Stem fit

[Okeydokey]

My handle bar stem is way too long so before buying another I thought I would research current thinking on stem size. I found potentially the most convenient and easy to carry out... sit on bike look down to the front axle, if the handle bars are not in the way, not good. So if the axle is further out than the handles, too short and the opposite applies to too far out. That makes my stem at 110mm about 50mm too long.
So I keep looking and find another way... put your elbow in front of the saddle nose and stretch your fingers out, thats where you bar should be... curiously the two points for me are exactly the same.... funny old life, Veturvian man and all that malarkey!
Does all this ring true or did I dream that? (Yeh I know get a bike fit, the best money you will ever spend).

 

[biggs682]

i use the looking thru the axle routine never far away

 

[S-Express]

I found potentially the most convenient and easy to carry out... sit on bike look down to the front axle, if the handle bars are not in the way, not good.

Unfortunately, this presumes that the rest of your setup is correctly sized - which it may not be. In other words, don't look at stem length in isolation.

Posting a side-on pic of you on the bike is going to be far cheaper than getting a bike fit.

 

[cyberknight]

Unfortunately, this presumes that the rest of your setup is correctly sized - which it may not be. In other words, don't look at stem length in isolation.

Posting a side-on pic of you on the bike is going to be far cheaper than getting a bike fit.

Yup
Just a thought is it a hybrid/ MTB with a flat bar and an upright riding position ?if your sitting more upright than a standard road bike on the hoods position it could affect your view of the axle.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

trouble is that none of these rules of thumb have any basis whatever in physiology or other science. Knee over pedal spindle, eye line to front axle.

None of it has ever been proven...

 

[vickster]

Just find a set up that's comfortable

 

[Okeydokey]

Picked up an 80mm Selcof stem for next to nothing, now the bike feels like an armchair. Curiously the rules of thumb did work, or perhaps I have convinced myself they do. Now I can climb out of the saddle easy, before I had to jump out a bit, funny old life, thanks everyone!