Why do vintage French stems all seem to be 60-85mm?
 

Was the average Frenchman rather short back in the day or was there so unusual thing about top tube vs. stem length or something? Whenever I search eBay for a vintage French stem they all seem to be 60-85mm. That seems really short. I need something in the 100-105 range. Vintage Italian stems don't seem to suffer from the same problem. Is this just sampling error or are old French stems really shorter?

must be a supply thing 'cause I had exactly the opposite experience a couple years ago. I needed a french 95 or 100 and all I could find for months were stems of 110 and longer-mostly 120's.

best,
k

I've read in these pages about Peugeots having unusually long top tube proportions. That might have something to do with it.

Maybe all the longer ones snapped!

I could use a longer one for my Gitane but haven't had much luck (at a reasonable price) either (Anyone have one ~ 115mm to swap for a 95?). I think part of it is that back in the 70's you bought a much larger frame than is recommended today. The era's frame sizing is also why I have an 80's seatpost on my 70's frame - just couldn't find a 70's post over about 160mm.

My '74 PX10 has a rather long top tube and it came with a stem with quite a bit of extension. I replaced the stem with a shorter one the day I bought the bike because I was just too stretched out. I worked at the shop where I bought the bike. I still have both stems. I can't give the measurements now because I'm at work.

Don't think that thought didn't occur to me ;)

I bought a PX-10 new, in France, in 1970 and it came with a 100 mm stem - which seemed to be about the most common size on the French "Racing" bikes that I recall. The stems on bikes with less Race aspirations, the more common recreational rides, had slightly shorter stems.

I think these mid-length stems (90-100 mm) were all just left on their original bikes... which are now in landfills or thrift stores. :(

Photo below shows the typical recommended set-up for saddle and stem in the 1960s-70s - which also explains the lack of long seatposts.

...Notice the bike in the photo appears to be a Peugot UO-8 :rolleyes:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/...f53065938.jpg?