Kjlappy

I bought my bike used a year ago and after refurbishing it I've put on about 1500 miles. I keep all components as they came from the seller (almost all are aftermarket including an upgrade to accommodate 700c wheels) and I have been relatively happy with the fit. I have been on a few 40-50 mile rides on this bike without much pain or discomfort.

However I recently realized how short my stem length is (measures about 50-60 mm). I have read many things online that suggest 50-60 mm is simply too short, however the bike fit app I've used has told me my fit is actually pretty good. The frame is 61 cm and I am 6'4. How much of a benefit would I see by buying a 80-100 mm stem to replace this one? If I chose to replace the stem I'd also have to unwrap my handlebars on at least one side.




Thanks in advance

79pmooney

A longer stem will slow the steering down, Whether that is good or bad depends on how quick the bike steers and what level of quick steering you want or are comfortable with.

Far more important - the stem plays a big role in your comfort on the bike, where and how you sit on the seat and your position in regard to aerodynamics. On the comfort side - back bend. Too long and you may suffer reaching too far and/or bending over to much. Too short and you may find your back cramped. I find my breathing and hence almost everything else is better when I have a stem that is long enough.

Your body type has a lot to do with what stem works best for you. Your riding style also. Something I have observed (and is really easy to use for experimentation) - the correlation between stem height and stem length. For me, once I find a stem length and height that works for me, I can change to a longer or shorter stem and adjust the height and get near identical riding comfort and efficiency. Again, for me, I can shorten a horizontal stem by 2 cms and push it down one (or remove one cm spacer on a threadless stem) and there's very little change. So, working backward, I can raise or lower the stem to experiment and see if longer or shorter is better.

Your stem is just about mid-height judging by the stem I see showing. Try dropping it a cm. Ride that for 3 weeks. Better? Longer just might be better for you. Worse? Well now you know and it cost you nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

Kjlappy

This sounds like a great idea, I think I'll try this and see what happens.

SpedFast

Keep us posted. Obviously you're really close to what works for you now or you wouldn't be able to do a 50 mile ride and still be standing afterwards. Good luck

andrewclaus

Ditto the above. Replacing that stem with a longer one might be a lot of work--retaping bars, longer brake cable.

Is that an old Trek? My 1983 Trek 520 has that length stem and I think it's perfect. Love that bike. I put 3000 miles on it over the winter in Tucson.

grumpus

It depends on the frame angles, length of the top tube, and your leg/torso/arm proportions, your core strength, which part of the handlebar you favour ... Years ago I acquired a free frame, built it up and liked the fit, but when I put a longer stem on my best bike to get the same reach it messed up the handling, I ended up retiring that frame. So if you're comfortable and the bike handles OK don't worry too much about how it looks.

Kjlappy

Yeah it's actually also a 1983 trek 520! Did you put that stem yourself or did it come that way?

Kontact

Sounds like change for change's sake. Unless there is something you need, why screw with a good thing?

andrewclaus

I salvaged the bike out of the recycle pile at the non-profit shop where I volunteer. I replaced every single moving part, again with salvaged parts from the bins at the shop. The stem is original.

I rebuilt it with a 3 x 8 drive with Sora brifters, just because we had them and don't use them often. I put decent 700C wheels on too (we get too many of those donated), and found dual pivot brake calipers with long enough reach.

Here's the best photo I could find. My short stem has a downward angle. Funny how I recognized yours just from the head tube (and the braze-on cable guides).



I looked up the MSRP of that bike. It was $999 in 1983. I got married that year and got a replacement for my Schwinn Continental as a wedding present, a decent Japanese touring bike for under $400. There's no way my 1983 self would buy that bike.

Iride01 

If you are just looking to try out different length stems to see what they do for you, then you might consider changing to a threadless adapter so you can use a stem for threadless headsets. Then you only have to undo the 4 tiny bolts on the endcap of the stem to change bars. That'll end the annoyance of having to remove the bar tape and brake levers or dual control levers. And though I haven't looked for a "7" type stem with quill in ages, I'd think you'd have more choices available with threadless stems.

As far as shortening the stem or lengthening it, that is mostly for adjusting your reach to the bar where your hand positions are. While you might feel the bike handles weirdly the first ride or two after changing the length, that is something you'll get use to. You muscle inputs and timings have to adapt to the new setup.

FBinNY 

You and your body are the best and only relevant judge of proper stem length. The experts told Cinderella her shoes were too small, and that worked out, so feel free to ignore the opinions of everyone who isn't there and/or qualified to give you specific fit advice.

Steel Charlie

Can the experts tell me which of the three bears' sandwiches I should eat?

TIA

Crankycrank

Ha ha. Unfortunately I don't think any one of us can give you a definitive answer. It your current setup gives you no pain or awkwardness it's probably fine but never hurts to experiment if you want to invest in the time or $$$. You could get a longer-adjustable angle stem and play around with it to find what works best for you. If at the same height as your current stem, you can lower it if you want to angle it up to achieve a shorter reach. Example here-Check to make sure if you get one of these that it has the correct handlebar clamp diameter for your bar and the correct dia. insertion for your steerer. Kalloy AL-809 Adjustable Quill 25.4 Road Stem - Black - Cambria Bike

wheelreason

LOL. When I was a child, my grandma would "read" bed time stories to me, and they were a little different each time, and she often fell asleep before I did. I liked it when that entitled chick in the red hoodie got eaten in the end, and I always thought the grasshopper was working smarter, not harder...

meerzistar

I got away with moving my seat about an inch, instead of replacing the stem.

Reynolds 

While in theory different length stems would affect handling, in my experience (with 120 to 60mm on different bikes) it's not so noticeable. At least for my conservative and slow riding style...

wheelreason

I'm picturing all the bike fitters lining up on the airplane isle wating their turn brandishing progressively larger bike tools like in the movie....

Kontact

You could also wear thick soled shoes instead of raising your saddle.

grumpus

I think I went from 90 to 140 mm, it made the bike feel squishy when I rode out of the saddle, probably because of slack frame angles and short top tube. So the solution to a too-short top tube turned out to be a longer top tube, not a longer stem.

Reynolds 

I mean I have different bikes with stems ranging from 120 to 60mm, and all of them ride OK. I never do 90kph descents though...

Duragrouch

Various notes:

I have a hybrid bike with the tilting stem, it's nice, if heavy.

My 20" wheel folding bike has the flat handlebar centered on the stem, no reach, and the clamp is welded so no adjustment or replacement, however the long "handlepost" between the headset and handlebars, cants forward, so I actually do have a horizontal stem reach, it's just "hidden". I like this setup better than a bike friday which uses a straight handlepost directly from the steering tube, then a conventional stem to put the handlebars forward, however this means the long post is susceptible to being hit by my knees when climbing out of the saddle; When I hung a small bag on the back of my handlebars, I was hitting it constantly, so same would be true for a post more aft. However on a BF you can swap the stem, including for a suspension stem, which I would like.

Handlebar reach/height can be tricky combined with clip-on aero bars. On my old road bike, I replaced the drop bars with bullhorns at the same stem height, much more comfortable, and had clip-on bars with spaced-up forearm rests. My folding bike from above, has bar ends tilted up like bullhorns but on a much wider spacing, more comfy, and aero bars, but I have yet to acquire the 70mm spacers I desire for those, I want to be fully comfortable on the aeros, not aerodynamic tuck, in order to ride most of the time there to take pressure off my hands.

grumpus

I was getting close to 50 mph when the wobble started, so I decided that was fast enough. I would probably have been okay on my other touring bike, with a heavier frame.

meerzistar

Don't be stupid.

Thats why parts are adjustable.

wheelreason

fify.

wheelreason

lol.