Quantcast

EndurBrah's, why the shorter stems?

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,472
UK
@kidwoo
I know there's a difference.
I know fine well how stem/bike length affects handling.

I switch between differently sized/set-up bikes many times a day (work and play) but I'm lucky enough to have adjustable pivots all over my body and a device in my head to quickly calibrate balance for each of those bikes.

like everyone thinks,
er,,, nah!
 
Last edited:

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
What's it for then? My trail bike started off with a 70mm stem. In trying to keep up with the Jonses, I put a 50mm stem on my trail bike, and found it hard to weight the front properly when climbing (it would wander up), and would wash out when cornering (I'm not sure if washout is the technical term, but the front wheel would push off to the outside of the turn, unless my body was really far forward, my belly almost touching the stem - which is a shitty way to ride fast on rough terrain). so I put a 60mm stem, and found the sweet spot.

Granted, this is a 2013 Ibis, which a really short, but I'm not ready to drop the coin to get a whole new bike at the moment. Now, if the industry had left good enough alone and not introduced new standards and new wheel sizes, I would probably be on a new frame already.
You're being anti-Porter! Stop stopping the progression of the progressive geometry! Dentists all over the world will come after you with pitchforks and dental picks!
 

Muddy

ancient crusty bog dude
Jul 7, 2013
2,032
907
Free Soda Refills at Fuddruckers
Had a glance at the components section of some BMX retail sites after reading this yesterday. After nearly 30 years since riding and racing only 3 stem sizes; 48- 50- and 53mm that's nearly it still today and, having 6" or 8" tall handlebars does have enormous tailoring abilities - but for MTB there are far too many critical-components being produced as in: stems.
I agree with kidwoo where a stem is a handling component first, who cares if there is a decent fitting control factor if the bike whiskey throttles when pedalling through turns?

EC needs to distance baseline fit from advertised suggested sizing. Proportions of an individual do factor themselves. I remember being told a KHS/Transition shared frame 10 years ago was my size. Besides looking and feeling like a MooseGoose BMX frame from Mongoose - there was no maneuverability to be had, all long legs and ape-indexed arm span.

If you'd had a solid ride with 50- 60mm stem then adapt a new frame to this somewhat critical component. Otherwise it is a numbers game with little concern for rigidity being applied.

Sent from iJim
Using Diary of a Madman
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,032
5,923
borcester rhymes
What's it for then? My trail bike started off with a 70mm stem. In trying to keep up with the Jonses, I put a 50mm stem on my trail bike, and found it hard to weight the front properly when climbing (it would wander up), and would wash out when cornering (I'm not sure if washout is the technical term, but the front wheel would push off to the outside of the turn, unless my body was really far forward, my belly almost touching the stem - which is a shitty way to ride fast on rough terrain). so I put a 60mm stem, and found the sweet spot.

Granted, this is a 2013 Ibis, which a really short, but I'm not ready to drop the coin to get a whole new bike at the moment. Now, if the industry had left good enough alone and not introduced new standards and new wheel sizes, I would probably be on a new frame already.
this is why steep seat angles are a thing. slack seat angles and a slack head angle/long reach combo make for crappy climbing. with a seat that positions you in the middle, where you need to be, you feel planted and there's no wander.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
@kidwoo
I know there's a difference.
I know fine well how stem/bike length affects handling.

I switch between differently sized/set-up bikes many times a day (work and play) but I'm lucky enough to have adjustable pivots all over my body and a device in my head to quickly calibrate balance for each of those bikes.


er,,, nah!

I wasn't suggesting that you don't come equipped with all the inherent evolutionary adaptability of your species. It's probably your biggest asset.

What I was saying is that 10mm IS significant. But in handling, not in achieving 'reach(all praise its holy name)'
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
@Udi- This isn't an argument, just my opinion... But what you're saying that a stem should be a fixed length without options even though there's generally 4 frame sizes available (s, m, l, xl)? Just go with me a minute. I'm 5'-8" or 172.7. According to Giants website
For the record I just stated my opinion for my riding and my bikes (and I don't optimise anything for climbing except for seat position / height / angle, which is why like Sandwich I rate steep actual - not effective - SAs). You didn't mention when your knees were hitting the bars so shirk007 made a valid point in that no one really knows what your problem is.

Anyway, it sounds like you bought a bike that's slightly too small for you. It also sounds like Giant does not make a bike that fits you - that doesn't make them bad bikes (they're killer) - just the same as the Commencal V4 not fitting Monarch doesn't make that a bad bike (for the record he never said that either, just an example), it's actually pretty rad. I've avoided plenty of bikes I like because there was no fitting size.

If a longer stem makes you happy then do that, I think 55-60mm is OK, anything more makes the handling and steering a compromise for descending. I think the stem length has some relation to the trail measurement but not really a person's height - that's what bike sizing is for. Not everyone should be on 800mm bars either, I agree. If your shoulder width lets you run wider bars though, it can help make a smaller bike fit a little better with a positive twist on handling rather than the negative effects of a longer stem.

Anyway if you want someone to tell you that buying a bike that's slightly too small and putting a 70mm stem on it is the best solution, I'm not your guy. I think if you explored the Works headset option with a 50-60mm stem though you might have a good solution for a lot less than frame replacement cost.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,472
UK
What I was saying is that 10mm IS significant. But in handling,
and all I'm saying is it's NOT significant enough to have a hissy fit about your front wheel wandering on climbs, washing in every turn or complaining about where you have to put your belly. In reality quietly bending your elbows at a very slightly different angle and getting the fuck on with riding is all that's needed.
Seriously. I teach school kids basic mtb skills (manuals, wheelies, hops, weighting, turns. etc). I rarely grab the same bike from our work fleet, nevermind worry about its stem length. Hell they all have those stupid unridabru 650b wheels and unmanuallable 17"+ chainstays anyway.
;)
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
and all I'm saying is it's NOT significant enough to have a hissy fit about your front wheel wandering on climbs, washing in every turn or complaining about where you have to put your belly. In reality quietly bending your elbows at a very slightly different angle and getting the fuck on with riding is all that's needed.
Seriously. I teach school kids basic mtb skills (manuals, wheelies, hops, weighting, turns. etc). I rarely grab the same bike from our work fleet, nevermind worry about its stem length. Hell they all have those stupid unridabru 650b wheels and unmanuallable 17"+ chainstays anyway.
;)

Why does everyone confuse "the best setup" with "the only rideable setup?"


I bet you can get on a penny farthing too but that doesn't mean it can't be improved.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,472
UK
Point is. I wouldn't whine about riding a penny farthing. Quite the opposite.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
and all I'm saying is it's NOT significant enough to have a hissy fit about your front wheel wandering on climbs, washing in every turn or complaining about where you have to put your belly. In reality quietly bending your elbows at a very slightly different angle and getting the fuck on with riding is all that's needed
I run 50mm stems on 3 of the bikes in the garage but a recent aquisition came with a 40mm. No problem says I - and it hasn't really been an issue for climbs or weighing/reach. But in hard corners I keep feeling like the front end will tuck under me and picking my way through slow twisty sections it feels like it has slow-motion turning. It's no slacker than my other bikes really and the bar width and height is the same. 50mm stem on its way to make things all right with the universe again.

It's worth noting that manufacturers don't seem to have a calibrated way of measure length either. A 50mm thomson DH stem is longer than a 50mm Hope or Point1. Dunno if they measure from the middle or front or the steerer or something different.
 

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,993
716
@Udi and sandwich, The bike felt "tight" as soon as I threw a leg over it. The bar seemed like it was almost up against me. Riding it though, it felt fine. I decided to keep it. Riding on the East Coast Rox™ and making East Coast Turnz™ (90* turnz) it seems like the bar- mainly the shifter/brake clamp- loves to make contact with my East Coast Kneez™. That's why I'm going with a longer stem.
 
Last edited:

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
You're being anti-Porter! Stop stopping the progression of the progressive geometry! Dentists all over the world will come after you with pitchforks and dental picks!
Dentists are on whatever size those semi fat bikes (plus size?) are right now.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Make it crabon and they'll come in hordes. Even if it looks as fugly as a Nicolai. That's were zee Germanz and Finnish are failing.
Naah Nicolai is a brand for crazy engineers who love to pretend they are survivalists, wear cargo pants to sleep and are basically Gary on crack. Now to think of it I think he is just angry on Chris because there is no geometron version of Nicolai Lambda.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
PM sent. This is our ticket to the 1% club. And yes, I've already reached out to ENVE to see about making a carbon model (i.e. Carbra™).
Isn't this just a regular bra with pockets to store your multitool, CO2 cartridges, energy gels, weed, ...?
Specialized already has the model SWEAT in the pipeline featuring the new Boobst standard and using the B+ size, which is the right size between A and C and a little fatter than regular B.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,024
Sleazattle
I am just glad we all survived the era before super stable endurbro bikes came out.

Every ride I pour out a little monster energy on a super groomed berm for all my homies who didn't make it because of long stems, small wheels and high bottom brackets.
 
Last edited: