timtak

As previously discussed
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...o-long-13.html
I use a very long downward pointing (trial bike flipped) stem.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/14455183096
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/15619309205
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/15572079526

And I still love the position and the results (my weight loss) that this position seems to have resulted in.

However, my "new" carbon FELT bike is starting to creak after only about 8 months of riding.
I fear that the use of very long stems may result in damage to the forks. I think I may have cracked
the top of my fork tube (not sure if that is the right appellation).

I love the position provided by my very long stem so much that I think that I will keep using the stem.

Fortunately, thanks to people on this forum, I have corrected my saddle position. It is amazing. When
you find the right position for your saddle, you can sit on your saddle (! durr) and put far less weight
on your hands and bars. I ride now with bent elbows, perched on my horizontal saddle.
I think that if I had got my saddle into line earlier, then I would not have damaged my forks.

But all the same, while long stems do not seem to result in negative steering experience, long stems
may destroy your forks if you enjoy a forward leaning, sprinting, hands-on-hoods riding experience.

I.e. this position, leaning far forward with your arms down or even backwards pointing,
o
|\
may hurt your forks if you have a very long stem.

Tim

rpenmanparker 

Wut? Here we go again. Added torque from a long stem isn't all that different from added torque due to a lot of spacers. Have you looked at the steerer to see if it is damaged. I have a headset that creaks after it has gotten wet in the rain. Pulling it apart, wiping everything down and new grease fixes it right up.

hairnet

timtak

Thank you. I'll try that.

pdedes

speculation is your undoing

celticfrost

Flexiness is next to Goodliness.

Jiggle

How do you not slide off the front of that bike and bonk your chin on the front tire?

Campag4life

good one cf.

coolcamaro12

Those diagrams were goodly

Ridelots24

timtak

Thank you. You were right! It has stopped creaking.

I took it apart, greased it and realise that the bung that goes in the top of the head tube had come out a little, creating a bit of looseness in the headset. I think that torque together perhaps the with angled stem bottom tends to increase the chance that the headset becomes loose.

I am afraid that there are no disadvantages to my stem whatsoever. And it is not as radical as carpediemracing's



Now that I know that it does not damage my bike, I still think that many of those on road bikes who are not riding in a peleton (most), and are not too fat to get down low (few), would be well advised to get down long and low, with gooodly flex, but may be scared of looking silly, while wearing Lycra.

Another way of achieving goodly flex is to have forwards pointing forks.

rpenmanparker 

It is incredible how much wrong information you believe at any one time. Is there any limit?

timtak

The source of my wrong information was this blog
On Bicycles, and.... what else is there?: Time trial position: Anquetil versus Martin
The wikipedia article on bicycle forks claims that "Curved fork blades can also provide some shock absorption." (as well as to reduce the trail)
Bicycle fork - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The folks here debate the merits of straight and raked forks, suggesting that the raked ones are for bumpy roads
gitaneusa.com :: View topic - straight forks

This PDF about the Gitane Grand Sport De Luxe also claims that the raked out forks lead to a *smooth* "French Ride."
https://trinaortega.com/wp-content/up...24_vintage.pdf

Goodly French Flex

Jiggle

That is because he is a midget forced to ride 700c wheels!

If he rode wheels in proportion to his size, they would be 20"!

facepalm

And seriously, how do you not slide off that bike and eat the front tire? The sloped saddle is ridiculous. Nobody rides that way.

rpenmanparker 

Modern designs and materials can produce the desired amount of flex with or without curving the fork blades. First of all having the fork blades jut at an angle from the crown is similar to curvature in producing some springiness in the blades. Furthermore the blade dimensions, material choice, thickness, lay up (for CF), etc. all contribute. As it turns out you cannot just curve the fork as much as you want. First and foremost you have to get the right rake by curving a fork that starts in line with the head tube.

timtak

I find I desire more flex than my Carbon forks provided. The long stem helps in this area.

I agree. I am not recommending my saddle position. And as I have also written several times, I have changed the saddle position (which I was not recommended to anyone) thanks to the advise from members here. I am not recommending my saddle position.


I do recommend the long downwards pointing stem.