Stem length

Mattyboii
Mattyboii Posts: 2
edited November 2017 in MTB buying advice
So I wanted wider bars for my bike and was looking at the brand x ones on chain reaction that are 740mm (my current are 660). I'm also currently running an 85mm stem but want to shorten that and I don't know how short to go, I was thinking 50mm but I feel like it will be too short? Any advice?

Comments

  • slc123
    slc123 Posts: 407
    I went from a 660 bars to 760 and from a 100mm stem to a 50mm stem and it hugely improved the handling on my bike. The overall setup suits me far better. The only consideration would be where you ride, some of the tight single track I do is a bugger with the wider bars and you've got to get the alignment bang on.

    My advice change one at a time to see what works for you and keep the old bars so you can put them back on if you ride somewhere tighter!
    Cannondale Trail 27.5 | 2015
    Titus El Chulo 27.5 | 2017
    Trek Slash 9 27.5 | 2015 (building)
  • JGTR
    JGTR Posts: 1,404
    I went from 90mm to 60mm, tried 40mm but felt awful. I bought 2 stems and sent one back.
  • mattyfez
    mattyfez Posts: 638
    As above, change one thing at a time.
    I'm currently building up a frame using my current bike as an organ donor, I'm really tempted to buy a stumpy stem and some wide riser bars, but I've decided to fit my current battered ones and then see how the land lays.

    There's a lot of variables there in terms of fit and handling, and if you change loads of things at once, and you don't like it, then you'll struggle to work out what went wrong. Or right.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    I wouldn't change one at a time as the wider bars will pull you forward and effectively change two things anyway, look on eBay or in classifieds and get a shorter stem to try and see how you feel , 50 or 60mm I'd suggest, if you want to go longer or shorter you can sell it in and not cost you much.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • JGTR
    JGTR Posts: 1,404
    I bought 800mm bars and cut them down to length, went from 720 to 750 in the end which doesn’t sound like much but made a big difference with a shorter stem (90 to 60mm). Don’t get drawn into massive bars and tiny stem, find what’s best for you and what suits your bike.

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