Choosing the correct stem

[MacB]

The old fashioned way of checking stem reach was to put the back of your elbow against the nose of the saddle and your hand down the side of the stem, if your fingers touched the back of the bars the reach was about right, if your fingers didn't reach the bars the stem was to long, if your fingers went over the bars the stem was to short. Its a method I've used for years and its normally managed to get the stem length right first time.

Interesting Dave, I thought your fingers were meant to come up short of the bars by anything up to about 4 inches. I like the idea of this method but it doesn't account for variables like the reach of the bars themselves.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Interesting Dave, I thought your fingers were meant to come up short of the bars by anything up to about 4 inches. I like the idea of this method but it doesn't account for variables like the reach of the bars themselves.

I know it doesn't but I've been using it for years and it usually works very well, on the odd occasion it hasn't its got me very close and provided me with a very good point to work from.

 

[MacB]

I know it doesn't but I've been using it for years and it usually works very well, on the odd occasion it hasn't its got me very close and provided me with a very good point to work from.

Hey, I wasn't picking holes, all info is good, just curious and also totally agree, if it works then stick with it.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Hey, I wasn't picking holes, all info is good, just curious and also totally agree, if it works then stick with it.

Thats ok, I'm cool. This bike set up lark isn't a science its a black art and I'm always interested in what people are doing, as well as what they think of what I'm doing, the second post was just to give some more information.