Is anybody here using an 80mm stem ?

Sunderland Supporter

If you HAVE to use a 80mm stem to get comfy ,then I think you have a bike which is too big for you......thats what I believe. I think Im falling into this category myself :oops:

Im 5 ft8 and Im not into racing, I just really enjoy racking up the miles at a good quick average mph. I thought a 54cm frame was my size as all the charts agreed it would be. With hindsight, I think a size 52 frame with top tube around 530mm - 535mm would have suited me better . My bike has a 100mm stem and Im really finding it to be an exertion to use ,my neck muscles are bearing the brunt. Id love a good bend at the elbows ,using the 100mm stem my arms have a soft bend, but id like more. I really wish to take the pressure off my neck ......especially climbing hills when on the hoods. Ive taken to when it starts to rise , Im grabbing the top of the handlebars and pulling against them as I pedal.

Is it un-usual for a 5 ft8 guy to ride a 52cm frame ? At least if its short then a 110mm stem should balance things out. I do not want to ride sit up and beg style, but I really do need a less aggressive and more comfortable riding position for my necks` sake. An 80mm stem will lessen the reach and hopefully add some comfort, does anybody else require a shorter stem for comforts sake ? Im looking into buying a smaller bike than a 54cm type for the summer.

Monty Dog

As you have correctly observed, getting your position right is critical to comfort, and whilst there are some generally accepted 'norms' for bike fit, they aren't hard and fast rules because each rider is different, particularly in terms of flexibility and ability to hold their position on the bike. Likewise, regularly changing your position on the bike helps a lot with comfort as it alleviates strain on key muscle groups - that's why road bike handlebars have so many positions. In terms of a 52cm frame being OK for your height, whilst you're at the top of the size envelope, provided you can get comfortable and your knees don't hit the handlebars and you haven't got an excessive stack of spacers under the stem then there's no reason why not. FWIW I run both 70 and 80mm stems on CX bikes - but I have a lot of seatpost layback to keep my weight back for backwheel grip whereas for road use, your really want to keep your weight 'centred' to optimise handling and tyre grip.

pilot_pete

I do. 56cm frame, I'm 5'11.5" with 34" inside leg. Perhaps a 55cm frame would have been better, but I have what I have and need something in that range for he handlebar drop (shop sold me a 53cm which was ridiculously small and needed 5cm of spacers!) however after a bike fit the shop swapped the frame for the 56.

It's a Pinarello, which in a 56 came with a 130mm stem, which was just way, way to long for me. So I guess top tube is longer than some other frames, which added to a 130mm stem made it very uncomfortable. I suspect I am not as supple as a twenty something, so this race orientated geometry needed a much shorter stem. I find the 80cm spot on, giving me comfort, within my measurement range from the fit, with only one 10mm spacer below the bars for the correct drop. Handling is fine too.

PP

itsnotarace

An 80mm stem will quicken the steering up which may leave it a bit twitchy, just something to be aware of.

FWIW I'm the same height and I ride a 52cm with 100mm stem and slightly setback seatpost

mattshrops

We are all different shapes pilotpete above is 5ft11.5 with 34" legs. I am 6ft with 32" legs. not many of us fit perfectly onto a std. frame. Especially when your height falls on the in-between sizes, you have to find which one works best for you. Smaller frame might mean a higher seat and therefore a more extreme aggressive position.
Also can depend on your frame -sportive -relaxed geometry, racing -aggressive geometry.
I personally dont think 80mm stem is overly short.
There is no right or wrong answer, your lbs should help you try different sizes, stem lengths etc.Oh nearly forgot dont know if youre aware you can also flip your stem over which raises the bars just a little and might make your position more comfy-worth a try before spending on a new stem.
Take your bike and get some advice-If you feel that youre not getting good advice(ie sales based advice) go elsewhere. If an lbs wants to survive in the age of the internet they have to give exceptional service.

ShutUpLegs

I've got a Canyon, the 50 & 52 come with 80mm stems and the 54 with a 90.

Sunderland Supporter

itsnotarace wrote:

An 80mm stem will quicken the steering up which may leave it a bit twitchy, just something to be aware of.

FWIW I'm the same height and I ride a 52cm with 100mm stem and slightly setback seatpost

what is your top tube length ?

Sunderland Supporter

How well suited to 5 ft8 with 30 inch inner leg do think a 53cm frame with 530mm top tube is. Is there a risk of banging knees off handlebars , overly high and even more aggressive saddle position and a whole lot of spacers.........or could the 53cm fit very nicely indeed ?

rake

you shouldnt have too many problems. for instance im 4 inches taller than you with 4 inch longer leg, thats a pain because i probably have no more reach than you but the seat is higher and further back. sounds like sportive geometry is best if you want to relax more, the bars are higher.i too would probably get on better on a sportive and still be able to have an aggressive position but its too late now.

Sunderland Supporter

Because the 100mm stem with 6 deg rise pushes the bars into too aggressive a position for me, Im going to take a look at a 90mm stem with 10 deg rise. I think that specification will introduce somemuch needed relief. If I keep riding with 100mm / 6 deg rise , my neck is not going to thank me. I also agree that 80mm might be a bit twitchy at the front end and hope the 90mm stem will be a good compromise.

lovestheclimb

Hi,
I am around the same leg as you but inch and a half taller with fairly normal length arms.
I ride a 52cm Tarmac with 120mm stem, gives a good position on the bike and the bike is alot easier to move around.
what bike do you have?
i have the stem slammed as well btw, if you can try a smaller bike and do the same route you usually do i'd do it and see the differences

Sunderland Supporter

"stem slammed"............. :?:

Mad Roadie

yep - I have 80 and 90mm stems, depends on the bike and how long and fast i intend riding for

CYCLESPORT1

I had a "made to measure" steel frame some years ago, that was a 52cm (c to t), I used a 10cm stem and it was spot on, by the way I am a shorty - 5ft-4in !

styxd

try some short reach compact bars like deda zero 100's. 75mm reahc i think which will bring your hands a bit further towards you.

itsnotarace

Sunderland Supporter wrote:

itsnotarace wrote:

An 80mm stem will quicken the steering up which may leave it a bit twitchy, just something to be aware of.

FWIW I'm the same height and I ride a 52cm with 100mm stem and slightly setback seatpost

what is your top tube length ?

535mm

themekon

At 5' 8" tall with a 30" inside leg you must be quite long in the upper body so I would think a 535mm top tube with 80mm stem would be too short. I am 5' 6"with a29" inside leg and run a top tube of 540 and I comfortably run a 120mm stem. Ye olde rule of thumb which is surprisingly accurate is to rest the back of your upper arm against your saddle nose and reach to the stem then place the 4 fingers of your other hand against that cross ways and the little finger should be in the middle of the bars. Another way to judge reach is when you are on the drops look towards the front wheel axle and you should not be able to see it.

MichaelW

I am 5'10 and use an 80mm stem on my Audax style road bike.
80mm doesnt affect the steering to any noticable degree.
These days, bars come in so many shapes and brake hoods are longer than in days of old, when the "cant see the front hub" rule of thumb was originally used. I dont use any rule of thumb for bar position except Do I Like It.

Sunderland Supporter

what size frame is your audax bike ?

MichaelW

Audax bike is med size with a top tube of 54 cm

Bozman

themekon wrote:

At 5' 8" tall with a 30" inside leg you must be quite long in the upper body so I would think a 535mm top tube with 80mm stem would be too short. I am 5' 6"with a29" inside leg and run a top tube of 540 and I comfortably run a 120mm stem. Ye olde rule of thumb which is surprisingly accurate is to rest the back of your upper arm against your saddle nose and reach to the stem then place the 4 fingers of your other hand against that cross ways and the little finger should be in the middle of the bars. Another way to judge reach is when you are on the drops look towards the front wheel axle and you should not be able to see it.

We're all different shapes and sizes, as this subject shows, all roughly the same height but vastly different takes on frame/stem size.
I'm nearly 5'10" ,31.5 inside leg. A 53/54 top tube with a 100mm stem, is roughly spot on, I've tried a 55 but i felt over-stretched. If you go by on-line sizing, Evans for example have me on a 56, you'd have to put me on a rack for that but when I got fitted properly I was 53/54 TT, hence one bike 53TT and the other 53.7.

Sunderland Supporter

Boz

One point that was raised was if I purchased a 53cm frame with 530mm top tube ,there was a possibility of the bike having a mile high saddle leading to an aggressive position that I dont want and about a zillion spacers under the handlebars. With your height ,how are the saddle position and number of spacers required seeing as you are riding 53/54cm frame ? Im 2 inches shorter than you and guessing 52/53cm would be ok for me, comfort is high on the list and I dont want an aggressive riding position.

rolf_f

Tall short bikes are thin on the ground. I need such bikes - I have a Look 585 Optimum (expensive and no longer in production though the frames can be found) and a Ribble Gran Fondo (almost the same geometry). I also found a pretty good fit with a Scott CR1 but not much else.

Those are bikes worth looking at and they'll probably fit better than most. I do use 90mm stems and compact bars with Campag (shorter hoods) to keep everything within reach. Even then my legs get very close to the bars when out of the saddle but long legs and short bodies will never give the perfect cycle fit.

Bozman

Sunderland Supporter wrote:

Boz

One point that was raised was if I purchased a 53cm frame with 530mm top tube ,there was a possibility of the bike having a mile high saddle leading to an aggressive position that I dont want and about a zillion spacers under the handlebars. With your height ,how are the saddle position and number of spacers required seeing as you are riding 53/54cm frame ? Im 2 inches shorter than you and guessing 52/53cm would be ok for me, comfort is high on the list and I dont want an aggressive riding position.

That'll be down to what frame you buy because the geometry will be different, i've got a Look 585 with a 53TT and that has a fairly relaxed riding position but the Focus(53.7TT) has a more aggressive riding position because it has a shorter headtube. One spacer on both, the saddles aren't that high(6.5" on the Look with a slightly sloping TT), my knees have never hit the bars and i've had the Look near-on 4 yrs.

If you are thinking of changing, just pop in to a shop, make out that you're thinking of buying and see if you can get a test ride on a 52/53.

Sunderland Supporter

Rolf F wrote:

Tall short bikes are thin on the ground. I need such bikes - I have a Look 585 Optimum (expensive and no longer in production though the frames can be found) and a Ribble Gran Fondo (almost the same geometry). I also found a pretty good fit with a Scott CR1 but not much else.

Those are bikes worth looking at and they'll probably fit better than most. I do use 90mm stems and compact bars with Campag (shorter hoods) to keep everything within reach. Even then my legs get very close to the bars when out of the saddle but long legs and short bodies will never give the perfect cycle fit.

I wasnt aware that hoods came in different sizes, Ive got FSA omega compact handlebars with Shimano Sora shifters, would a shorter campy hood fit on those and do you have any links to research them ?

rolf_f

Sunderland Supporter wrote:

I wasnt aware that hoods came in different sizes, Ive got FSA omega compact handlebars with Shimano Sora shifters, would a shorter campy hood fit on those and do you have any links to research them ?

Just look at pics of the different levers side on. Campag are shortest, then SRAM and Shimano are about a mile from the bars. Shimano did use to do some smaller levers (Leedsmjh on here uses them as she has stubby digits!) but they stopped doing them. Whether they can be found NOS I don't know.

Sunderland Supporter

You are so right about the Shimano`s, they do seem to be very long. On tonights telly John Bishop was on a roadbike with Sram shifters and they looked so much smaller than Shimano type, there definitely did not appear to be anything like the reach out requirement with them.