Road Cycling - Easy to replace stems?

my stems on my sirrus is too high of a degree rise. it's currently at 17 deg. so i want it lower. so i'm looking at the specialize team flipflop with 6 degree rise or drop. now do i need to get the spacers too? since they are both specialized.. i shouldn't need it right? or do you suggest me just bring it in to get it done?

Easy as pi.

You should have no problem doing this yourself. Just make sure to tighten the bolts adequately on the fork and to the handlebar. I'd hate to have you turn the bars and have the front wheel keep going!

Easy as pi.

You should have no problem doing this yourself. Just make sure to tighten the bolts adequately on the fork and to the handlebar. I'd hate to have you turn the bars and have the front wheel keep going!

exactly.. that is what i am afraid of. on my previous bike (rockhopper) it had a quill stem (i believe that's what i's called, and now i have a threadless, which should be easier.. but still worries.

btw, what is the normal length for the stems on most bikes? i see online sites that sells anywhere from 90mm-140mm or so. what's the recommended length? i have pretty long arms.

Sadly, there is no "normal" in stem length.

The best part about threadless stems is that you can go to your local shop and get several of varying length, take them home, try them all until you find the one you like best and then take the rest back to the store.

Just don't scratch them all up to avoid any potential problems.

Even if the store gives you credit it shouldn't be a big deal if you like the store because you will be buying more junk later anyway.

I would take the stem off the bike and take it to the store with you for comparison with other stem lengths and then go from there.

thanks fat bomber.. i'm going to go check out the one by my house today. it'll be the first thing i would purchase from them.. since my favorite lbs is miles & miles away..

You really don't have a clue do you?

If your steerer already been cut, where do you plan on putting the spacers?

You really don't have a clue do you?

If your steerer already been cut, which judging from the pictures of your ridiculous POS, has already been done, where do you plan on putting the spacers?

Nice and helpful aren't we?

Try flipping your stem. This is a "free" modification that will give you a horizontal stem with almost zero rise.

Replacing or flipping a stem is not too difficult:

1) Do this with your bike on the floor. This will keep all the parts of the headset together after you remove your stem.

2) Loosen and remove the handlebar clamp bolts, handlebar clamp, and handlebar.

3) Loosen and remove the bolt and cap that are on top of the stem.

4) Loosen the bolt(s) on the stem that clamp the stem to the steerer tube.

5) Slide the stem off the steerer tube.

6) Flip the stem over and slide it back on the steerer tube (or install your new stem if you want to replace your old one).

7) Put the cap and cap bolt on top of the stem.

8) Tighten the cap bolt until the cap is just snug. Now, here's the most important part: check for looseness in the headset by grabbing the fork and the downtube and attempting to move them back and forth against each other. If you feel any movement, tighten the cap bolt about 1/4 turn and test for movement again.

9) Once there is no more play in the headset, align the stem with the front wheel, and then tighten the stem bolt(s).

10) Replace the handlebar and handlebar clamp.

Hope this helps... it was a little intimidating to me until I tried, now I can flip or replace a stem in less than 5 minutes :rolleyes:

my stems on my sirrus is too high of a degree rise. it's currently at 17 deg. so i want it lower. so i'm looking at the specialize team flipflop with 6 degree rise or drop. now do i need to get the spacers too? since they are both specialized.. i shouldn't need it right? or do you suggest me just bring it in to get it done?
If the stem stack height isn't the same for each stem,then you need to worry about spacers. If you don't know what you are doing with HS and stems, take it to someone who does.No one here can tell you what length or rise you need. Someone that knows what they are dong and can see you on the bike would be able to help.

Do what on2wheels suggests... flip the stem.

cool thanks guys... actually i brought the bike into my lbs.. and they just move the 2 spacers from the bottom of the stem to the top of the stem. yup it seemed very easy to replace. ;)

after a 10 mile ride through hilly country.. i still need to play a bit more by tweaking it. but other than that it's all good. :)

You really don't have a clue do you?

If your steerer already been cut, which judging from the pictures of your ridiculous POS, has already been done, where do you plan on putting the spacers?

How constructive ewitz - be sure to add you $0.02 in this thread as you'll fit right in to the topic:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=56620

Do what on2wheels suggests... flip the stem.

Blast... i was thinking about it last night and i was thinking if i was to flip it, wouldn't it be a 17 deg drop? i think if that was the case, it would have been too much of a drop instead?