shortest bar stem???
- Thread starter naffets
- Start date
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Steve Austin
The Marmalade Kid
- Location
- Mlehworld
You can very very very short stems. The shorter you go, the twitchier the steering will get.
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
Quill or threadless?
Gerry Attrick
Lincolnshire Mountain Rescue Consultant
e-rider
Banned member
- Location
- South West
I would stop at 60mm if I were you!
e-rider
Banned member
- Location
- South West
Agreed - I use a 120mm on the road bike and 110mm on the MTB.
Fiona N
Veteran
That sounds like a tall person speaking. I have the smallest serious mtb frame that Merlin would let me buy (the only smaller adult frame was a bmx-er and as they pointed out my wheels wouldn't fit) but the reach is still too long for my short body (and long (relative) legs - I have a 400mm Easton seat post on max) and knackered back so I have a 60mm stem. I like a low position and the seat is level with the bars, so short reach was the only way to accommodate this. Steering isn't what I would call twitchy as I can ride hands off no problem - which is a function of the frame angle and fork not the stem length. So, in conclusion, it depends on your bike frame and don't dismiss a short stem out of hand.kyuss said:
Steve Austin
The Marmalade Kid
- Location
- Mlehworld
Fiona. There are plenty of folk with very small frames. but MTB and road frames are very different. the angles are all different for a start. a short stem on an already sharper steering roadbike could make it almost dangerous to ride as the steering will become too quick.
You need a certain length stem on a roadbike to counter act the sharper angles.
A MTB will be a lot more accommodating of a short stem.
The reason there are very short stems available is for DH MTB's with 160mm forks, so the really slack steering can cope with a very short stem. A DH MTB needs a short stem to quicken up the steering. A roadbike don't need this
And riding no hand with a short stem or long stem doesn't prove anything. you could ride with no stem attached and still have a very twitchy steering bike
You need a certain length stem on a roadbike to counter act the sharper angles.
A MTB will be a lot more accommodating of a short stem.
The reason there are very short stems available is for DH MTB's with 160mm forks, so the really slack steering can cope with a very short stem. A DH MTB needs a short stem to quicken up the steering. A roadbike don't need this
And riding no hand with a short stem or long stem doesn't prove anything. you could ride with no stem attached and still have a very twitchy steering bike
Fiona N said:
I know where you're coming from Fiona, very small or very tall people often have to make compromises like this. But like Steve Austin says, MTB and road frames are very different beasts. The steeper angles of a road bike mean very short stems can make the handling dangerous. Because of this you'll find it very difficult to get a proper road stem shorter than 80-90mm.
Fiona N
Veteran
Steve Austin said:
This is exactly the point I was making - a bike won't be twitchy if the frame/forks angles are sufficiently soft and the stem doesn't alter that.
Maybe I should also add that one of my custom Roberts road frames has nice angles and I shortened the stem to 7cm when my back started getting bad without making it less confidence-inspiring on 60mph downhills in the Alps.
Unfortunately the bad back meant I had to sell the other 5 or 6 bikes I used to race on because they were too steep to take shorter stems - so please don't patronise me about frames OK
Steve Austin
The Marmalade Kid
- Location
- Mlehworld
Yikes 60mph
