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Stem too short?

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Stem too short?

Old 04-22-12, 06:05 PM
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Stem too short?

I'm thinking of building up frame that's a wee bit too big for me. Standover-wise I'm OK, but reach is a little longer than I'd like.

I'll have to use an 80mm stem, and maybe even a 70mm to achieve proper reach. I'll also be using a shorter reach bar that's 2cm narrower, which will also help to reduce reach.

I've used 90-130mm stems, but never a 70 or 80. Would this stem be so short that it would negatively impact steering and handling, and if so, is it a little that I'd become accustomed to with riding? I'll be using this bike for exercise/commuting/touring.

Thanks for your opinion.

Last edited by seeker333; 04-22-12 at 06:22 PM.
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Old 04-22-12, 08:28 PM
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If you're just commuting/touring, I'd say it should be fine. I'm using an extremely short (40-50mm would be my guess) mountain bike stem on my commuter (with road bars) at the moment.
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Old 04-22-12, 08:53 PM
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Don't waste your time building a frame that won't fit you. Dump it and find another frame.
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Old 04-22-12, 09:37 PM
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Get an adjustable stem (for at least angle). They are cheap, and will allow you to tune the reach to your liking. Once you have it set, you can get a really nice one.

Having said that, if the frame is too big for you, dump it on feebay and get a new one.
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