Stem - Up or Down?

markdavidhill
markdavidhill Posts: 279
edited November 2012 in Workshop
Is your stem angled up or inverted?

And why?

Just for info.

Thank you.
Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,583
    the point is to get the bars at the correct height, whether that means having the stem angle up or down is just a side effect

    sometimes flipping the stem allows getting the correct height, sometimes it needs a stem with a different angle
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • chrisaonabike
    chrisaonabike Posts: 1,914
    I think I may need to raise my handlebars somehow, since I'm still getting a bit of neck ache at the end of rides.

    Flipping the stem will be the first stage - but somehow I'm really not liking the idea of it not being parallel to the top tube - I know, I know, OCD etc...

    It's a Giant Defy 3 Composite - please could someon explain what my options are for getting the bars higher, since the headset doesn't appear to have any spacers above stem.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • markdavidhill
    markdavidhill Posts: 279
    The reason I ask is because I want to reduce the number of spacers, which are currently at 35mm. If I flip the stem I can lose 17mm of spacers. However, I prefer the look of a stem that lies flatter. It is an alloy steerer and can easily take that number of spacers. I have tried riding the bike with a 15mm spacer removed which stiffened the feel but was a too greater drop, which is already sporty. I have decided to flip the stem which enables the removal of the spacer without the discomfort but leaves me with a 'poke up' stem. Way it goes.
    Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,583
    ChrisAOnABike wrote:
    I think I may need to raise my handlebars somehow, since I'm still getting a bit of neck ache at the end of rides.

    Flipping the stem will be the first stage - but somehow I'm really not liking the idea of it not being parallel to the top tube - I know, I know, OCD etc...

    It's a Giant Defy 3 Composite - please could someon explain what my options are for getting the bars higher, since the headset doesn't appear to have any spacers above stem.

    if there's no room for extra spacers, you can flip the stem, or fit a stem with a greater angle

    before doing too much, might be worth getting a bikefit, or at least checking set-up with one of the many online guides, aches and pains can be caused by riding style/habits as well as bike set-up, for instance tensing up, or putting too much weight on the arms, doing some off-bike back/neck exercises might help
    markdavidhill wrote:
    The reason I ask is because I want to reduce the number of spacers, which are currently at 35mm. If I flip the stem I can lose 17mm of spacers. However, I prefer the look of a stem that lies flatter. It is an alloy steerer and can easily take that number of spacers. I have tried riding the bike with a 15mm spacer removed which stiffened the feel but was a too greater drop, which is already sporty. I have decided to flip the stem which enables the removal of the spacer without the discomfort but leaves me with a 'poke up' stem. Way it goes.

    within the range of spacers you might be able to fit a flatter stem, but really you should have the bars at the correct physical location, irrespective of style considerations, again, i'd consider a bike fit or set-up check first to assess what, if anything needs changing, maybe it's the reach that's the issue rather than the height
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • markdavidhill
    markdavidhill Posts: 279
    The brief is to remove spacers. My bars are at the correct height. They are perfect. I have had a Retul fit but I felt it was a waste of time as it does note take into consideration the flexibility of the rider. I am going to maintain the existing bar height by flipping the stem and removing some spacers (one countering the other) which will increase the stiffness of the bike.
    Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,583
    if you take out 15mm spacers and flip the stem, you'll change the position of the bars unless the stem angle happens to be just right (with a 110mm stem lowered 15mm it'd need to be 3.9 degrees to put the bars in the same place when flipped)

    how much difference depends on length and angle, there's a calculator here that you can use to see what the effect is...

    http://www.brightspoke.com/t/bike-stem-calculator.html
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • markdavidhill
    markdavidhill Posts: 279
    That's a good calculator. It suggests my action would eradicate 20mm of spacers on a 100mm, 6 degree stem on the Lynskey without changing the bar position, simply by inverting.
    Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio
  • gloomyandy
    gloomyandy Posts: 520
    Interesting topic. Those calculators show that with my stem flipped I could remove the 20mm of spaces under it and thus run a slammed stem with exactly (to a fraction of a mm) the same position. Would this be a good thing to do from a bike handling point of view? Would the style police give me more points for being slammed than they will take away for being flipped (6 degree stem, so nothing ridiculous)...

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