Short stem on big frame
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 399
Likes: 2
From: Huntington Harbor, CA
In fact, I did ~ 20 mi flat on the day I made the changes. The next day I did my weekly South Cal. Palos Verdes ride, with a descent on switchbacks. Luckily by the time I already knew the old bike handled quite differently. I had previously done the same ride tens of times. It took me a couple of times to get used to it on the drop with the new stem.
If it's a new bike or new route, everybody would slow down descending a switchback. Old bike, same old switchback descent of a weekly route, but with a new shorter stem, be careful. FYI, the segment I was talking about
https://www.strava.com/segments/6537930
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 575
Likes: 4
From: North West Arknasas
Bikes: Allez/Motobecane 427HT & Ti/Soma Custom Build
It's YOUR bike, and YOUR back. If that is what you want, then try it. If you like it that way, keep it that way. If not, go longer, or shorter, and back to the same. If somebody doesn't like it, well isn't that just too bad. Bless their heart!
#28
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 654
From: Minas Ithil
I have a 54cm bike with a 120mm stem, a 56 with a 100 and three 57's with 90mm stems. I'll take the 57's with a short stem any day of the week. I like quick handling but I've never had trouble controlling a so-called "twitchy" bike.
#30
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 846
Likes: 104
its ok.
basically what you are doing is creating your own version of an endurance bike sized 57 or so in reach and 59 in height. There is a reason they are so popular. For a given reach, many prefer a taller head tube to increase handlebar height based upon lack of flexibility and ride in a more upright position.
basically what you are doing is creating your own version of an endurance bike sized 57 or so in reach and 59 in height. There is a reason they are so popular. For a given reach, many prefer a taller head tube to increase handlebar height based upon lack of flexibility and ride in a more upright position.
#31
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 846
Likes: 104
If you don't want to swap the stem, you could swap handlebars to a 'short and shallow' style and get the same decrease in reach, at least at the hoods and drops. I find it funny that these bars are popular yet short stems are frowned upon. Both affect steering inputs from the most common hand positions yet it is only the mention of short stems that brings out comments about 'awful handling'.
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