Shorter stem wider bars on a gravel bike
03-28-16, 05:25 PM
#1
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Shorter stem wider bars on a gravel bike
Do the same rules apply to gravel and road bikes with drop bars as far as stem length and bar width that applies to mountain bikes? I realize I'm not going to be doing the same aggressive maneuvers on my drop bar bike that I would be doing on my all Mountain rig but I also don't want to be going downhill at 30 miles an hour and have the steering get away from me because I've got a short stem and narrow bars. Basically I want to experiment maybe and take 20 millimeters of stem length off my bike to shorten my reach but I don't want to buy wider bars.
Last edited by trail_monkey; 03-28-16 at 05:54 PM.
03-28-16, 10:07 PM
#2
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Sounds like you're aware a wide bar provides good control on loose surfaces. No need to force yourself to put up with a sub-optimal drop bar. Install a flat bar or riser and go with what you know performs best; wide bar & appropriate length stem.
03-29-16, 06:17 AM
#3
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I could install a flat bar but I prefer to keep it drops. I built this bike for the sole purpose of having a drop bar gravel bike.
03-29-16, 07:38 AM
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I really dont think shortening your stem by 2cm will do anything so severe that you cant safely control your bike on descents.
The reach of drop bars varies by a good bit and the effective placement of the brake levers can be 2cm difference just based on which drop bars are used.
I have found the bars I use, Origin8 Gary OS Sweep, are comfortable going down hills as the drops are wide for stability. But I can also ride them on the hoods, tops, ramps, and drops in total comfort during flat road.
The reach of drop bars varies by a good bit and the effective placement of the brake levers can be 2cm difference just based on which drop bars are used.
I have found the bars I use, Origin8 Gary OS Sweep, are comfortable going down hills as the drops are wide for stability. But I can also ride them on the hoods, tops, ramps, and drops in total comfort during flat road.
03-29-16, 08:30 AM
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Agree with mstateglfr, I left a longer stem fitted but went with a shorter reach/drop bar. Effective position is the same.
Also see the other thread below about wide bars, some of us swear by them and some of us have found they weren't ideal and went back to a narrower bar.
Also see the other thread below about wide bars, some of us swear by them and some of us have found they weren't ideal and went back to a narrower bar.
03-29-16, 09:30 AM
#6
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You have to assess Trail the difference between the head tube angle and the tire contact patch, on the ground.
03-29-16, 09:38 AM
#7
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I tossed a used 60 mm stem in just to test out. If I don't like it I can always take it off. This was a stem I had laying around so it cost me anything.
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