Should I shorten my MTB stem?
I have a long torso with short legs and arms, so for me it was the right thing to do. If your arms are too straight, then you should install a shorter stem to adjust your cockpit for proper fit. If you feel some discomfort on your knees while climbing, then you should get a zero setback seatpost.
How does stem length affect reach?
‘A long stem length is effectively a longer steering lever arm, so will be less responsive but may feel more stable, particularly at high speed. ‘A short stem will be more responsive to steering inputs but potentially a little less stable.
Is 60mm stem too short?
60 might be a little short. 70 sounds short but not unreasonable. a shorter stem will make the bike feel twitchy.
Are all MTB stems the same?
Stems are available to fit a range of steerer tube sizes with 1 1/8” being by far the most common on both MTB and road bikes. However some models are also available for older bikes with 1” steerers (although a shim can also be used to make these fit standard stems) or for gravity bikes with 1.5” steerer tubes.
How do I know if my bike stem is too short?
When you think about it, reach changes a lot with your position on the bike: sliding back or forward on the saddle, moving your hands from the brake hoods to the bar tops to the bar drops, pulling on the bars during periods of maximum effort, getting your chin down on the stem during a long descent, and so on.
Are short stems bad?
“Short stems provide a more immediate response but they are susceptible to smaller movements of the body, which translates into twitchiness.” Richard Craddock is cautious about long stems though. “A very long stem with a short top tube can slow the handling.
Is 70mm stem too short for road bike?
A short stem will effect handling by making your bike feel twitchier. 70mm is quite short but unless you’re riding a technical course, it is doable. Having a short torso, I ofetn have to resort to 70 and 80 cm stems. The bike can handle well with a short stem, but it takes practice.
Does lowering stem increase reach?
Keep in mind that as you lower the stem, you also increase reach, so whether something feels “bigger” or “smaller” can be complicated when you are both lowering and shortening.
Does a longer stem increase reach?
Due to leverage yes, the longer stem puts more weight on the front tire, all things equal. But, ultimately the rider determines what tire receives X amount of weight distribution.
How does stem height affect handling?
A longer stem tends to slow down handling a bit, shorter stems the opposite (think about the stem as a radius going through an arc — a longer stem swoops a larger arc for the same angle). This has a small effect for much riding, where bike lean does most of the steering.