more twitchy. What I am more keen to know is what handles better in the real world handling situation, a short stem long top tube combination or a short top tube long stem combination, where both are the same total length.
Great videos! I noticed you don’t have bar tape on the tops of your handlebars. It looks so much better and is prob more aerodynamic. But do you just not ride on the tops? I can’t find anything about wrapping bars just past the shifters.
So at 1:54 he says "from center to center", but all that was already forgotten at 2:29 when the graphics guy had to make well the graphics. Details. So important!
Anyways, I bought a used Trek CrossRip LTD 2016 recently and it came with a 90mm stem. I switched to an 80mm after a few weeks and was surprised how big the difference in comfort is. Just 1cm less reach and now I can handle all hand positions with ease. It's definitely worth it to try different stem lengths, if you're slightly uncomfortable and have the chance to try!
Put aside fit, no question a longer stem means the rider has to use more of the small force it takes to turn the steering post which makes it more stable, less sensitive to slight changes in input. And at speed those forces required are higher to overcome gyroscopic inertia of the wheel
I think there should be a Tour de France stage featuring some weaving in and out of cones. And also a descent TT.
Love this video !!!
I have a Cube Attain GTC Race in a size 56 frame. I bought the bike based on the manufacturers recommendations of rider height. Ive had the bike since 2016 and havent touched the stem till now. I always thought that the frame was too big and maybe i should have gone with a size 54 or 55 frame so I didnt feel so stretched out. Yesterday I swapped out the stock 100mm stem for a 90mm Deda and while the bike was slightly more twitchy for aggressive out of the saddle efforts. Regular in saddle efforts and cruising were a lot more comfortable and i could sit slightly further back on the saddle a bit more.
My back and shoulders were a lot less fatigued after my regular ride. Next step is changing the stock handlebars (which i think are 42cm) for a 40cm one but that wont be for a while as I recently just had new bar tape put on.
Bike fits are expensive but at least you'll get a list of measurements for future reference to help you if you cant physically test ride the bike you want to purchase. Always test ride the bike you want to buy if possible.
This video help alot
Hollow star nut bolts? That's exactly what I need for my dynamo build!
Thank you!
My triathlon bike was twitchy and unsafe with a 95cm stem. Switching to a 110 stem made the bike safer and faster (because I can go downhill with greater control. Would really like to try a 120 stem to see what that would be like.
95cm is insane lol
Do you guys have a review on bile shorts and tips and tricks for long rides of 100 miles and more?
I ride a 49cm frame with an 80mm stem with no spacers under it as a 5'3" male rider (1.6m), and that is plenty long for me. The only issue I have with my fit is that I wish the drops on my bars were traditional instead of ergo. The ergo grip has my elbows about as far back as my hips, where I'd prefer to be a little more stretched out, and even with my levers as close to the bars as possible, I can still barely reach them with my longest finger in the ergo position on the drops. A 140mm stem would have me laid out like Superman if I were on the hoods, and completely unable to use my drops. I feel Emma Pooley's pain on the fit side of things. Regarding the longer frame with a shorter stem - that is good advice. Toe overlap is definitely real on small frames. I can't turn my wheel more than about an eighth of a turn without having to pay attention to which foot is forward. My next bike will probably use 650b wheels unless it's a TT bike where I don't need to worry about sharp turns or track standing.
Ride 110mm stem and can't fault it. Was petrified in Tenerife on a rental bike with 80mm stem, just about survived.
It will go a lot to say men will ride differently to ladies but personally love a more stretched position and will consider going with 120mm on new frame.
Putting forward the saddle and adding 10-20mm to the stem is a good option? I feel much stronger when i sit and pedaling more forward.I’m 177cm and i have a size L bike with 100mm stem.
I'm five foot nine and ride a 54 (medium) specialized roubaix with a 90mm stem. I love how it handles not nervous at all but I came from mtb so perhaps that makes a difference
I have a 90mm stem, and I love the responsiveness. Especially when there's an unexpected blemish in the road.
Short answer: best stem is the stem that feels right.
That's it.
You speak as if it's a plant.
The Headstem IS a lever bar.
You're adding the power of leverage to your steering power.
You're increasing your power by using leverage to add more power so you can easily turn the bike.
You adjust the leverage power so you can fine tune the aggressiveness of the steering performance.
You tune the steering Stem leverage power so the bike is faster at high speed OR low speed.
YOU chose the performance aspects.
@@dreyn7780 what are you on?
@@willwhite1987 you’re not going to skip over introductions.
Up to very end good advice. What the bike mfg. stem length is for avg. rider proportions- ie. if upper body / arm length is longer than normal longer stem is needed. if shorter then shorter stem. That assumes both riders are same height. I am 5' 10 -70cm but 6' arm length wide shoulders (54" chest) - shorter than normal legs. so sloped geometry was a God send for me. Have a Colnago EPS size 54s with 140 stem. had a 130 stem felt cramped even with stem slammed. . Been riding over 45 years as an adult. Even my tandem has 130 stem length but stem not slammed for better control. single bike and tandem within 5 mm on reach- but wider 44 cm bars on tandem and about 10 mm less drop to bars- for better control of a over 400# tandem team. Love your video's. On rails on down hills - esp. great for tandem.
I'm trying to duplicate the ride feel on one bike that has a 1/2 inch shorter stem. The bike with the shorter stem feels more stable but I'm not sure making this change is going to make a difference. You weaved through the cones easier with the shorter stem and that makes sense when I compared it to my bikes.
Would like to know how the handling performs with the position in relation to the front axle, would guess closer to the axle would be optimum position in which case fork angle would alter optimum stem length,
Bought a track bike from a local guy not really having ridden anything but mountain bikes before. Didn’t even think about the stem length when i got it but it’s so slammed I can’t even use the drops. Even while sprinting the drops have me too low for maximum power output.
would be interesting to know the weight balance change from front to rear, on a road bike, too little weight on the front would be dangerous in the wet. you guys should do a mtb article on stems, and measure front to rear bias
I can feel the difference. My winter bike has a 100mm stem and feels twitchier that my summer bike. My summer bike a 120mm stem and has a much more relaxed feeling but doesn't feel as stable doing slow, tight turns in the road like when you're turning around.
@1:15 "that's like 6 inches, Dan. That is huge!"
Editing skills step up once more, nicely done!
Pro5edited that was hilarious. "Six inches, that is huge!"
This test would be much better if you had found bikes with varying top tube lengths, so that you could adjust the stem length while keeping the overall reach the same.
Hi! Great video guys! I ride a 56cm (top tube) frame that came with an 11 cm stem, but a recent bike fit I did indicated that I should ride a 53 cm frame. So, I've swapped the stem with an 4cm stem so that I will have a shorter reach and compensate for the bigger bike frame. Should I stick to a bigger stem? Thanks vm!
Swapped from a 100 to a 120, mainly because of my knees banging on the bar ends. Where I really noticed, though, was a way more comfortable climbing position.
Nice location for the downhill segment. Cheddar Gorge?
I’m using a 120mm 3T carbon stem on my 51cm bike works out great
If a longer stem gives more stability and better aerodynamics while a shorter is potentially more manoeuvrable then why not an adjustable stem connected to your electronic gears?
As you change up through your gears the stem gets longer. As you change down (when aerodynamics are less important and a more upright position with quicker handling would be good) the stem gets shorter.
Geometry and frame size, tire widht, stem lenght and width all affect handling. With an already agile geometry and small tires, decreasing stem lenght can make it too nervous whereas with bigger tires and head angle, a shorter stem can improve handling without making the bike feel unstable.
Fit to the rider. My back is v. long compared to my legs and I lose power if I shove the saddle back too far. So it's a long stem for me - even in CX. And I caught and passed Simon descending Ingleborough in the 3 Peaks CX on 140mm stem so I'm not sure about handling theories :-D
I have a flatbar specialized city bike and I am older. Comfort is most important to me, so I put on a shorter stem with a pivot adjustment with degree marks. Boy was that a mistake. Super twitchy and not all that comfortable. I have hills where I live and I could not let it go downhill without the bike feeling like it had a frame made of gummy bears. I went back to the original....and I felt like it was on rails.
Would be interesting to see a comparison when climbing. That's the only reason why I am sometimes tempted to use a 10cm and not a 9cm....knees hit bars a bit and I just can't seem to get any leverage. In my opinion: Climbing and descending = longer stem, riding along the flat (most of the time) = shorter one. It does seem wisest to base your position on how it feels riding along the flat, sadly.
Smaller riders that are faced with the 'dilemma' of long bike short stem vs short-bike long stem should look into the Reach of the handlebars themselves aswell. Good ones range from 65-80mm with Specialized making one in 65mm Reach.
In terms of how much you turn the handlebar to make a turn, there will be no difference (the angles are so small, that you don't notice the change in lateral displacement). However, it terms of how much your weight affects stability there is a big difference. With longer stem the application of force is further from the axis, so it will feel more stable.
You may also notice a change in braking, as the center of mass is now further forward, and thus your rear tires may grip less. If you make a drastic change in the stem length, you may flip your bike under extreme braking, as you are not used to the changed weight distribution.
i have a ridley helium, i need to use a -17 degrees stem because the front end of the bike feel too high even i have no spacer under the stem.
I am trying to get comfortable with a new bike right. I'm facing some minor challenges: my first bike since loosing my left leg; my first drop bar bike in 20 years (mountain biker during that time); my lower back is completely fused from L4-S1; my neck is also fused C4-5-C5, C6-C8; and I'm 66 in a couple of weeks. Other than these minor set backs, I feel good about everything except the bloody stem! The Trek bike shop installed a 90mm @25 degrees. I have to keep my head up more for visibility (neck doesn't bend). The bike is a little twitchy. What is a good way to get this right without having to buy every stem length and angle? Once I get the stem figured out, I will have a couple of questions concerning which pedal type works best with a prosthetic leg?
This is why I always ride a frame size down with a longer stem p.s is the first test around the cones been seg'd on strava?
This should be an olympic sport! And i'm talking about the carpark race!!
Cars have there own parks?
SwedishHouseFifa There might be massive amounts of systematic doping.
Where was that descent filmed? That looks like a beautiful area to ride.
Short MTB stems are usually combined with humongous handlebars to maintain balance. So it had been better when you had paired the 80mm stem with a wider bar.
70mm stem, 77mm reach handlebars, and 510 top tube. Definitely twitches, but it's what I ride so I'm used to it.