LucasA

Ok, so how would I go about deciding how big of a stem I need? I dont want to keep buying stems until I find the right one if I dont have to. I bought a 56cm Long Haul Trucker frame. What should I do?

tarwheel 

The Habanero bikes web site has a great calculator/ graphic for determining proper stem length. Make sure and read all of the fine print. It works great if you follow the instruction. Here's a link:

https://www.habcycles.com/fitting.html

valygrl

If you bought your bike from a shop, they will probably work with you to try a few stems w/o having to buy them all. Or, have a professional bike fit. This is money well spent in the long run, nothing makes your tour better (or worse!) than the way you fit on your bike.

reiffert

Old rule of thumb is, after establishing seat height and forward/backward position, place elbow at nose of saddle. Center of handlebars should be 1-3 centimeters in front of fingertips. Other old rule of thumb was handlebars should intersect (cover when looking down) the front axle when seated and hands on hoods.

But bar height is also part of adjustment and changing one changes the other.

If your body proportions aren't normal, then either one is only a starting point. Also, fitness level will determine some range of comfortable adjustment. Shoulder and upper arm strength as well as back and neck muscles will factor in how much length is comfortable. So, what is perfect now could well change next year.

+1 for valygrl. Esp on the 'work with' part. Most have a policy for trial fittings of seats, bars, and stems.

Also see if there is a local bikeshop that supports a good used parts inventory.

jcm

+2 for Valygirl. My shop allowed me to try four different lengths.

balto charlie

When building bikes I use an adjustable stem. Here's one type. Mine is made for road bikes
https://www.gottaridebikes.com/page/GRB/PROD/LOS/STM0035

LucasA

Thanks, unfortunately I am building up this bike slowly, so I really can't just try out different stems. Thats why I would like to try and estimate it first. I also read so much conflicting advice about bike fitting, that I almost am confused.

I am looking into the stem/handlebar/headset area of my bike at the moment.

roadfix

If you have another road bike you can pretty much determine stem angle and length from your current ride.
Generic stems are cheap so you can somewhat experiment unless you're looking at something expensive like a Thomson, for instance.

LucasA

I don't, I have never really had a bike that fit properly. I found a really cheap stem, so I will try it out and adjust from there I guess.

brianmcg123

Get a 90mm.

roadfix

Also, just make sure you don't chop down the steerer tube just yet so you can take your time determining the right stem height.

wahoonc

This is the reason I prefer the old fashioned quill stems

Aaron

Longfemur

You know what? It's impossible to advise you about this. There's no one exact, scientific way to determine that. Even if there was, it would depend on your riding style and what you want to accomplish, how high or low you want your bars, etc.

The old rules of thumb were not "rules". In time, people started thinking of them as rules, but they were always just ways to fit yourself using just parts of your own body as measuring devices. In the past, a person might not have had any fitting apparatus or goniometers, but we all had legs and knees, and we all had forearms.

Just about anybody with a few years of experience will have gone through the routine of experimenting with stem length. Just start out with a mid-range stem, like the equivalent of a 100 mm traditional 7-stem, and see how it goes. Generally-speaking, you will want to end up with a back angle of about 45 deg while on the hoods, with the bars set about an inch below the top of the saddle. But you could have them level with the seat but further away too -- it ends up more or less the same, but it does feel differently when riding. I prefer lower but closer myself. There's no substitute for experimentation, but if you start with a 100 mm stem, you won't be too far from where you want to be. Of course, it would be easier if you could just go someplace where they have an adjustable stem. You could always also cut out a cardboard model and measure how long it has to be to get the bars where you want them.