How do I know what size stem I have?

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Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
I suspect I may need a slightly smaller one...but I dont know what size my exisiting one is...where are the measurements taken from/to?
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Centre to centre usually
 

stevenb

New Member
Location
South Beds.
I thought you'd already sorted this BTFB?
You going for a 20mm shorter one?
Measure from the Aheadset locking bolt to the centre of the clamp on the handlebar.
Remember that when you fit your new stem to tighten the Aheadset bolt first and then the stem clamp bolts....as I recently found out :biggrin:
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
Unless BFTB has canged it, the Galaxy does not come with an ahead stem set up, it's a traditional one. Is that right BTFB?

..erm...I dunno what the difference is:blush::biggrin:...mine is the one supplied with the bike, which is a 2007 model Dawes Galaxy. There is a black headset thing with the Dawes logo on it and several spacers...the stem is some kind of alloy and is level..it's not one that goes up at an angle or anything.

I will measure it as per your kind comments and see if I can find one of the same kind but shorter.
 
Location
Herts
Bigtallfatbloke said:
..erm...I dunno what the difference is:blush::biggrin:...mine is the one supplied with the bike, which is a 2007 model Dawes Galaxy. There is a black headset thing with the Dawes logo on it and several spacers...the stem is some kind of alloy and is level..it's not one that goes up at an angle or anything.

I will measure it as per your kind comments and see if I can find one of the same kind but shorter.

2 main types are a-head

G742.jpg


or quill

adjustableroadstem5394small_s.gif


and each is available in fixed angle and/or length.
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
ok mine is more like the first one only the screws are in different places and it is alloy not carbon....So it s seems I need an a head stem.....I reckon it should be about 1cm shorter (ish).....I will go to LBS but I wanted to get some pro advice from here first so I can judge if they know what they are talking about....last time I went there the bloke didnt know what a pannier was!
 

Noodley

Guest
BTFB, it appears this is may be an on-going saga which I have not been party to, but can I ask why you think you need a shorter stem?
 

Abitrary

New Member
Noodley said:
BTFB, it appears this is may be an on-going saga which I have not been party to, but can I ask why you think you need a shorter stem?

It's written, or inscribed on the stem, but he is upside down and can't see it
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
I am not sur eif it is the answer, but I thought i'd try one out. The reason is that I am forever messing with my settings on rides and one day it seems great then the next it doesnt. I hav egot the saddle and height right now I feel (after 2500miles !!)...but no matter what setting i have I still feel excessive pressure on my hands when i ride on the bars. It is not crippleing...but I have this feeling that if the bar was about 1cm closer to me I would not have the hand pressure . I treid tilting the bars up (and even down), i removed spacers and re placed spacers, I moved the saddle to every position under the sun but i still have this pressure on my hands leaning forward. At the moment the saddle is as far back as I can get it and level (I used a spirit level), I have had it further forward but it made no difference.

At the end of the day it may be that what i am feeling is normal and I will need to accept it. It isnt so bad that i cant ride...but it's just niggling me and I think I may be able to improove things. I want to ge tit so that my position on the bars and the hoods is such that i have no pressure on my hands or lower back.
 

Noodley

Guest
Have you tried flipping the stem over? If it sits flat at present then flipping it over should give you a slight angle upwards which may solve the problem without any additional cost.
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
Have you tried flipping the stem over? If it sits flat at present then flipping it over should give you a slight angle upwards which may solve the problem without any additional cost

I hadn't thought about that, thanks.
will that bring the bar closer?...I will try it tomorrow:becool::biggrin:
 
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