# bars and stem advice sought



## Cyclist33 (17 Sep 2010)

Hi

I'm on a 19" hardtail mtb.


I've got a 27" riser bar and a 100mm stem. I've just ordered a 23" flat bar and a 90mm stem.

What would be the effect in riding, of the different combos I will have available? Yes yes, I know, I can just try them out and see what it's like in different setups, but does anyone have any technical advice on what to expect?

Thanks
Stu


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## Panter (17 Sep 2010)

Basically, the narrower your bar, the less leverage you have over the wheel and less stability (but faster steering)
By droppnig your riding position though, you increase weight over the front of the bike so that it will be more XC focused, i.e may not be as confidence inspiring downhill but will be better for climbing.
The shorter stem also quickens steering, but reduces stability.

With all the different combo's available to you, you should be able to tune your position nicely.

The current "fashion" is for ultra wide bars and a short stem, which is fine until you're trying to squeeze between trees at speed!

A fireind of mine runs a narrow, flat bar and short stem. His bike feels incredibly twitchy, but, steering is ultra fast and (once you get used to it) it's very good for XC type riding. Not sure if I'd want to tackle really rocky stuff on it though!


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## e-rider (17 Sep 2010)

narrow bars and short stems are the two things I hate most on MTBs - cancel your order quick!

685mm (27") bars are the perfect width IMO - I've tried loads of others and these are defo the best. I use a 110mm stem but that all depends on how big you are and how long your top tube is.


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## ChrisBD (18 Sep 2010)

Get them on!

While I love having front sus (there was a world before sus ya know); I'm not a fan of the way bike geometary has developed (I understand why, just dont like it) to accommodate sus. purely from the point of view of how the bike feels to sit on, how the riding possition has changed.

My first "real" bike was an ex demo '97 Kona Cinder Cone with P2 rigid fork, the best most comfortable ride ever. I then moved onto a Zaskar (the frame of which I built my retro bike on). For me, the geometry of that bike is the best happy medium, accepting of a shorter stem and narrower flat bars with 80mm travel. On XC duties it feels much more responsive than either of my new Konas, which come into their own on more technical decline sections - that saidI'm perfectly happy to ride the same sections on the Zaskar.

Morral of the story? Its personal preferance. While the geomatry of newer bikes provides improved handling on the more technical stuff, there is nothing wrong with the old school stuff. Hey, I dare say Jonny Tomac was riding more technical stuff bck in the day than I do on my "modern" bike, so if it worked back then and you are comfortable with it, crack on.

The only place I think narrower / shorter / flat becomes a definate dissadvantage is on anything with more than 100mm.

Heck, my Zaskar even has Onza Stubbie bar ends!!!


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## marzjennings (19 Sep 2010)

If you didn't order the new parts to alter how the bike handles why did you order them? What don't you like about your current bars and stem?


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## Cyclist33 (21 Sep 2010)

Got 'em! Cheers for the advice and thoughts all those who offered it. Basically I could trot out how I spent the last 4 years riding a flat bar road bike so wanted to regain the bar setup I had on that. But basically, they were reasonably priced so I thought what the heck, life is not all about deciding why in advance, sometimes it's about trying things, experimentation. Something my little un hasn't forgotten - yet.


Stu


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## Globalti (22 Sep 2010)

My MTB is a Ti framed Global hardtail. Before I bought it I borrowed a Global from Ride On cycles who make them. It was set up with biggish forks and wide bars, quite downhill in style. It was amazingly confidence-inspiring downhill; I was really surprised at the kind of stuff it allowed me to ride, which I simply don't have the balls to ride now with the very same frame but set up with narrow flat bars, XC style and a short travel fork.


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## Ticktockmy (22 Sep 2010)

tundragumski said:


> narrow bars and short stems are the two things I hate most on MTBs - cancel your order quick!
> 
> 685mm (27") bars are the perfect width IMO - I've tried loads of others and these are defo the best. I use a 110mm stem but that all depends on how big you are and how long your top tube is.



I had 27" bars on the bike until I tried to load the bike into the Bike area on the London/Inverness night sleeper, now I have cut them back to 25" so i dont have to wiggle the bike down the Corridor next time.


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## Cyclist33 (22 Sep 2010)

So far I've found that the new 23" flats seem to increase my speed. Don't know exactly why tho. The stem i bought has a steeper angle than the stock stem that came on the bike so altho not low risers, the bar height is about the same. With a cm less stem, it lifts up a bit on the climb, I'm not greatly chuffed with that. The steering is more sensitive although for road riding it seems to be more fun, certainly.


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## jethro10 (24 Sep 2010)

Cyclist33 said:


> But basically, they were reasonably priced so I thought what the heck, life is not all about deciding why in advance, sometimes it's about trying things, experimentation. Something my little un hasn't forgotten - yet.
> 
> 
> Stu



That's exactly what i have done many times.
I like to learn for myself.
Sometimes something is working sufficient, but if you don't try, how do you know you won't get something better, or even understand why it works like it does..
BTW, this is a life lesson, not just for bikes or christmas ;-)

Jeff


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