Ware

Dear BF, I would greatly appreciate your advice relating to the following situation and my subsequent question: (aka, help!! )

1. It was acutely unwise for me to not test ride more bikes before snapping up the 56cm Felt F75 which I have now owned for approximately a month. I didn't want to let this great deal get snapped up by someone else , and at the time when i bought the bike, there wasn't much 2009 stuff left on showroom floors, and the 2010 stuff hadn't even begun to come in.
2. I am 5'10.5", with an ~33.5" inseam
3. The effective tt of my Felt is 56cm
4. My short(ish) torso means the reach to the hoods is too damn long for comfort/proper fit.
- I currently ride with a 100mm stem, +7 degree rise.
- The stock handlebars on the F75 have a really long reach (i measured 100mm, + the long reach of shimano hoods).


Therefore, I see two options.
A: I could sell my bike, which would result in the loss of a couple hundred (?) more dollars of my hard monies, and purchase something that fits my strange frame better from the start.
B: I could attempt to shorten the reach with a shorter stem/short reach bars. However, I've heard this can lead to a twitchy bike. I asked the owner of my LBS if a short stem/short reach bars would lead to a twitchy bike. He said "yes, absolutely".

So, I suppose my question is...

Can I swap out my current bar/stem setup for a 90mm stem and short reach bars without experiencing an unsafe/undesirable decrease in handling performance?

Yes/No answers are welcome, but of course, like anyone else, I'd prefer your reasoning as well


I really would appreciate any useful advice that anyone might have. I have done searches on this. I have a feeling that I already know the answer to my own question (), but I'd like your reasoned input to add to my knowledge a bit (before jumping the gun, as I have a tendency to do).

Thanks.

Flatballer

A 90mm stem really won't make your bike noticeably twitchy. Plus, twitchy is fast.

I have a 90mm stem on my bike because of short arms and long legs, and the bike rides beautifully. 56cm Pedal Force CG1 and I'm 6 feet, FWIW.

keesue

I had the very same problem on my Cannondale. I bought it on closeout. It had a longer top tube than I would have liked but the rest of the bike fit correctly. I have a 80mm stem on it which changed the bike. It is not twitchy at all. It fits now. Note that a higher degree rise with a shorter stem can also help if your back hurts.

BMWdoc

I ride a 56 with an 110mm stem and a 58 with an 80mm stem. As far as Im concerned there is no real discernable difference. I would try the shorter stem first since they are fairly inexpensive.

roadiejorge 

My only complaint about the 90mm stem is that out of the saddle efforts don't feel as comfortable as they do with a longer stem the handling is fine otherwise.

mr handy

I would suggest that you could go to an 80mm stem without making the bike to twitchy, I would also look into a new set of bars. I am personally riding a set of FSA Omega bars and they are great, short reach and drop and feel amazing compared to the stock felt bars... the FSA wing Pro is another I would look at.

tuxbailey

Your LBS didn't help you with the fit?

Flatballer

I noticed this a little bit, but not much. When sprinting with a certain set of bars I would hit my wrists on the tops because my arm angle was wrong. I switched the bars, and now I feel fine. Sure, the cockpit is a little smaller, but it doesn't bother me.

JoelS

I'm riding a 75mm stem with short reach bars. Pretty happy with the combo.

guadzilla

I have a 90mm stem on my 56cm Streetfire, and a 60 or 70mm stem on the old 60cm Trek (it fit well for the first month but later, for some reason, I started feeling too stretched out). Handling was fine - got used to it pretty quickly.

V

heavyp

I'm 5-ft and 9.5 inches and I ride a 56 trek madone with an 80mm stem. I would usually ride a 54, but upsized one frame size to get a taller headtube. Fits fine! I have ridden bikes with 120mm stems and I really can't tell the difference in handling.

LorenzoNF

A longer stem would make the steering more twitchy. A shorter stem would actually make the handling more stable. Less of a lever -> more force needed to make the front end move. I would try a somewhat shorter stem (like an 80 or 90) and see how it feels before jumping to buying another bike. Then again, your LBS should have fit you to it when you bought it. See if they'll give you either a) a swapped stem or b) a discount on swapping out the stem.

Gotcha38

I don't think it's a force thing. It's a length of the arc kind of thing.

rmwun54

On my road bike I switched from a 100mm stem to a 120mm stem and the difference that was noticeable was on downhill taking winding turns. The longer stem felt not so twitchey through out the turns; to me it was more comfortable than the shorter stem. Another way you can shorten the reach is by getting this drop bar.
https://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.a...ROAD+HANDLEBAR
I use it on my bike to shorten my reach to maintain a longer stem.
The 6 degree swept back really helped for my purpose.

keesue

This makes sense and describes what I felt when I went from a 120 to the 80 to correct the cockpit problem with reach. The steering was much better and felt more controlled. Sorta a 'less hanging out there' kinda feeling. Good post, thanks.

Butcher

I have a tandem and had the same issues. I now have a 70mm Ritchey WCS stem and it is much better [started with a 120 then a 90 and now a 70]. I have not had any issues except that it makes the ride much better. I could only find a 70mm version thru Wiggle, there appears to be no other place that has them.

UGASkiDawg

I am exactly the same size as you in total height and in inseam....you should be able to make that bike fit you just fine (I ride a 55cm tt with an 110 stem).

Try shorter reach bars before you shorten the stem.

Homebrew01

Buy a storter stem and/or bars and ride

DaveSSS 

Your legs are not very long for your height, unless you posted a pants inseam. You're 10cm taller than I am, with only 2cm more inseam. An 85cm inseam would usually mean a saddle height around 75cm.

You shouldn't need both shorter reach bars and a shorter stem. Try a bar like the Easton EC90-SLX3 or something similar with about a 75mm reach.

Homebrew01

OK, next time you're screaming downhill around turns at 55 mph, ride on the tops of the bars instead of the hoods or drops.

DaveSSS 

Changing from a 120mm stem to an 80mm only shortens the steering arm length by about 15%, since it's measured as a straight line from the point of contact with bars or brake hood to the center of the steering tube. It will also change depending on where the hands are placed. A shorter arm requires more force, but less movement, so the two changes oppose each other. Regardless of what length is used, the rider will get accustomed to it quickly.

Anyone should know that grabbing the bar tops does not make for accurate steering control, but that is a more extreme case of shortening the steering arm length. It makes the point though.

During critical high speed cornerning, only a very small movement of the bars is needed to lean the bike and maintain a turn. Those with experience will use the right hand to produce the countersteering force for a right turn and the left hand for a left turn, just as you would on a motorcycle.

Homebrew01

I figure even less, more like 9%. Good explanation.

Ware

Thanks guys, very informative and helpful posts. I appreciate the anecdotal evidence from personal experience that my LBS, in this case, may be full of it Thanks for the explanations of the relevant physics, too. I have also heard that aside from arc length and lever force, stem length affects weight over the front hub, and that this is an important factor.

To address a couple posts relating to my LBS, they were more than willing to cannibalize another showroom bike for its 110mm stem when I had initially thought that my bike was too _small_ (do you get an idea of how neurotic I am? I think my LBS is starting to get an idea... )

I've noted all of the suggestions for bars, as well as whether to go for both stem/bar at the same time, or one or the other first. Also, I appreciate the comment about a shorter stem leading to less comfortable out of saddle efforts. Here in Nebraska, I am out of the saddle relatively infrequently, aside from my attempts at sprinting

All things considered, I somehow wound up with the conclusion that I should order easton EA70 aero wing bars + a ritchey 90mm stem, and I did so last night. I was really considering the FSA wing pro, or possibly the compact, but i found the EA70 on sale for just under 60, and it has a 5mm shorter reach than the FSA.

I'll post again with some impressions in a week or so, after I get things set up.

Thanks again everybody.