A lo-o-onger stem. Issues?

[RedRider]

I'm looking to try a longer stem. If I'm measuring right - centre top cap to centre of bars where the 'clamp' meets - my current one is 120mm. I reckon 140mm would be about right. I ride with drops.

Anyone know of issues/have experience going that long? Handling? Stiffness? Safety?

Cheers

 

[Zakalwe]

The size of your current one could be printed on the inside of one of the clamps to confirm, but your measurements are from the correct places. Longer stem allows for more flex in theory but finding a stiff one shouldn't be too hard. There aren't any issues with running one that length per se, you could argue a larger frame is what's needed but that's not always a suitable answer. Why do you feel the need for a longer stem? If its to get into a more aero position, you could look at lowering the stack height or changing the stem angle. For instance, you could be running some very short reach bars and a rather upright stem, and a longer stem might not be the best solution to the problem.

 

[MacB]

Yep, as Zakalwe says and I'd add that it's worth checking over your complete fit, from saddle forwards to the bars, first.

As I know from expensive experience it's easy to spend money on new stems only to find that your saddle needed moving and your original stem was fine.

 

[RedRider]

Thanks you both.

I might have known it was all a bit more complicated.

I'm trying to get somewhere that 'just feels right' for all round cycling, from commutes to 70-milers. I'm not aiming for the aerodynamic optimum or anything.

At the moment my hands want to be just that couple of centimetres further forward when on the hoods and I'd welcome a little more space into the drops.

I've been faffing with the bike fit for the last six months, going on feel, swapping four stems at no cost. It's my first time back on drops in a decade.The shop swapped the original 100 for a 60 after my first week and that one felt comfortable back then. I suppose my back's got used to each stretch and then wanted a little more so...80, 100, 120...

For God's sake, if I don't stop soon I'll be looking like Graeme Obree on his new contraption!

I've tried out different saddles and played with fore/aft (lucky to know someone who has a saddle library virtually) and I feel my saddle/pedal position is good but it would be interesting to have someone with a talented eye look over my whole position again. I recently raised the saddle 5mm and tapped it further forward to compensate but after a week or so my achilles were feeling a bit tender so I went back.

I hadn't thought about whether the bars were short reach or not so I'll look into that and compare in the bike sheds. (Ideally they would be slightly narrower so was considering swapping them anyway at some point.) I still have 10mm of spacer below the stem so I'll lower tomorrow as an experiment but the stem itself is already just about horizontal.

I'm comfortable with the fact this is a process.

Cheers again.

 

[Zakalwe]

There's always something worth tinkering with so don't worry, it's all part of the fun ;-) out of interest, what frame, stem and bars do you currently have, would make it a bit easier to give advise. Most bikes now come with an 84/6 degree stem, if you've got a compact frame this angle will look pretty straight following on from the sloping top tube but it's not quite parallel to the ground as head tubes are usually about 73 degrees. Depends on your frames head tube length how it'll work out for you though. A narrower bar will prop you slightly more upright also, everything else being equal. Another thing to look at is perhaps angling the bars downward a bit and sliding the shifters further down the curve, that might give you an extra cm or two on the hoods but the lower you make the hood position the lower the drops will be and then you may need a shallow drop to comfortably reach them.

 

[RedRider]

There's always something worth tinkering with so don't worry, it's all part of the fun ;-) out of interest, what frame, stem and bars do you currently have, would make it a bit easier to give advise.

It's a Surly Steamroller (not mine in the pic and different bars etc, there's a bit more seatpost showing on mine but the stem's about the same angle)

59cm
Seat Tube Length
(Center-Top) 590.0
Top Tube Length
(Center-Center) 587.0
Effective Top Tube Length
(Center-Center) 587.0
Head Tube Angle 74.0
Seat Tube Angle 73.0
BB Drop 70.0
Chainstay Length 398.0
Wheelbase 987.6
Standover Height 835.2
Head Tube Length 163.0
Fork Length 375.0
Fork Rake 38.0

I think you might be onto something with my bars...

• Drop: 120mm
• Reach: 70mm

"Bontrager's Race VR-S Road bars are ... compact bars ...the shallow drop and short reach allow smaller hands to easily reach the levers".
I don't have small hands for a start. I'm off to look at alternatives (to the bars, the hands I'm stuck with).

 

[Zakalwe]

Nice bike

I think a classic bar shape would suit the bike better, and possibly suit you better too. Definitely worth a try. Deda Newton deep has a 145mm reach and a 95mm drop, currently 38 quid on planet X . Ritchey WCS Classic, 135R 80D. Bear in mind most bar makers measure centre of tube to centre for the width, deda measure the outside to outside.

 

[MacB]

As you mentioned on my jacket thread you're 6'3" and my first thought would be the frame is about as small as you'd want to go. The Steamroller size you have is the one I'd buy at 6'1" and I'd have fitted you to the 62 instead of the 59. So that's a 30mm difference in ETT, doesn't mean this can't work just fine though.

On that bike I'd be looking at running a 110mm stem so that would place you in the realms of a 140mm stem. This is assuming you're roughly in proportion and not some sort of freaky shape

But then others at my size would buy the 56 so what do I know.

 

[fossyant]

I run 130mm on my 2 road bikes with 56 top tube. The commuter is 120mm with 54 top tube, but slightly more bar/saddle drop, and also slightly more upright for traffic.

You won't notice much difference. Go for what feels comfortable.

 

[RedRider]

Where else can one go to ask such questions without risking an OCD diagnosis? Nowhere! What a great resource CycleChat is.

Thanks everyone for all the advice and wisdom, it's really helped, particularly with de-mystifying handlebars. I'll be looking to sort out the entire cockpit with next month's pay packet and for the sake of neatness will update to let you know how I get on.

 

[Zakalwe]

A touch of OCD is positively crucial in this hobby. Best of luck with the experiments, hope you ind a setup that works or you.

 

[RedRider]

@Zakalwe and @MacB

Well I finally too the deep plunge and fitted some deda newton deeps but kept the 120 stem. What a difference! Not only is it more comfortable on the hoods but the drops are so comfortable they've become as good an option as anywhere for my hands. Bike looks more balanced too.

@l4dva thanks for your help with the other bars. They were slightly longer in the reach but not quite there. I am using the bar end plugs you provided with them!