Hi Folks,

I'm not overly experienced with MTB builds and am attempting to build up a drop bar MTB. I'm going to be using 25.4 Origin 8 Gary bars, which, as I understand it, are a cheap-o Nitto copy. Most of the parts for the build are being pulled from an old 1990 Stumjumper with 7 sp Deore DX. I keep hearing about Dirt Drop stems...and I was wonderig if those are going to be much different than the standard MTB stem I have on that Stumpjumper (quill stem). If I can just use that stem, I'd prefer not buying a new one (though the Kalloys are cheap as heck). I don't have the model of stem off hand and don't have a photo right now. I can get those things if neccassary to answer the question.

You have 17 bikes and you're worried about the cost of a stem?

I never claimed to be sane. Do you have an answer though?

A stock 1990 Stumpjumper stem will likely be too long and too low for use with drops, IMO. Seems like they were shipping those with 120-150mm stems.

If you were comfortable on the bike with flat bar, you'll probably want to move the clamp area of the stem 30-70mm aft and 50mm up to get good use of the drops.

Dirt drop stems do well at getting drop bars in a usable location, but you can find stubby, high-rise quill stems pretty cheaply. Well, assuming you have bike shops with junk drawers around like I do.

Tons of short/high stems from back in the day can be had for $0-5



That stem might even be a little too short/high if your Stumpy had a really long/low stem like this:

Hahaha! Yeah, I just looked up the price on the Dirt Drop stem and yeah, they're practically free anyways. I was expecting them to be $50 or something to worry about.

KonAaron, you just have to find out where you want your bars. You can try getting close to your other bikes' setup if you want by measuring stuff on them,
like distance from seatpost to center of stem clamp along a level line and
measure floor to center of stem clamp, subtract Bottom Bracket height.

Then see what you'd need to get those numbers on the Stumpy.

The vaunted Habanero stem chart should help:

Haha, I kind of thought the same thing. Well, not just that there are 17 of them, but a number of very nice ones. I was kind of surprised he didn't already know the answer to his question, though.

I thought you knew everything about C&V Aaron?

Yup, You want a stem with short reach, big rise for dropbars.

HECK no...I know a little about one area...and MTBs? I know squat.

Lester - PERFECT info - thanks man.

I'm trying to be cheap with this build because it's a winter beater that won't get ridden THAT much. So far I'm well under $300 and quite happy about that. Being cheap and making sure I can resell things without getting killed is why I can have nice bikes anyway!

Build so far -

Litespeed Obed MTB frame
Suntour COmmand shifters
7sp Deore DX hubs and drivetrain
XT v brakes
Gary bars
Tektro v brake levers
Avocet touring saddle

Jeeze, tough crowd

Oooooh, you're building up some Ti action, nice! I reckon if you haven't ridden the frame built up with flat bars then you won't have that as a reference point, so I'd go for taking the measurements I mentioned earlier of a bike you already have set up. Then once you get a seatpost in the Lightspeed you can get to work finding the stem you'll need to mimic that setup.