stem too short?

chatlow

Been told by a few people, including some guys from evans cycles and another shop that an 80 mm stem on my road bike is too small.

I am 5'9 but have a relatively shirt torso. Ride a 54cm Specialized Tarmac Sora 2014. Came with a 90mm stem but I have since moved the seat back a little bit. reach feels a little uncomfortable so wanting an 80 instead.

Thoughts on this?

pblakeney

Buying a shorter stem is cheaper than buying a smaller frame.

drlodge

If your body has odd dimensions then some kind of compromise may well be needed.
- Shorter stems make the steering twitchy, but your call whether you're comfortable or not
- May be a smaller frame would be better, but then you'll have large drop from saddle to bars.
- Most people in this situation would try and move their saddle forwards to compensate. I say not only do you not want to do that as saddle position is independent of where the bars are, but moving the saddle back moves your CofG rearwards and places less weight on your hands making the position more comfortable in theory.

rolf_f

It will take between 5 minutes and nothing to get used to an 80mm stem. Short stems don't really make the steering twitchy but otherwise I agree with the Dr above! If you are moving the saddle backwards, it needs to be because your legs want the saddle backwards.

foggymike

It's certainly shorter than normal but without seeing you on the bike no-one can really comment as we can't see what proportions you have are or what position you are in.

If you want a comparison I'm 5'10 with pretty average proportions and would need at a 120mm stem on a 54 Specialized (and it would still be borderline too short for me) but if you are less flexible and have quite significantly longer legs/shorter body proportionately then I guess it's not impossible it's correct. It's also possible the bike itself is not the best fit and a different brand or size could fit you better. Maybe post up a pic or two?

keef66

I'm of the longer legs / shorter torso variety and have 80mm stems on both my bikes.

One's a 51cm (with a long top tube) and as drlodge says that means a bigger saddle to bar drop, so the stem's flipped too.

The other bike's a 54 (with a short top tube) so the stem's horizontal.

All this means the contact points are virtually identical WRT the BB on both bikes.

You can go shorter than 80mm if neccessary, but it does start to look a bit odd if you go really stubby a la MTB

debeli

There's the old joke about a traveller asking the way to Dublin and the local man saying "If it's Dublin you want, you don't want to start from here".

There is a sniff of that old chestnut in your question, OP. You don't say why you moved the seat back, just that you did so.

Id separate the seat and the stem length. They are linked, but not in a totally logical way.

Set your seat height according to old and tested methods and then use a plum line from your knee cap to set the fore-aft adjustment of your saddle. Those two settings should be just about right and won't want to move much.

Thereon in, the stem length is pretty much down to what feels right. There is a smidgin of truth in shorter stems resulting in livelier steering, but the drop from 100 to 80 (or 90 to 80) will not make any discernible difference.

Do embrace also the variable of bar height. Sometimes a change of bar height with the same stem length makes a huge difference in 'feel'.

Be careful to adjust only a tiny-tiddly bit at a time and (if possible) to adjust one element at a time.

If the bike feels right, it probably is right. Don't be led too much by fashion. My daughter (5'3") rides a 48cm roadbike frame with a very stubby 50mm MTB stem. It costs her about 50 grammes in extra weight and absolutely no pleasure. Set it up as you like it.

Good luck and have fun!

darkhairedlord

I have an 80mm stem on my bike, it hasn't made it twitchy. I have actually never ridden it with a longer stem as I just moved it over with the rest of the bits when I bought my new frame which is the correct size with this stem. As per some of the above, saddle set back should be set to suit your legs then put the bars in the right place.

ForumNewbie

I've just put an 80mm stem on my carbon road bike, and it's a much better fit for me than the 100mm stem that was on, and no problems with steering.

I previously had a 100mm stem flipped upwards but it was still just a little too much of a stretch although the bars were higher. The 80mm feels much better and as the stem in the normal low position, the bike looks better and is more aero, but still feels a better fit for me even though it's a bigger drop to the bars.

Monty Dog

Most of the time you steer the bike by leaning - 1cm change in stem length amounts to less than 5mm at the hoods/drops - I doubt many would notice. I have 80mm stems on a couple of bikes - as long as your knees don't hit the bars when out the saddle, then it isn't really a problem.

Anonymous

I am not a fan of putting a short stem on a bike thats too big (not saying yours is) but feel its 100% correct to give it a try in your situation.
Why would you not try it at this point?
As above, sort your saddle position out first, and separately from bike length issue.

I think its wrong to say it will make the bike 'twitchy' but it will make it 'twitchier'. Important difference in terminology IMO.
If you notice it at all initially, you should quickly get used to it.

My wife has an 80mm stem on her 48cm bike (a lot of small frames come with them don't they?).
She now has narrower 38cm wide bars, so her steering should be super twitchy shouldn't it?
And being a smaller (less physically strong perhaps) rider she would notice it much more.

How wide are your bars? Are they the correct width for you? Bar width will affect twitchiness I would imagine.
It will certainly affect fit.

darkhairedlord

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19718208#p19718208]Carbonator[/url] wrote:

My wife has an 80mm stem on her 48cm bike (a lot of small frames come with them don't they?).
She now has narrower 38cm wide bars, so her steering should be super twitchy shouldn't it?

exactly, and combined with a shorter wheelbase you would expect all the smaller bikes to be found in a pile at the bottom of the first decent of the day. But they're not!

lesfirth

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19718275#p19718275]darkhairedlord[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19718208#p19718208]Carbonator[/url] wrote:

My wife has an 80mm stem on her 48cm bike (a lot of small frames come with them don't they?).
She now has narrower 38cm wide bars, so her steering should be super twitchy shouldn't it?

exactly, and combined with a shorter wheelbase you would expect all the smaller bikes to be found in a pile at the bottom of the first decent of the day. But they're not!

I have an 80mm stem on one bike and on another bike, with a shorter top tube, I have a 65mm stem. I do not find either twitchy. Has anyone ever had personal experience of twitchy bikes caused by short stems? I think a large majority of "opinions " are based on what the poster once read somewhere rather than sound knowledge.

iPete

My already twitchy track bike got noticeably twitchier as the stem went down 10mm at a time.
But after 2-3 rides you adapt and don't even notice.

antonyfromoz

I am also about 5'9" and usually fit a size 55/56 with a 90 mm stem so that sounds about right to me but there are many variables that impact on how well the frame fits you. I don't think you will have any issues with a 80mm stem but you haven't really said why you have been advised that the stem is too short - is it because they feel that a bike needs a longer stem or are you not stretched out enough in their opinion? is the reach feeling too long to the hoods or the drops now? One thing you might think about is if you would be better off with pair of handlebars with a shorter reach instead. It's a more expensive and fiddly thing to change than the stem but it might make the bike suit you better overall.

Wheel.Eyes

LOL I wouldn't worry about comments from Evans Cycles staff!

kajjal

If it is too small due to not being the right for you that is one thing. A stem is just one part that affects how a bike rides. Currently mountain bikes have wide bars and short stems. Go back twenty years the opposite was true. Just choose what works best for you.

pblakeney

If the people using it are happy then your stem is not too short, it is right for you.

robbo2011

I certainly noticed the steering was more twitchy when going from 120 to 100 mm. but after 5 mins you adapt and then it is perfectly normal again.

keezx

Steering angle and fork rake has far more infuence on the steering of a bike.

lakinlakin

Go for a shorter stem. I am the same height as you and use a 90 and some compact drops. Try working on general flexibility e.g. your hamstrings. May help with feeling stretched out on the bike (avoid stretching just before a workout).