Is swapping stems on a new bike uncommon?
 

My wife and I were out shopping for a new bike for her. She fell in love with the looks of the Binachi Milano (who could blame her) but she prefers a more upright riding position. The Milano comes with a very long reach stem with almost no rise.

When I suggested a taller stem with less reach, the salesperson acted like I was crazy. Am I out of line asking for a modification on a new bike? He proceeded to tell me that I was looking at the wrong bike and that she should be considering a comfort bike. I have looked at many comfort offerings, but I want a better component set than that which is generally offered.

Is there anything inherently wrong with buying a right-sized frame and adjusting it for fit preference, even if it means swapping components? Even my wife said that she was happy never going back to that shop again.

No, no, NO!! Nothing wrong. None of my bikes, nor my wife's, has the stem it came with. I'm sorry you had the misfortune of dealing with a nitwit at the bike shop.

BTW, my nephew's been offered a full ride at A&M. If you could offer one reason why he should attend, what would it be? Feel free to PM me. :)

No. But if they don't have a riser stem in stock that's about the same value as the one that come sont he bike, it's not entirely unreasonable for you to pay the difference.

Consider also that most people swap stems on stock bikes to higher/shorter ones rather than longer, and many shops end up with bins of unused OEM 120mm stems.

That said, the guy sounds like a nitwit and should have tried to work with you on getting the fit right on the bike you wanted.

When I bought my Cross Check complete I had the following swaps/additions done before it rolled out the door:

- taller, longer stem
- my B-17 saddle from my old bike
- 28mm Gatorskin tires instead of the stock CX tires
- Kool-Stop brake pads instead of stock Tektro pads
- SKS P-35 fenders and long mudflaps

If you're buying the bike at a proper LBS, then they should swap the stem wit no questions at all. It's good customer service. AND, it's perfectly reasonable to ask for the swap.

It's a whole different can of worms if you're buying from a sporting goods place that sells bikes (not always, but...).

Would you like to see my stem collection? Not only did I swap out stems when I first got each bike but I've experimented with different lengths and angles on my bikes a few times since. Happy with the current set ups but they definately aren't stock. If the LBS thinks this is wierd, you need a new shop.

I really like my Alex Moultons for many reasons but having them come stock with an adjustable stem is one of them. What a great feature!

This was my first time to this shop, and Portland has no shortage of good bike shops. This particular shop seems to cater to those with more money than cycling experience. I don't think I'll be going back.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'm glad to see that I'm not too far off-base.

Just today, I swapped out the stem on my new LBS bike. Whenever I purchase a new bike, the stem is one of the many things I will either adjust or swap out.

Apart from a refit (if it's wrong in the first place of course) a stem 'swap out' is one of the cheapest and easiest ways of improving comfort. I'm about to swap out a 100mm for an 85mm just to bring the bars closer in. A new set of forks also gives me the chance to raise them up a little too. Some folks use these adjustable stems which, I can imagine, let you experiment with the stem config till the cows come home (they look quite heavy to me though). Sounds like the guy at the lbs couldn't be bothered undertaking the task and tried to take advantage of your ignorance on the subject. In my experience of LBS's that's what they do (some of them are just glorified box shifters these days). I'm not an LBS fan so have learned to do my own maint. A pain in the ass and quite a steep (money wasting) learning curve but ultimately worth it.

My LBS insists on a fitting even before allowing you to go on a test ride. Mine included swapping the stem. A year later, they swapped it again, for free.

My LBS gets your general frame size figured out, then adjusts the seat for you prior to a test ride. hey watch you ride, ask what you thought, and make suggestions. During the free fitting with purchase (which includes some measurements with a giant protractor and using a plumb-bob on your knee) they swap out what you need.

On my Trek 60cm, they swapped out for a shorter stem and slid the hoods back a bit. For my new 58cm Secteur, the stock parts were perfect. On my old dawes lightning, since I didn't buy it there, I had to pay $50 for the fitting. As part of that they swapped out the 1" quill stem for an adjustable hybrid style stem (its the only thing that was short enough and fit the bike while allowing the stem shifters to work). They didn't charge me for it and said it was part of the fitting.

With stems on threadless headsets not being willing to swap it out is almost laughable. A few bolts and your done. Nothing has to be taken off the bar, no futzing with cables.

Of course the shop should set any bike up the way the customer wants it, and it's bad form to steer the customer toward a lower end bike just in order to avoid having to change the setup.

On the other hand (as a general point and not specific to the example cited by OP) I can see where an experienced rider/salesman/mechanic might would be quite right to steer an inexperienced customer/rider away from a certain setup idea that they perceive to be more comfortable. Case in point, raising the handlebar and moving it back will change the weight distribution in a way that may be poorly suited to a bike's geometry, and a salesman would be remiss for not pointing this out.