Bike Forums - Help me choose a stem?

Bike Forums (https://www.bikeforums.net/forum.php)

- Classic & Vintage (https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/)

- - Help me choose a stem? (https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1152380-help-me-choose-stem.html)

Greg LeMonde had a suicide stem squad?

I agree with using the iPhone, those are probably really good numbers. And certainly close enough to the absolute truth.

The stem is a big whatever. Use whatever you want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phamilton (Post 20502305)

Thanks for the info. I’ve never seen a new Nitto other than Technomic but have seen some used Dynamics on eBay that would fit the bill in the right length. Is the Dynamic the one they’re still making or is it something else? I also didn’t know that Soma made stems and they look really nice, you can even get them in black but on their website only 80 and 100 (I think) are available. Kinda sad, I think Soma stuff is really nice. Almost too nice for my bike. I do like the 3TTTs that I’ve seen.

Sure thing. Yeah, the Nitto Dynamic is the one. Still made. Not as nice as the top of the line Pearl, but still good, and appropriate for that bike. Best to be sure about the bar size. 25.4 and 26 are not inter-compatible.

FWIWI - Fit looks just right to me. Yeah, it's a LeMond fit, which is the race fit everyone used in the mid 80s, including me. If you're comfortable with it, there is nothing wrong with it at all. If you want to get precise about it, the Competitive Cyclist fit calculator works pretty well.

There's always some leeway for personal preference WRT stem length. I'd expect to see about and 11 on a bike with that size and fit, maybe a 12. Depends on TT length, torso & arm length, etc. As above, use whatever you want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Fan (Post 20502571)

LOL I guess I’ll have to

I used to use a 130mm Cinelli 1A, that thing looks ridiculous. My current bike has a quill adapter on it. If you slam the stem then nobody can see the quill adapter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salamandrine (Post 20502598)

Competitive had me on a 56 w/125mm stem.

I’ll put a Dynamic on my list then, thank you for the help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phamilton (Post 20502400)

Front hub about 500 miles ago. Spins true, I haven’t done anything to the tire since I swapped stems.

Are we neighbors? You’ve been on BF for a long time but I don’t remember seeing your location as FW.

double check you cones. I moved to FW last October

And check your headset for wobble inducing. Has it been lubed and retightened correctly. That frame is a good frame, not top line and not a bottom sucker. If the seat height and position are not giving you knee pain you should be good on that size frame. On my Raleigh SuperCourse I used a 90 degree stem that put my bars up a bit and gave me the reach I wanted with a less tight position.

[img]https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1Q...85wP0BcIIQnrsi

The headset was a little loose. I just overhauled it a few weeks ago and I think it came a little loose changing the stem. It was only wobbling at like 25mph and over, and there aren’t any hills around here steep enough that I get up to that speed and I barely ever push that hard on the flats.
That Profile stem is flexy, too. Not sure if that’s the length, construction, angle, alloy, etc. I’m still not crazy about the idea of another one like this. It’ll be beneficial if my ride is a little less unpleasant while I wait to replace it. I taped the bars tonight, was waiting until I had the brake levers where I wanted them. Not even a removable face will keep you from unwrap/rewrap when moving brakes around.
Commentary about my frame - I know it’s fine. You couldn’t have convinced me that until I learned how to ride and how to set it up to fit me. I actually can’t think of a better frame for my size and purpose. It’s not gas pipe, not electro-forged, it’s not light nor is it heavy. As pictured, bike is 27 lbs. The components are what they are. I don’t care. They work and when they stop working, I put working ones on, and 6 speed stuff is cheap. The wheels aren’t super but they’re smooth and quiet and true and when they die I’ll get nicer ones. I updated the shifters, bars, and brakes. The only thing I’m missing out on with this frame is braze ons, but one bottle cage is enough and p-clamps aren’t offensive on a commuter (I don’t think practicality or utility are offensive). I think vintage bikes are sexy and I think vintage bikes that get ridden hard are sexier. Feel the same way about vintage guitars. In both worlds it’s fashionable to some to spend more time polishing, admiring, and boasting the price/value of their hardware. There’s nothing wrong with that. Vintage stuff is great to look at, better to use. How much does anybody want to see a Paramount covered in road grime, sand, grease, and horse crap? (I work in Amish country).

Edit: I‘ll pretty much always put a plug in for old 12 speeds as great commuters.

Edit 2: Last week my RD exploded on my ride home one day. I bypassed it and rode 52/28 for another 6 miles before I flatted. I just pulled another derailer from the parts bin, this one works even a little nicer. I don’t need the drama of figuring out how to replace a vintage Campy RD or a new 11 speed for that matter on short order. I suppose I have a CV “membership” on a technicality since my bike isn’t classic and is just on the cusp of vintage, and it’s certainly not collectible, but I get a lot of bang for my buck. Or 50, in this case.

Edit 3 (final): I do have a ‘73 Fuji Special Road Racer that at the moment am spending a lot more time looking at than riding. It’s a taller frame, 25”. I hope that may satisfy the “frame too small” and “not nice enough” concerns.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...836f461ee.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4b87c8f39.jpeg