Stem length help.

Cr3do

Hello all,

Im going to order a new stem, but Im not sure weather to get the 60mm or 80mm?

My current handlebar is 600mm, and Im changing it for a 710mm bar. My current stem feels about 20mm to long, so I think 80mm with my current bar, but once I change to the 710mm bar, would I be better off getting the 60mm stem, due to the longer bar?

Thanks for the help!

paul20v

You have answered your own question really
And too be honest only you know how your bike feels .

delcol

it's all down to personal choice.. like paul said you know how your rides/feels..

i could sit here telling you that a 730mm bar with a 50mm stem is the best combo as i have it on my bike or the 710mm and 50mm stem combo on my hardtail is best, not to mention the 750mm and 45mm stem i had on my dh bike. then someone will tell you their 100mm stem with 670 bar combo is best..

i guess it depends on you and what you ride... as i have my bikes set up for different types of riding, hence the different cockpits.

.blitz

As above stem length/handlebar width is very much a matter of personal preference but as a rule of thumb a shorter stem will make you sit more upright and wider bars will make you lean forward more.

The idea behind the short stem/wide bar combo is to make the steering feel more responsive whilst maintaining your riding position. Whatever combination you choose ensure that your arms are not locked out and that you can still move around on the bike.

A 20mm change in stem length is not a huge difference but it will be noticeable.

chez_m356

Cr3do wrote:

Hello all,

Im going to order a new stem, but Im not sure weather to get the 60mm or 80mm?

My current handlebar is 600mm, and Im changing it for a 710mm bar. My current stem feels about 20mm to long, so I think 80mm with my current bar, but once I change to the 710mm bar, would I be better off getting the 60mm stem, due to the longer bar?

Thanks for the help!

why not just try your existing one with the bigger bars first ? are the bigger bars a different rise/sweep etc, all these things can make a difference to the feel

Cr3do

The new bars are the same rise and sweep as my others, just longer......

blister pus

Always remember it's not worth changing anything till you know why you're changing it.

Example.

You decide 600mm bars are too cramped and don't feel right. Solution. Get wider bars.

So get the new bars, put them on and see if it feels right or not. If not, determine what you want and go from there. If you still feel the stem is 20 cm too long then order the shorter stem. But don't make a snap decision, ride around and live with it a week or so, you'll find you make better long term decisions.

Cr3do

blister pus wrote:

Always remember it's not worth changing anything till you know why you're changing it.

Example.

You decide 600mm bars are too cramped and don't feel right. Solution. Get wider bars.

So get the new bars, put them on and see if it feels right or not. If not, determine what you want and go from there. If you still feel the stem is 20 cm too long then order the shorter stem. But don't make a snap decision, ride around and live with it a week or so, you'll find you make better long term decisions.

Thanks mate, great advice!

abooth2909

I wanted wider bars for all the handling benefits and from reading around assumed I would need a shorter stem too. I went from a 685mm bar with 90mm stem to 760mm bar with 60mm stem... It want good!!

The bike felt very sketchy (best way I can describe it) and didn't inspire confidence at all. Felt like I was going over the bars a few times too!

After experimenting, I cut the bars down to 710mm and put the old stem on... Perfect!! Felt better than the original set up and much better than my first attempt...

I'd agree with the comments above and try the bars first. You may find the old stem suits your new bars better.

chez_m356

similarly, have a 680 mid rise on my HT, my FS came with 685 low rise, both use a 90mm stem, mid rise seems to suit me better so thought id up the rise and length on the FS to 711 mid rise, feels a 100% better to me now