Advice needed on stems plz

Zx7rSteve

I recently purchased the Scott Scale 960, I really like the bike but find it hard work/slow response steering, would reducing the stem length help? I also have my arms fully stretched most of the ride.

cooldad

Reducing from what?

Giraffoto

In my limited experience it's been getting a wider handlebar that makes steering easier, which in turn often needs a shorter stem. And having tried both wide and narrow, I'm fairly sure that getting the width right is more than a matter of wider = better

paul.skibum

Scott Scale is an XC race bike with a stretched forward position that goes with that style of bike. You dont say which model or what you have on there currently but looks to me like Scales come with a negative rise stem. I also assume you have a 900 model.

Start of by trying flipping the stem - should put you more upright and reduce the stretch a little.

If you are still unhappy you could consider a shorter stem AND wider bars - looks like you have 700mm wide bars currently and I am guessing a 90-100mm stem - you could try 750 and 60-70mm but you could also end up spending a fortune tinkering.

Tell us model of bike, size, your height and roughly whether you have long limbs or a long body in proportion to height.