Going to a shorter stem. Disadvantages?
03-25-13, 02:45 PM
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Going to a shorter stem. Disadvantages?
I'm riding a size 58 Jamis Bosanova (mainly I'm a commuter with fun rides on the weekends) and when getting fitted for a new saddle this weekend, the tech at the LBS mentioned that he didn't really like my default hand position on the hoods. He felt I'm a bit too far back and I had to shift my shoulders foward too much to get out on top of the hoods. The Bosanova has a 115mm stem and I'm probably ~20mm away from the better position on the hoods. I'm thinking of going to a 90mm stem instead but I've been doing some reading and some people mention that the shorter the stem, the more "twitchy" the steering will be. I could go 105 as well and split the difference but I'm wondering how pronounced the twitchiness may be going all the way down to 90mm.
Should I be worried about this dropping 25mm in stem length? I don't want to sacrifice too much control as this bike handles very very smoothly as it is right now.
Should I be worried about this dropping 25mm in stem length? I don't want to sacrifice too much control as this bike handles very very smoothly as it is right now.
03-25-13, 02:50 PM
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Give the 90 a try. I doubt very much that you'll notice a difference in handling, but should help in comfort, especially on longer rides.
03-25-13, 06:22 PM
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And after you switch to 90, ride it awhile before drawing conclusions. Might seem a bit twitchy at first (and might not), but after a few miles your body will adjust to the change. And I'm sure you'll be more comfortable!
03-25-13, 06:27 PM
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A good fit is always better than a bad fit.
03-25-13, 06:28 PM
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I went from a 110 to an 80 on my Synapse due to a bad back which makes a little more upright a whole lot more comfortable. I found that my comfort spot was short of the hoods and the 80 put me in my sweet spot. As for handling no noticeable change or problem after 5000 miles with the shorter stem.
03-25-13, 07:23 PM
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03-25-13, 07:31 PM
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Whats the reach like on your bars? Switching out the bars for something more compact that has a shorter reach may also help. Either that or try a 100mm stem.
