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Ideal Stem length for 680mm bars??

Old 02-20-14, 05:57 PM
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Ideal Stem length for 680mm bars??

Hi, what is the best stem length for 680mm bars?
Thanks
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Old 02-20-14, 08:03 PM
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That changes depending on the length of your torso, spine flexibility, riding style, size and geometry of the bike and probably a half-dozen other factors. Would you mind filling in the blanks?
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Old 02-20-14, 08:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Jeff Wills
That changes depending on the length of your torso, spine flexibility, riding style, size and geometry of the bike and probably a half-dozen other factors. Would you mind filling in the blanks?
Don't worry, i've just ordered a 50mm stem, if that don't feel right i can just buy another one.
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Old 02-20-14, 09:04 PM
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Old 02-21-14, 06:59 PM
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This thread is embarrassing.
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Old 02-21-14, 08:58 PM
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^^^ haha love it.
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Old 02-21-14, 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by chaadster
This thread is embarrassing.
You know what's embarrassing? Justin Bieber.
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Old 02-22-14, 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Jeff Wills
You know what's embarrassing? Justin Bieber.
You're right. I'm sure the space aliens wish they'd never dropped him off here.

What bars are 680 mm wide? I seem to remember in my upright-riding days that I'd agonize over 44cm vs 46cm.
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Old 02-23-14, 08:39 AM
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68cm, huge spread.
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Old 02-23-14, 09:15 AM
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Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
What bars are 680 mm wide? I seem to remember in my upright-riding days that I'd agonize over 44cm vs 46cm.
I ride 44-46mm wide drop bars on my touring bike, but wider on my upright.

My favorite bars are 685mm wide...

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...-mtb-riser-bar

I seem to recall seeing some bars over 700mm
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Old 02-23-14, 12:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Little Darwin
I seem to recall seeing some bars over 700mm
This one is quite a bit longer:
https://www.refinedguy.com/2012/09/14...-the-world/#10
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Old 02-23-14, 12:45 PM
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I have my 780mm bars in a 130mm stem on one of my bikes. Fun ride, but would probably feel weird if you're more used to Trail or All-mountain bikes. If you're used to XC bikes then it would just feel really wide

This bike has a 56cm ETT. On my bike with 60cm ETT I'd probably pair it an 80mm or so, since that bike also has a setback seatpost.

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Old 02-23-14, 01:09 PM
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Them's some wide bars!

To the OP:

If that 50mm stem you got doesn't feel right (or even if it does), give this: https://www.wrenchscience.com/Secure/Fit/Height.aspx a shot. Your ideal stem length will be the overall reach figure given by the calculator minus the effective top tube length of your frame.
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Old 02-24-14, 11:43 PM
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Originally Posted by awfulwaffle
Them's some wide bars!

To the OP:

If that 50mm stem you got doesn't feel right (or even if it does), give this: https://www.wrenchscience.com/Secure/Fit/Height.aspx a shot.
What's that calculator say about Justin Bieber?
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Old 02-25-14, 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
What bars are 680 mm wide?
Lots of them are. 680mm is kind of narrow for current mountain bike bars. Many of them run to over 780mm.

Originally Posted by fowler98
Don't worry, i've just ordered a 50mm stem, if that don't feel right i can just buy another one.
A 50mm stem is super short. My 5' tall wife rides a 60mm stem but she is tiny. The width of the bar doesn't have much...if any...impact on the length of the stem, however.
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Old 02-25-14, 09:30 AM
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What is the best shoe size ?
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Old 02-25-14, 10:00 AM
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I just realized that my p[revious post didn't answer the question...

The best stem size for my 685mm bars on my bike is 120mm, so as a SWAG, I would suggest 100mm +/- 20mm

Your results may vary based on bicycle dimensions, seat position, body shape and size, stem rise and shape of bars, among other factors.
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Old 02-25-14, 10:36 AM
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90mm stem with a 680mm bar will be perfect. I have a 75mm stem that I've used before for resort riding (with the same 680mm bar) but it was a bit floppy when climbing with it.
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Old 02-25-14, 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Homebrew01
What is the best shoe size ?
50mm...


...but don't worry, I have 120mm shoelaces which are perfect for partywalking.
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Old 02-25-14, 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by fowler98
Hi, what is the best stem length for 680mm bars?
Thanks
stem and bars should be proportional

so for very wide bars you should have a very long stem

bitd 150mm and 160mm were common so look for something like that

whatever you do dont go less than 120mm
for obvious reasons
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Old 02-26-14, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Wilfred Laurier
stem and bars should be proportional

so for very wide bars you should have a very long stem

bitd 150mm and 160mm were common so look for something like that

whatever you do dont go less than 120mm
for obvious reasons
The stem length and bar length are completely unrelated. Stem length is related to the reach of the rider and the length of the top tube but not the width of the handlebar. Would you suggest a 40mm or 50mm stem for a 440mm road handlebar? I regularly run flat handlebars that are wider than 680mm and I wouldn't run a stem much longer than 130 because that's what fits my reach. As I said above, 780mm mountain bike handlebars are very common today and you won't find too many 150mm modern stems...like none. It's hard to find any over 130mm.
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Old 02-26-14, 08:16 PM
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Originally Posted by cyccommute
The stem length and bar length are completely unrelated. Stem length is related to the reach of the rider and the length of the top tube but not the width of the handlebar. Would you suggest a 40mm or 50mm stem for a 440mm road handlebar? I regularly run flat handlebars that are wider than 680mm and I wouldn't run a stem much longer than 130 because that's what fits my reach. As I said above, 780mm mountain bike handlebars are very common today and you won't find too many 150mm modern stems...like none. It's hard to find any over 130mm.
if stem length and bar width are unrelated
then why are so many people stating with certainty what stem should go with the ops bars
when all we know about the op or his bike or his bars is the width

i will be honest though
i made my answer up with no attempt at providing actual information
because the question was so comically vague
i felt it deserved a comically misguided answer

i thought at the time of adding a winky smiley
but thought better of it
as my advice was no better or worse than others
who also claimed to know an ideal stem length for a particular width of bars

the only thing i did that they did not
was to add a bogus justification for my answer
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Old 02-26-14, 08:35 PM
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If you're trying to match handling characteristics after a change, you actually want to mate a shorter stem to longer bars.

Long stems make for slow steering (although they sometimes increase weight over front wheel which can make steering seem faster, depends on how much of a weight shift you experience.), and wide bars make for slow steering.

So if you go to wider bars you may want to shorten your stem a bit.

There's also the way really wide bars affect reach, but...
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