Changing a stem and possibly bars

[livpoksoc]

How hard is it really?


I've watched the videos online & have tried turning my stem upside down on one bike (though later found out that stem in particular can't be flipped), but sort of know how to do it.

Either way, I bought a new bike on Saturday & went out on Sunday, towards the end I was getting sore in my back & a little in my shoulders. When i bought it, the lbs fitted a 90mm stem, swapping it from the 100mm on there, however I think I need something shorter again. The lbs has effectively told me it'll now cost me £150+ to do a fitting & get new stem and possibly bars on there - which I'm not over the moon about considering the bike already cost me ten times that and at pos they didn't even discuss a fitting.

I'm kind of ranting, but needto know if it's possible for me to measure myself at home for what length stem to buy& then fit it myself.

 

[livpoksoc]

Annnd potentially, what are adjustable stems like to live with?

 

[Rob3rt]

It's a new bike, some degree of getting used to it might be required.

 

[vickster]

I am I right in thinking you've gone from a secteur to a Madone, ie sportive relaxed to racier geometry, if so, may just need to adjust assuming you had no neck/ back ache before. How sore is sore, niggly or actually painful, there's a big difference!

If I were you, I'd definitely do ride 100 on the old bike if it's comfortable, 6+ hours on something uncomfortable will be unpleasant and affect your enjoyment of the day. Remember it's a ride not a race

A new stem, bars and tape fitted could be £80-100. Did the shop measure your shoulders to confirm bar width. Bars too wide for me don't affect my neck and back, but they do affect hands and wrists

 

[KneesUp]

Swapping the stem is 5 minutes work. Swapping the bars will involve removing the brifters, reconnecting the cables and re-taping the bars, plus the cost of the bars. So perhaps £50 to whatever for bars and tape, plus labour.

I'm not happy with my stem and am considering getting an adjustable one so I can try a few positions rather than keep buying them.

 

[livpoksoc]

I am I right in thinking you've gone from a secteur to a Madone, ie sportive relaxed to racier geometry, if so, may just need to adjust assuming you had no neck/ back ache before. How sore is sore, niggly or actually painful, there's a big difference!

If I were you, I'd definitely do ride 100 on the old bike if it's comfortable, 6+ hours on something uncomfortable will be unpleasant and affect your enjoyment of the day. Remember it's a ride not a race

A new stem, bars and tape fitted could be £80-100. Did the shop measure your shoulders to confirm bar width. Bars too wide for me don't affect my neck and back, but they do affect hands and wrists

They only measured inside leg for saddle height, the reach was done on 'how does that feel?' From sitting on the bike whilst it was held by the salesman. My feedback was 'it is a bit too long', so they offered a 90mm stem instead. I'm wondering if an adjustable stem may be better.

Yes I am making that change, the difficulty is that my secteur's rear cassette is slipping on second gear, so it's do I want to spend 8 hours on a hilly route constantly swearing at my gears, or 8 hours on a bike that doesn't quite fit, that I could arguably adjust before Sunday.

 

[vickster]

Did you not ride it, at least on a. Turbo for a bit?

 

[vickster]

They only measured inside leg for saddle height, the reach was done on 'how does that feel?' From sitting on the bike whilst it was held by the salesman. My feedback was 'it is a bit too long', so they offered a 90mm stem instead. I'm wondering if an adjustable stem may be better.

Yes I am making that change, the difficulty is that my secteur's rear cassette is slipping on second gear, so it's do I want to spend 8 hours on a hilly route constantly swearing at my gears, or 8 hours on a bike that doesn't quite fit, that I could arguably adjust before Sunday.

Get the gears fixed, or DIY?

 

[lpretro1]

Anything shorter than a 90mm stem will make steering very twitchy. The LBS should have advised a bike fit BEFORE buying a bike NOT after. Gears slipping a little on a new bike is normal as cables stretch a little. A decent bike shop will offer a post-sales service for that very reason. It will only require a little tweak on the cable tension. And yes you'll need to adapt to a more racing type of position - quite different and the bike is probably much stiffer than you are used to as well making for a harsher ride.

 

[vickster]

I think his gear issue is on the old bike, sizing issue on the new bike

 

[livpoksoc]

Did you not ride it, at least on a. Turbo for a bit?

"We can't let you take it out of the shop before payment" they did let me take it outside briefly in the car park. I wish I'd have asked about a TT.

 

[vickster]

Should have gone to Evans for a test ride

 

[livpoksoc]

Anything shorter than a 90mm stem will make steering very twitchy. The LBS should have advised a bike fit BEFORE buying a bike NOT after. Gears slipping a little on a new bike is normal as cables stretch a little. A decent bike shop will offer a post-sales service for that very reason. It will only require a little tweak on the cable tension. And yes you'll need to adapt to a more racing type of position - quite different and the bike is probably much stiffer than you are used to as well making for a harsher ride.

As vickster says, gearing issue is on old bike.

Would a stem with a higher degree of upward elevation it be better than going shorter than 80mm?

 

[livpoksoc]

Should have gone to Evans for a test ride

If.

 

[livpoksoc]

Did they measure arms and shoulders, I think all of that was done when I got the Pearson (although the bars were still too wide).a fit should also assess flexibility, core strength, riding style etc. if the frame is the right size, you should get used to the new position in time,but probably to before Sunday. I was told a solid15 hours of riding to get used two the quite big changes after my bike fit was done. That said, I did lower the saddle a bit as I like to be able to reach the ground in traffic!

No. They measured inside leg & I'll be honest, I wish they'd have done more. I just assumed given their reputation & my Dad's recommendation, that they'd be better - particularly as I went to the Evans in Reading recently and it was like going to a B&Q where the attendants were all in their teens and seemed really uninterested in me at all.