stem choice

[Jakkals77]

Many manufacturers are actually designing modern bikes to have longer top tubes IN ORDER to enable riders to fit shorter stems. Go and read about Mondraker Forward Geometry. A short stem gives faster response(shorter input movement) on your steering and a wider bar gives more control. It works in combination. All up to a certain point of course. The bikes mentioned above are mostly Trail and Enduro bikes where handling and control is more important than pedaling efficiency.

 

Wheel size has very little to do with steering dynamics.

What you are saying is correct, but a 29er is not as nimble or easy to turn on short twisty turns, as 650B's are.

[Orbit]

Cruise down to your lbs. Ask them to throw on a 60 and see how it feels. If you're cramped go up a notch. Rinse and repeat.

No point having precision handling but being uncomfortable 2 hours into your ride.

 

Edit:spelling

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

Ooooh. Someone doesn't like his assertion being challenged..

 

 

Your "opinion" was stated as fact. You then went back to edit it to make it appear as if you meant it as an opinion, instead of a stated fact.

 

You.were.wrong.

 

A shorter stem and wider bar do not make a bikes handling more sketchy. End of story. Spez spec longer stems because they're still subscribing to the old style geometry and relying on stem length to determine fit. It's an outdated pea time taken from road cycling were stem length doesn't matter as much.

[Wyatt Earp]

Ooooh. Someone doesn't like his assertion being challenged..

 

 

Your "opinion" was stated as fact. You then went back to edit it to make it appear as if you meant it as an opinion, instead of a stated fact.

 

You.were.wrong.

 

A shorter stem and wider bar do not make a bikes handling more sketchy. End of story. Spez spec longer stems because they're still subscribing to the old style geometry and relying on stem length to determine fit. It's an outdated pea time taken from road cycling were stem length doesn't matter as much.

What you seem to have forgotten is that every discipline of mountain biking will use different stem lengths and handlebar widths.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

What you seem to have forgotten is that every discipline of mountain biking will use different stem lengths and handlebar widths.

Yep, that is definitely true, Ant. In my opinion though, it shouldn't be the stem length that determines how laid out you are on the bike, as that definitely affects handling negatively (too much weight over the front etc)

 

What should IMO determine how laid out you are should be the stack height and the effective top tube length.

 

More xc = lower front end. As you move towards trail / AM it would become a bit higher in relation to the saddle.

[Kiwi]

Hi there. I would like to know when converting stem, what would the best option in terms of shortness? I have my eye on a bbb freeride 60mm stem.

 

Hi Singletrackrider,

 

We have a 780mm wide bar and stem package for R509 which includes your choice of stem length (60/70/80/90/100mm) here:

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Hi Singletrackrider,

 

We have a 780mm wide bar and stem package for R509 which includes your choice of stem length (60/70/80/90/100mm) here:

I have that 780mm bar... For the price, I was expecting it to be a bit flexy. Boy, was I wrong!

 

Can't go wrong with that. Move your grips in by 5mm at a time till you get comfortable, then sny!

[SimpleDom]

 

You've just killed the OP's thread, and made it all about you. Well done.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

My personal opinion is that a bar that is significantly wider than your shoulder width may actaully be disadvantageous.

This is just my opinion from personal experience.

 

 

Yeah, it definitely takes a while to get used to. I know that when I went from my ooooold 100mm stem / 620mm bar combo to a 50mm/760mm combo it took a good few rides to get comfortable on it. That was on my old hardtail when it had the 120mm fork. But once I was used to it - man, what a difference!

[patches]

If thats so spectacularly wrong you opinionated @ssholes, then why does the specialized camber size large, thats more trail orientated then xc orientated, come with a 720mm bar and 90mm stem? I guess it means that you guys know more than the spez engineers. You guys should apply for a job.

 

Did you really just use a bicycles stock components as a refrence for the perfect setup?

 

Have you seen some of the crap OEM controls that come on most complete bikes?

 

If the "spez engineers" are all knowing (as you esteem them to be), then companies like Easton, Renthal, Raceface, ENVE, Thomson etc. should all be out of business.

 

Why on earth sould anyone change their bars and stem if the 'spez engineers' (re-read as 'cost cutters') got it perfect in the first place!

 

EDIT: I bought a brand new complete Cannondale AM bike. It came with an 80mm stem and 680mm bars. For a bike with 160mm travel and a 66deg head angle). I can assure you that Cannondale rider and 2013 EWS world champion Jerome Clementz does not ride a setup like that, no matter how smart you may think manufacturer component speccers may be. (I doubt they're engineers, as you seem to think they are)

[Bizkit031]

You must be an ahole because you don't ride a camber.

Clearly I'm an idiot too because I'm not the Spez procurement manager, or their engineer

How did you know that King Crispy,I rode one and was not impressed,I have the utmost respect for Spez but I don't like to be like everyone else and ride a Spez. Be different,so that's why I went with a different brand and there are not many around,if I could afford it I would be on a Mondraker or a brand that's not available here.

[hayleyearth]

My personal opinion is that a bar that is significantly wider than your shoulder width may actaully be disadvantageous.

This is just my opinion from personal experience.

 

My shoulders are 370mm (yes one 300mm ruler cover most of the length)

 

I think I will die if I ride with bars only significantly wider than that.

 

(I have 760mm on my bike of choice, won't go narrower than 740mm)

[Wyatt Earp]

My shoulders are 370mm (yes one 300mm ruler cover most of the length)

 

I think I will die if I ride with bars only significantly wider than that.

 

(I have 760mm on my bike of choice, won't go narrower than 740mm)

Bring those crowbars on an XCO course with tight tree lines.

[Cruz Addict]

eish its going to be a long long long line at the pull you to pieces stand my friend. a few things to bear in mind as already stated by others:

 

• specialized dont rule the world!!
• most stock setups are set for cost and average performance.
• customization is a personal choice, so is steering and bike setup, not everyone is going to want to ride stock.
• your comment about the camber should take into consideration that its a budget spaz, even at its best compared to other models in the spaz family.
• physics says that a wider bar and shorter stem means greater edge movement to achieve the same movement from center point, this makes them less sensitive and gives a rider greater control and a more stable feeling through the steering. thats physics and Geometry 101.
• specialized dont rule the world!!

you seem to be a little highly strung, perhaps go ride your bike, calm down and stop assuming you are the only one with an opinion or the ability to be a keyboard hero, thrust me this place will eat you alive and there are many who will make you look like a complete **** if you behave the way you have been in this thread.

enjoy Monday!!

[hayleyearth]

Bring those crowbars on an XCO course with tight tree lines.

 

Name a  XCO course here in SA with such 'obstacles'

[Bizkit031]

Name a  XCO course here in SA with such 'obstacles'

Cascades and some at Karkloof and Howick.