Stem advice for oversize bike

tgotb

I'm currently riding around on a 20 yr old Cannondale (which I bought second hand, many moons ago) but which is really too large for me. Very nice chaps in my LBS (Bicycle in Richmond)helped set it up for me a couple of years ago, but it really is a bit big, and since I've started using it for commuting I can feel that it's too long, and is forcing me to stretch way forward to reach the brakes.

I assume I can fit a shorter stem; Wiggle do an adaptor to allow me to replace my quill stem with a modern one. But if I do this, will I encounter other problems? What will be the effect on the handling?

How do I go about choosing stems? Should I just buy the shortest one I can find?

I'd love to get a new bike instead, but just don't have the budget (and the Cannondale, having not had a lot of use over its life, is still in excellent nick...)

flicksta

I had the self same problem on my Giant TCR. Succumbed to the offer on the table and bought a large frame, even though I am only 5'8". Suffered with it for a while and it was pretty uncomfortable given I was hoping for a really nice ride.

So, I swapped out the 130mm Deda Big Logo stem for a 100mm Ritchey one. I'd read that the handling would change, you are pulling the bars back away from the axle after all. However, I only dropped 30mm off the overall length.

The difference was significant for me, the comfort increased a great degree. There are shorter stems, but that was enough in the first instance. The handling was hard to notice, since I had almost given up riding on the hoods or the drops and only really rode one the tops, so handling at speed on drops or hoods was already an unwelcome experience for me. Handling is fine, the bike rides so much better for me these days.

downwardslide

I swapped mine out for the same reason, going from 110 to 90mm. It's made a huge difference to the comfort of the bike. My advice, as with any adjustment, would be not to go for too big a change in one go, you can get a stem for as little as £10 so it's not prohibitively expensive to experiment a bit.
I didn't notice any difference in handling. It's also worth mentioning that I flipped the stem at the same time.

Rich158

it will affect handling. I've always found that a shorter stem quickens up the stearing and makes the bike feel slightly more twitchy. How much this affects the Dale will depend upon your current stem length. In reality I've always found the diffenrence between say 50 & 30mm minimal, going from 120mm down to 50mm or so has a more dramatic affect.

lost_in_thought

I got a 90mm stem, I was reliably informed that a stem much shorter than that would adversely affect the steering.

Also, if you go from quill to the other kind (aheadset?) you can bring the bars up towards you by buying a stem with a greater angle from horizontal and putting it on so it angles upwards rather than downwards.

Another good option is to look at drops with a shorter reach, for example FSA Omega compact bars - so when they curve forward they don't go forward very far. Does that make sense?

Saying that, how much too big for you is it? I ask because I was riding around for some time on a 58cm bike with a 120mm quill stem that I couldn't get off it, where I ought to be on a 52/53cm frame with a 100mm stem, and following the good advice on here gave up and sold it - you can only make a big bike so much smaller.

markp2

Does the length of stem make that much difference? The average hybrid has an adjustable stem which can move up and down through a wide arc. At its maximum height, the effective length of stem would only be about 20mm and I see plenty of people riding with them in this setting.

rolf_f

lost_in_thought wrote:

I got a 90mm stem, I was reliably informed that a stem much shorter than that would adversely affect the steering.

Also, if you go from quill to the other kind (aheadset?) you can bring the bars up towards you by buying a stem with a greater angle from horizontal and putting it on so it angles upwards rather than downwards.

Don't think that would help - with the quill, you can raise the bar to any height you want (which duplicates a low headset and upward tilted aheadset stem) so ultimately, the limit remains how short you can get the stem without affecting the handling too much.

You can, assuming you are on drops, get compact drops that have much smaller forward curve so, although the bar top position is the same, the hoods and drops would be easier to reach. They have been selling them by the crate load at Epic Cycles.

tgotb

Thanks for the advice guys. Have just ordered a 4cm shorter stem, and a set of these...

tgotb

Thanks again for all the advice. Fitted the new stem and bars last night. Still fiddling around with the angles, brake position etc. but it's already a thousand times more comfortable than before...

Also fitted a rack and pannier, partly because I don't like rucksacks, but mostly for the FCN adjustment :-)

oscarbudgie

I reduced the stem on my Cannondale from a 100 to 90 - more comfortable and didn't really notice any difference to the handling although maybe its now slightly harder to ride hands free.

tgotb

oscarbudgie wrote:

I reduced the stem on my Cannondale from a 100 to 90 - more comfortable and didn't really notice any difference to the handling although maybe its now slightly harder to ride hands free.

Why would the stem length make a difference when your hands are not on the handlebars? I assume your bars aren't made of lead...