PimpMan

I really don't need "mountain bike" i just need bike with shocks for comfort of city riding, too many potholes etc.

I am big fan of sitting 90 degree sitting angle so all my bikes have city cruiser (dutch style) setup with big tall handle bars, however if i want to go fast i simply hold handlebar next to the center and it gives me horizontal seating angle for more less air resistanc


Why mountain bikes and modern bikes have very short stem sticking out of the frame its a fashion or has any practical reasons?

Are long stems used only in city cruisers?

dabac

Learn to pop a wheelie?

BCRider

Basically yes, it is. It's partly about putting the rider into a posture that lowers the frontal area and be a little more aerodynamic. But I'd say mostly it's about placing the rider in a riding position that places the rider's balance over the pedal axle. This allows the rider to put more power into the pedals for climbing hills or going faster.

The sit up cruiser posture is fine for riding around at a jogging to slow running pace. And perhaps moving your hands in and down aids a little. But mostly it's simply not enough to go as fast or climb as strongly as the more triangular upper body posture (torso and arms at roughly equal angles) encouraged by the mountain bike or performance hybrid bar setup permits.

But hey, you found a style of setup that works for you and how you ride. So it's the right setup for your needs. It's just that others have different needs.

I do find that my own preference has changed from when I commuted by bike daily to a slightly more upright posture now that I've been retired for a few years and only ride a couple of times a week. Other hobbies and interests all demanding time.... But I do have hills to climb and wind to fight. So mostly it was about raising the setup just slightly. Like the 10mm spacer that sat on TOP of the clamp on stem was moved to sit under the stem and lift the bars up and slightly back by that much of a change. For myself that was enough.

PimpMan

I know there's theories, books and standards about all this sitting positions, frame styles etc. however i doubt that there are practical ways to measurable their effectiveness, for me having horizontal stance make my neck hurt because i have to look forth not down when riding, so i take that stance as needed for limited time only.

I assure you i can go as low as i need with my elbows same level as my torso as well, it depends on the handlebars height.

Refer to handlebars on the picture below, black one's don't make much difference regardless where rider holds them, they are flat, however silver handlebars have about 100-150mm difference in height between sides and center portion.




P.S. To me all this variety of standards is nothing more than marketing fluff. Same they do for fishing, or any other form of activity that popularized and used to make profit - more options, more items of the same type they can sell calling them different purpose rather than making one universal bike for example.

BCRider

The same last comment could apply to the high bar cruiser style bikes too. You simply prefer a different style of fluff compared to the fluff that others enjoy....

In a way there are some bike styles that fit with your more general purpose idea. Road bike bars seem extreme. But they actually have four possible positions for the hands. Up on the straight across inner portion by the stem just as you're suggesting. On the bends for a different reach and feel. On the tops before the brake lever hoods. On the hooks of the hoods. And finally with the hands in the drops. And even there I'd say there's two possible positions.

There's a lot of folks that enjoy moustache style handlebars for the much the same reason but where there isn't a drop bar sort of reach. Just a variety of similar height but different reach and wrist bends to permit changes.

For myself I quite like bullhorn bars. I can ride more upright on the cross piece next to the stem, change wrist position on the bends. hands on the straight out part of the horns for heading into the wind and for climbing hills reach up and wrap my hands around the brake lever hoods to get a good low crouch. For ME it's one of the more versatile and comfortable setups I've ever ridden. It's MY preferred bit of fluff.

70sSanO

In your pic, you are comparing two entirely different stem systems.

One has a threaded steering tube and a quill stem and the other has a steering tube without threads and a threadless stem.

The threaded steerer is most likely steel and the quill stem wedge fastens the stem to the steerer below the threaded area/headset. In theory you can run a Nitto Technomic tall stem and raise the handle bars up quite high.

A threadless steerer can be made from various materials and the stem fastened above the headset. The steerer material does limit how high the handle bars can be placed.

While it might be possible to add a few hundred mm’s of spacers on an uncut steel steering tube, it is probably not a good idea with an aluminum steerer, and definitely a major safety issue with a carbon steerer.

Also, once the steering tube is cut the bar height is limited. You can add an extension to get a bit more height, but you’ll never find an extension that will mimic a tall quill stem.

John

PimpMan

Pardon me, English is not my first language, what exactly you refer to when you mention "threadless"?

Bill Kapaun

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...&area%5B%5D=54

Hondo6

That diagram is of an installed threaded fork. A threadless fork uses a different type of headset - and as the name implies, has no threads.

This article explains forks and headsets in some detail.

https://bike.bikegremlin.com/3246/na...headset-parts/