Shorter stem?

chrispsmith83
chrispsmith83 Posts: 67
edited February 2013 in Road buying advice
I have just recently today in fact taken delivery of a canyon ultimate AL and have a quick question. I am 6ft 3 have a very log instem, short torso but long reach. I went for an XL frame 60cm and the hight of the frame and seat post are the perfect fit but i am a little over stretched on the reach.

the bike came with a 110mm stem and I reckon if I got a 90mm stem the fit would be perfect. Has anyone had experience of this? Im worried of going through the hassle of returning the bike for the next frame size down will result in the seat tube being too small.

Have i just answered my own question?

Comments

  • Mike39496
    Mike39496 Posts: 414
    chrispsmith83 wrote:
    I have just recently today in fact taken delivery of a canyon ultimate AL and have a quick question. I am 6ft 3 have a very log instem, short torso but long reach. I went for an XL frame 60cm and the hight of the frame and seat post are the perfect fit but i am a little over stretched on the reach.

    the bike came with a 110mm stem and I reckon if I got a 90mm stem the fit would be perfect. Has anyone had experience of this? Im worried of going through the hassle of returning the bike for the next frame size down will result in the seat tube being too small.

    Have i just answered my own question?

    Put on a 90mm stem and give it a whirl? I have a white Ritchey one knocking around I can send you for £10 posted if you needed one.

    Easier than trying to return the bike - I have this issue too but I have a 57cm TT and i'm 6' with a 35" inside leg so yours should be about right.

    Mike
  • displacedaussie
    displacedaussie Posts: 356
    Mike39496 wrote:
    Put on a 90mm stem and give it a whirl? I have a white Ritchey one knocking around I can send you for £10 posted if you needed one.

    fyi, the Canyon has a 1 1/4" steerer instead of the usual 1 1/8", so a "normal" Ritchey stem won't work.

    I don't know if anywhere stocks them yet.

    http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=568038
  • chrispsmith83
    chrispsmith83 Posts: 67
    When you say won't work, it wont fit?
  • displacedaussie
    displacedaussie Posts: 356
    Correct. You need a 1 1/4 stem.

    Canyon will swap it for a shorter stem for a nominal charge I think. A few other brands make them this size but I'm not sure who. Wiggle will hopefully start stocking the Ritchey ones soon.
  • chrispsmith83
    chrispsmith83 Posts: 67
    Thanks mate, il drop them an email. I had a look online and I didn't find any. if anyone knows of a 90mm 1 1/4 stem out there please let me know
  • YIMan
    YIMan Posts: 576
    Yes, I have it on all my bikes. 6'4", long legs, I guess relatively shorter torso...lack of flexibility.....all my bikes have felt too stretched out....and therefore too much load on my arms...out of the box. Shorter stem and more upright position sorts it for me.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Whereabouts are you? I have a spare 90mm if you want to borrow it.

    I could probably do food afterwards as well. And index the gears.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    ShutUpLegs wrote:
    Whereabouts are you? I have a spare 90mm if you want to borrow it.

    I could probably do food afterwards as well. And index the gears.

    Enough already....you are starting to worry me now :lol:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    I felt my stem was a bit long when I first got my road bike, also a 110mm, but L frame. I flipped it to raise it a touch and it made all the difference. However I was not convinced so got a cheap 90mm ebay stem and immediately felt squashed up on it, but i was glad I tried it. I reverted to the original flipped stem and 1000 miles later it feels great. You may get used to the different position on the bike after a few weekends but its not a big outlay to investigate. You can always switch back again.
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    smidsy wrote:
    ShutUpLegs wrote:
    Whereabouts are you? I have a spare 90mm if you want to borrow it.

    I could probably do food afterwards as well. And index the gears.

    Enough already....you are starting to worry me now :lol:

    Now, Now Smidsy - Just because SUL is fluttering his eyes at another you don't have to become jealous :lol:
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    Sprool wrote:
    I felt my stem was a bit long when I first got my road bike, also a 110mm, but L frame. I flipped it to raise it a touch and it made all the difference. However I was not convinced so got a cheap 90mm ebay stem and immediately felt squashed up on it, but i was glad I tried it. I reverted to the original flipped stem and 1000 miles later it feels great. You may get used to the different position on the bike after a few weekends but its not a big outlay to investigate. You can always switch back again.

    If flipping the stem reduces the saddle to bar drop it reduces the reach to the bars so this may work for the op.
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    Sounds like you've bought a size to big. Send it back and a get the 58.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    styxd wrote:
    Sounds like you've bought a size to big. Send it back and a get the 58.

    I'm similarly disproportioned to the OP (and use a 90mm stem!) and I don't think you can assume that the OP has bought a frame too big. If you go a smaller size, you end up with a tiny short head tube. That said, I choose my bikes for having tall headtubes in the first place - no idea if Canyons are like that.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    I'm 190cm with a 90cm inside leg (so similar proportions?)

    I did try an XL bike with a 90mm stem and it handled poorly, I went down a size and used a 120mm stem and it is much better.
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    I also did the 120 to 90, as I found when on the hoods I was resting that few cm behind them, now with a 90 my hands sit bang on the hoods.
  • jonny_trousers
    jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
    Bikes look sexier with longer stems.
  • chrispsmith83
    chrispsmith83 Posts: 67
    thanks guys, yeah Im a bit unsure what to do, in my head im thinking am i on a frame that is too large, should I go down a size but them the head tube will be smaller etc.

    Here is a picture like it is right now. Please bare in mind my back is like a wooden ruler so im not as flexable as most.

    Excuse the wookie in the background.

    let me know your thoughts...

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/93440760@N ... hotostream
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Nice looking bike - a shorter stem may help you rotate the bars down a bit too.

    Complete Pain in the Ass though, that they're using 1 1/4 steeres - I never knew that. A shame, as it seriously limits your choice of replacement stems.

    As others have said it's easy to pick up a variety of cheap stems of different lengths and angles and experiment with your position. (If you have a 1 1/8 steerer!)
  • chrispsmith83
    chrispsmith83 Posts: 67
    Rolf F wrote:
    styxd wrote:
    Sounds like you've bought a size to big. Send it back and a get the 58.

    I'm similarly disproportioned to the OP (and use a 90mm stem!) and I don't think you can assume that the OP has bought a frame too big. If you go a smaller size, you end up with a tiny short head tube. That said, I choose my bikes for having tall headtubes in the first place - no idea if Canyons are like that.

    Yeah the smaller frame has a much smaller head tube 2cm smaller in fact so I would have to rase the seat and don't think i would gain much as one side goes up another goes down. I reckon it's the reach i few cm down the hadlebars and i feel comfortable so I think a 90mm stem may fix it. It's just a shame that they are imposible to try due to 1 1/4 steerer.
  • displacedaussie
    displacedaussie Posts: 356
    I think you chose the right frame size. :)

    The distributor now lists the Ritchey stems, we just need stores to start selling them:

    http://www.paligap.cc/Ritchey-WCS-4-Axis-44-Stem-(1.1-4)_5035_p

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