why
 

aren't there more short track / road stems - 50mm ish? is this an engineering / safety issue? i don't understand.

Not enough hipsters out there to warrant a production run.

Anything less than 80mm is pretty ridiculous.

I'd think up to 70mm is acceptable if you have bullhorns or something.

To me, if you need a stem that short, than you need a frame that's one size smaller... but that is just my thoughts.

could be, want to throw a shorter stem on my beater. starts to suck around mile 20

threaded or threadless?

You can get the Nitto Technomic in 6 cm extension.

threadless... being it's a beater i'm not trying to get anything fancy. i'll probably go dooookie and get a short mtb stem. jackass thread here i come

this makes sense. maybe try bmx stems if you dont' care for looks? or i know some MTB stems are short but they might be for oversized handlebars

eighth inch makes a 50mm stem with a 25.4 clamp area. any stem that short is going to look like a bmx stem.

if you don't mind using 22.2 bars, bmx stems can be had really cheap from dans comp.

I had this long answer typed up explaining why they only go so short. Then I realized I could more easily explain it with a statement:

"Make me a stem with a 10mm reach that can clamp to a 26.5 bar."

I know you said 50mm, but these are the types of issues that come into play. I used 10mm to make the point obvious.

Cinelli Ant is 60
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...8&category=173

Out of stock tho... :mad:

This really depends on the geo/measurements of your frame. A 70mm with either bullhorns or compact drops on my Leader 725 is perfect for me. However, I do switch out the stem for a 90mm every now and again when I throw on a set of risers.

BTW - Thomson makes a 50mm stem.
http://www.cyclonebicycle.com/mmCBSA...ll/SM36134.jpg

i would be eating ramen without an egg for a month if i got that badoy

Unfortunately, if you have long legs and short arms that's not always the answer. Lately (last 10-20 years) bikes seem to be built with longer top tubes. Therefore, if someone who couldn't reach went to the next size smaller they may experience an uncomfortable amount of saddle-to-bar drop. The problem is compounded by threadless forks having the steerer cut short so it doesn't look goofy on the showroom floor, but sadly greatly limiting how high the bars can go.

I have a 70mm stem on my TET. Feels good, bro. Shorter than 70mm starts to get a little ridiculous, though (in general).

I never mentioned anything wrong with a 70mm...but when your looking for a 50mm road stem, chances are you should get a smaller frame.

If you need your stem that short your frame clearly doesn't fit you but that's not the end of the world. And since most of the newish fixed gear folk have never been properly fitted for a frame, you are not alone, including myself. Most are lucky if their frames come close to fitting. If the 50mm stem helps to make your bike fit then great. Some folks set up their bikes to internet photo aesthetics and when they ride their bikes they look like jackasses.

Doesn't Adriano have one of those ? ^^^^^^^^

Shhhh.....

The jury is still searching for gender.

Some people have short torsos and/or arms, and a smaller frame would require a seatpost way too far out. It comes down to getting a custom frame or buying a 50-70mm stem.

That's not entirely true. seatpost height to bottom bracket is relative to your leg length (725 = 6" seatpost showing, Brassknuckle 6.5"), The head tube length matters when it comes to how much spacers you use/saddle to bar drop (725 = 110mm, Brassknuckle = 150mm), but actually setting up both bikes "the same" (brass is 1" shorter virtual tt) would = 15mm of spacers on 725, no spacers on brass. If I threw a 70mm stem on 725, or a 95mm stem on the brass, the position would be "the same"... the frames definitely handle differently, but fit wise its the same setup.

I can not think of any instance where a larger frame and a *Less than 70mm stem would be more ideal than one frame size smaller and a longer stem. But feel free to prove me wrong.

There are frames made for long leg + short torso, as well as short legs + long torso. Maybe the geo of the bike is wrong, and my advice to go one frame size smaller does not apply within the same make and model of frame.

I for one need to use a 70mm stem on my 49cm Pake. I couldn't get a smaller frame because the frames don't get much smaller than that, unless you run a frame that takes 650c wheels. My dad had a IRO Mark V HD (650c), and that frame just felt too tiny. With my bike, I feel like if I had anything more than a 70mm stem, I would be way too stretched out. Some smaller people just need smaller stems. :P

yah ive been shopping for a nice bianchi road frame for my fiance...
my bike craziness has rubbed off on her and she become somewhat obsessed with the color Celeste lol....

anywho she has longish legs but not super longish arms/torso (hey no T-rex jokes lol) also she has shoulder issues so looking for a nice Bianchi road frame i noticed allot of the top tubes were long...i dont want her stretched out and uncomfortable.

sooo i found a frame, pretty much 55cm both seat tube and top tube. perfect seat tube length, sort of wish it was a 54 or 53 top tube, but i bought a 70 stem for now, i think it will work out. i do notice quill stems get into the 60mm range. i think even shorter.


so bla bla bla = i can see needing a shorter stem if a frame's seat tube length is perfect but a touch long in the top tube department, or if its a frame with geometry more for "aero" racing positions but you dont want to be laying down on the bike as much. i know i know, "maybe you should just get a frame that fits exactly what you want" but sometimes thats not as easy as it seems unless you feel like shelling out allot of money for a custom frame. and sometimes you just really really want a specific bike frame, like a celeste Bianchi :)

I have 120mm stems on both of my bikes, so that makes me cooler than everyone, right?

yes

Using risers on road/track frames amounts to nothing more than a hack. The engineers that desinged these frames (or the frames that current frames are based on) did not have risers in mind.

The only bikes that are designed to be used with risers are MOUNTAIN BIKES...and maybe a few city bikes.

http://fstatic1.mtb-news.de/img/phot...UzziVP_web.jpg
http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/50...ips_stem_2.jpg

Modern fixed gear bikes are pretty much franken-bikes with:
- Track frames
- Track wheels
- BMX or antiquated track pedals
- Antiquated toe straps or velcro straps that serve no other cycling market (except a handful of track sprinters).
- MTB riser bars
- BMX/MTB stems
- All to be ridden as commuter bikes

So that's why.

+1

Time Trial bikes use shorter stems because riders are on their forearms in aerobars. That's the only exception.

EXACTLY.

I'd be interested in what the biomechanics are though. Is it just to get more weight over the wheel or is there some reason that a longer stem provides more torque or what? It seems like if it was getting weight over the wheel then we would expect road bikes to have longer stems overall than track bikes, because of the rake.

It's a matter of handling at high speeds.

Without getting into too much detail (some of which I don't know the science of), generally speaking, the objective is to have your hands above the front axle (actually slightly behind...like 1cm) and subsequently your hands will be over where the wheel touches the ground.

At higher speeds, Bikes handle really twitchy the further the hands are behind the front axle. And it handles sluggishly when the hands are in front of the axle.

Ever get on a townie bike with bars that are swept back? It's really weird steering those because of that reason. Take that bike up to 25+ mph, and its REALLY tough to steer.

http://corkgrips.files.wordpress.com...nie_gitane.jpg