Stem Length in Relation to Rise
 

I am going to get a new stem. Currently I am running a 100mm stem with 7 degrees of rise (no, it is not flipped). I am going to get a stem that has 10 degrees of rise, but the reach on my current stem is good. Should I get a 110 mm stem to account for the loss of reach that accompanies the higher rise angle?

Jim,

Terminology for stems is confusing. I think when you say length, you may mean extension. Historically (threaded headsets and quill stems), length meant the vertical distance from the minimum insertion mark to the centerline of the extension. I don't believe you'll notice the difference in reach between a 7 degree and 10 degree rise. One way to see exactly how much it will affect reach is to use a compass and a protractor to plot the geometry on paper.

Maybe this will help:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...uringaStem.jpg

The difference in reach is roughly 0.8 mm (one thirty-second of an inch).

So no.

FYI, the height difference is only going to be ~1/4".

Someone posted this in another thread: http://www.habcycles.com/fitting.html

The angle is from the horizontal. So, add the stated stem angle to (90 - head tube angle). A typical road bike is 73*, so your 7* stem is probably about 24* from the horizontal [ie, 7 + (90 - 73) = 24], but you can round to 25*.

Your effective reach is about 90 mm. Use the chart to find the right stem to get you more height while keeping your eff. reach to about 90 mm. For example, a 110mm/17*(~35* from horizontal) stem will give you about a 2 cm increase in height with the same, 90 mm, reach.

Thanks for all the help

Sorry for the newb question, but how does one flip a stem? Can only certain stems be flipped?

"Flipped", as far as this site is concerned, is a threadless stem oriented so that it points in a downward position (relative to the other way).