BROOKLINEBIKER

Hi everyone,
I have a question about stem length. Here is some background. I went for a bike fit last year for among other reasons shoulder pain when riding. The fitting was helpful but only partly resolved my shoulder pain. So, I went back to the fitter & he said my bike set up had me reaching out too far on my handlebars. So he suggested I get FSA Wing Comp or FSA Wing Pro Comp handlebars to reduce my reach. He also said I'd need a stem for the handlebars because my 2011 stem won't hold a 2017 handlebar due to a design change in the handlebar diameter. Unfortunately, my fitter didn't say whether I need to change the angle or length of the stem. I'm wondering if I need to change either the angle or the length along with the handlebar. My fitter has gone incommunicado. Any opinions on how I should proceed?

oldbobcat

First, the bottom bracket has nothing to do with the stem. Forget about that.

Regarding reach, there are two components after frame reach--that's stem length and handlebar reach. The right combination of this is one that gives you an 80-90 degree angle from the back to the upper arm when the hands are on the lever hoods and the elbows are slightly bent, down, not out. Next, measure your stem length and handlebar reach. Handlebar reach is the distance from the centerline of the top of the bar to the centerline of the farthest reach of the drop. Add the two, subtract the distance you want to reduce, and look for a combination that gives you that reduction.

Regarding bar reach, I consider 80mm to be about medium, so anything under 80 is short. Even when using a long stem, I prefer shortish bars. My hands can move around on them more easily. Ritchey has several compact bend bars with 73 mm reach that I recommend. Their WCS stems are also stiff and light.

Regarding handlebar height, level with or a couple centimeters lower than the saddle is a starting point for most beginners. Higher, and you can't get the pull from you shoulders, and lower can be a stretch for someone starting out. It's hard to give hard advice without seeing you on the bike, but I hope I've given you ideas on how to figure this out for yourself. Listen to your body.

CliffordK

There are several handlebar measurements. In particular reach will vary somewhat, and the width of the bars.

See some notes here:
https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear...andlebar-guide
https://www.artscyclery.com/learning...ebarwidth.html

I'm not sure about the rationale for handlebar width. I like somewhat narrower bars, and the first article above suggests that too wide of bars can cause shoulder stress.

The new 31.8 stems have an open face, and are easy to swap. Your local bike shop (LBS) may have some swapped stems that they'd allow you to experiment with, or a local bike co-op/recycler might have a pile of them that they'll sell for cheap.

I'd probably start with the stem identical to what you have as a baseline, then experiment from there.

I find the new winged bars to be comfortable for riding from the tops, and the compact design puts the brake hoods in a comfortable location. There are many brands available. Try a few different grip positions including grabbing the tops of your brake hoods and laying the forearms across the bars. Riding with one hand? Most people can get to the brakes quickly from any bar position, although interrupter brakes are popular with some riders for riding from the tops.

BROOKLINEBIKER

Hi Oldbobcat,
Thanks for your recommendations and expertise. You did a great job of laying out the factors involved in setting up the handlebars.

BROOKLINEBIKER

Hi Clifford,
Thanks so much for your thoughts on handlebars and stems. I like your idea about trying to find a cheap stem at a bike coop that I could test out. Your idea about using the same stem length and angle to set up a baseline makes sense. I won't be able to tell what has caused improvement if I make multiple changes at once.

CliffordK

Part of it may be trying to find a way to use a light touch on the handlebars. Normally bent arms (although I am often riding with too straight of arms).

I was looking at some of my spares, and Specialized did make an aluminum bar with zertz and a fairly compact curve, and a flat top. I really can't tell a lot, but it does give a slight amount of flex to the bars. I haven't ridden CF yet, but perthaps that would also give a different feel.

fietsbob

were you keeping up your push ups , core strength also helps with back issues..