Badgerjohn

All,

not sure if this belongs in here but a search didn't help.

I am putting new trekking bars on my rigid frame mtb for touring and am not sure what length of stem to order? Should I go with the longest so I have the option of raising it up and taking some strain off my hands etc...?

Nashbar has the comfort quill stem in 90mm 110mm and 130mm

Thanks again.

bradtx

Badgerjohn, Try the trekking 'bars on your current stem and evaluate the fit.

Brad

Tim_Iowa

FYI, those dimensions listed are for the stem extension (horizontal part), not the stem length (vertical part).

This is still a tough question, since you're changing the bar shape completely. Usually, when switching to upright bars, you want lesser reach. So I'd say to start with the 90mm. The trekking (butterfly) bars have hand positions both further away and closer than traditional MTB flat bars, so you have a lot of flexibility here.

Badgerjohn

You mean the length of the stem not the height? Huh never even new that. I guess the longer one would have me hunched forward maybe too much?

Tim_Iowa

Since this is a 45 degree riser stem, the longer extension ones will raise your bars a bit but also move them further away from you. If the frame is too small, this may be just the trick. If the frame fits already with flat bars, then you probably want the shortest extension one.

Also, measure the extension on your current stem. Picture where it would place these bars, and then picture how it would be different with the Nashbar stem.

Trekking bars are good for turning MTBs into tourers. They give you at least three different hand positions to move between, and take MTB controls easily.

I put Wald cruiser 872 bars on my old MTB. They bring me more upright for around town riding, with lots of reach back. They lack the forward ("drops") position that the trekking bar give you, though. Personally, I'd try wide flared drop bars (midge/dirt drops) if I were to try touring on it.

BobG

That depends on how high your saddle is set above your top tube. Many tourists like to set bar tops at about the same height, some prefer them lower.

You may have more fine tuning by using a riser/adapter. It is a vertical, quill riser that adapts to a threadless type handlebar stem, thus your stem will now be in two pieces, a quill style riser that receives a threadless handlebar stem at it's top. This may give you more choices of stem length and rise. Should you later decide you need a longer or shorter reach or rise it's an easy swap and you have two parts to fine tune your fit with.

I have an old quill stem Bruce Gordon. I use this threadless adapter. It provides 118 mm of rise above the minimum insertion line. My stem angle adds a bit to that............



https://harriscyclery.net/product/dim...m1998-qc49.htm

I use a much lower riser/adapter/stem on my Litespeed around town bike.............



As you see I use dropped bars, but I would think that trekking bars would go at a similar height relative to the saddle.

fietsbob

have 2 bikes with trekking bars .. they are a bit higher than the saddle.
and the reach is moderate at the sides /end, grip.

no nashbar productes used.