stem lenght help please

[samsbike]

Hi I am struggling with getting comfortable on my road bike. I think I now have everything bar the reach sorted out. I am currently riding with a 100 mm stem at 16'.

The chap.at the specialized shop thought I should try a 90mm or 80mm stem that was adjustable via shims. However he wasn't sure which one and I didn't fancy buying both.

Is there a clever way of figuring out what lenght I need?

I have done a search but couldn't find something specific. I also tried Dave Moulton's method and I can reach my bars with my fingertips when I place ky elbow against the.seat. Also.I have rotated my bars at a silly angle to.get on the hoods more comfortably.

Thanks

 

[Sittingduck]

Assuming your saddle is correctly positioned... I would suggest sitting with hands on the hoods and looking down at the top of the bars. The front hub should be obscured by the top of the bars. Obviously this is only a guideline and I would say trial and error is the best way, until you find a comfortable setup.

 

[cyberknight]

Assuming your saddle is correctly positioned... I would suggest sitting with hands on the hoods and looking down at the top of the bars. The front hub should be obscured by the top of the bars. Obviously this is only a guideline and I would say trial and error is the best way, until you find a comfortable setup.

The above is a good a way as any as a starting point, below is a handy helper..

 

[Banjo]

It takes quite a while to get used to the position of a road bike if you havent ridden one before.If you buy shorter or raised angle stem make sure you keep the original stem as after a while you may find you want it back.

 

[samsbike]

thanks all. I am riding tomorrow so will see what the hub deal works out as. I am have been struggling with fit for 9 months and really want to get it right.

 

[Rob3rt]

Eye balling the hub is a decent approximation, but please do NOT use the elbow on nose of saddle to fingertip method! That is not an approximation, it is a lottery.

 

[cyberknight]

http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefitchart.html

 

[samsbike]

I liked the Jim Langley site and will take a read.

I also know that my seat is very slightly tipped up, which makes it comfortable (per the Peter White and Steve Hogg fitting sites). I may just run it level.

 

[samsbike]

I eyeballed my hub and depending on the moment, I can either not see it or its just in front or behind

 

[Sittingduck]

So, that's that cleared up nicely

 

[Rob3rt]

I eyeballed my hub and depending on the moment, I can either not see it or its just in front or behind

What that suggests is you are moving about on the bike, this could be for 1 or more reasons, 2 most common reasons would be A) You have not cycled about a bit (or cycled backwards on the spot or on turbo trainer if possible) and settled into the saddle. B) You are the sort of rider who moves about on their saddle a lot, either inherently (some people just do this) or because the saddle doesn't quite suit you.

 

[samsbike]

I need to sort out my saddle, its a charge spoon. I do tend to move about on it and go forward a lot when I need to climb hills etc. Also I tend to have it around 5' up, which I am not sure is terribly correct, but it is comfortable.

I also may have to acknowledge that I am just not cut out for a racing bike, even though this is supposed to be comfortable - a genesis equilibrium

 

[Rob3rt]

How long have you had the bike?

 

[Banjo]

You have a PM.

I can lend you a high angle 90mm stem which you can try to see if it suits. You will probably find after a while you will want to go back to the longer flatter stem as your body gets used to the roadbike position. Also I would put the bars back straight so the bottom bit of the bar is horizontal..Rolling them fetches the hoods back a bit but makes it awkward to ride on the drops and looks odd IMHO.

Persevere and you will get used to it and start enjoying the bike more.

 

[Rob3rt]

You have a PM.

I can lend you a high angle 90mm stem which you can try to see if it suits. You will probably find after a while you will want to go back to the longer flatter stem as your body gets used to the roadbike position. Also I would put the bars back straight so the bottom bit of the bar is horizontal..Rolling them fetches the hoods back a bit but makes it awkward to ride on the drops and looks odd IMHO.

Persevere and you will get used to it and start enjoying the bike more.

I would suggest a good starting point for the angle of your bars is to have the drop pointing through the rear brake mount, but this will vary in effectiveness from frame to frame and bar to bar (as they all vary slightly in shape). The drop should not be completely horizontal IMO, it should be angled to point slightly down to the ground, this brings the hoods up toward you and produces a more natural wrist angle on the drops.