To get the right stem length, start with your saddle! You must have the right setback to get the right the balance of upper torso weight on the bars. When you are pedaling with moderate effort, your hands should rest just lightly on the bar hoods. Too much pressure? Bring the saddle back and work on core strength. Not enough power in seated climbs? Bring it forwards. Once you have got the right setback, choose the stem length that best accommodates a proper angle between the torso and the humerus (about 90 degrees) or one that just feels naturally comfortable. If you do a lot of climbing out of the saddle, a longer stem will give you more leverage to pull on the bars; if you are just casually pedaling a flat course, or touring a shorter stem will give you a better upright position.
Thank for making one of the best and most honest videos about stem length. I admire you for letting it all out on the table and hopefully the fashionista cycling world will pick up on you common sense approach and focus on proper fit.
First saddle height, setback and tilt. Adjust setback and height to have good control over top and bottom of pedal stroke. Then weight on hands with saddle tilt. Last the stem length to accomodate the reach of that position.
Nothing to ask, Just wanna say, its the perfect form of content someone can probably produce, perfect job, literally worth countless views, and you should know when your viewer is this happy you are going to get much more views if you keep producing similar quality content
I spent a lot of money on a bike fit and all the "fitter" did was move my seat up .5 cm! I definitely felt ripped off. I have been riding a long time and always have done my own fits and been just fine. I let a friend talk me into the fit. I understand some people could benefit from a fit but NOT everybody. I am a 58 year old female and I ride in quite an aggressive position, long stem and slammed. This is COMFORTABLE for me! I came into cycling many years ago riding a tri bike so this position feels great! Everyone has a different body, so what works for one might not work for another! I have had people comment that I was trying to look pro and this is not true, although I will say that the bike does look great!
The other thing you can alter is the handlebars reach. Some bars have shorter reach. Use this in combination with the stem length. Anything with a reach shorter than 80mm is considered short. The Specialized Short Reach and the Aerozine XB1.2 is the shortest I know at 65mm.
Makes good sense and sums it up around 5:10 > 6:58. I'm starting with correcting my stem length so my bar's grip position is aligned with the fork tube. Then, I can easily tell where my Saddle needs adjusting.
I am capable of a reasonably aggressive position on a bike. I often will run an aggressive negative rise stem with some spacers below rather than neutral rise slammed. Same bar position but easier resell as a potential new owner has greater adjustment options. Additionally it’s not really about the stem, it’s the position of hand poison/controls in space. The bar plays an equal role in this on a road bike.
Oi oi a fellow mtber from 90's, good to see you're still in the game Justin, are you a roadie now or you like me and love it all and have far too many bikes to be considered normal even by other cyclists.
Great to see Justin present on here, brought back great memories from MBUK. Hope he appears more frequently. Thanks for the upload, very helpful for my recent bike build.
Since I've retired from racing, I've become less flexible over the last 5 years (that and the fact that I'm old now) For years, I rode a frame with a 58 top tube, and a 140mm stem (-6 degrees, I believe). To make things more comfortable, I changed over to a 130mm stem (much better)
I got a bike fit recently. We started with cleats (moving them back a bit.) Next was the saddle, which went forward, up, and more level. Finally, the bars. Mine are narrow, which is perfect. The fitter wants me to rotate the levers higher, so I can get a more natural bend in the elbows while keeping the wrists neutral. Finally, I will go from a 110mm stem to 90mm. (It was between a 90 and 100, and I decided to get a 90 to really feel the difference. If it feels too cramped, 100 it is!) Anyway, with my fitting process, the stem length was the final piece of the puzzle, not the first. BTW, my stem is still on order. In the meantime, I’m riding with my hands back from the hoods. The cheapest and easiest way to try different positions is to fake it and position your hands where they would be with the new equipment. Easiest way to try before you buy.
Absolutely impressive video, a game changer for me, thank you so much the video is full of truth and really addresses all my issues thank you, thank you so much ❤️
Thanks you. Great video. You mentioned the reach is shorter when angle is higher. That makes sense . If I have a 90mm stem, one with 6 degree and one with 12 degree, the reach would be shorter with the 12 degree. I think I got that (hopefully). What would happen if I have two stems. One with 90mm and 6 degree and the other 110mm with 12 degree. On the same frame, would the reach still be shorter due to the 12 degree rise even though the length increased 20mm ? Just want to check ! Basic geometry says: Vertical rise = stem length * sin(angle) = 90mm * sin(6°) ≈ 9.5mm and Vertical rise = stem length * sin(angle) = 110mm * sin(12°) ≈ 23.0mm. The difference in vertical rise between the two stems is approximately: 23.0mm - 9.5mm = 13.5mm So, by switching to a 110mm stem with a 12-degree angle, I will effectively raise my handlebars by approximately 13.5mm, reducing my lean and back angle. Does this make sense or am I way off ? My forks are cut so no play in stack height and trying to reduce the reach - slightly so thinking this combo may work. Would love to hear your feedback. Thanks so much for a great video. Saving this one to back to from time to time.
I recently hadba bikefit where the stem was changed from 100mm -6° to 120mm +17°. Now I'm way more comfortable on the bike, but I hate the look of it. 😅
My new gravel bikes stem is 10mm longer than my road bike. Cant say i feel any difference. Only had the gravel bike 2 weeks it feels ok for now some great tips in the video guys
I was riding upright position and yes I did get fitted for my body. never felt that kind of pain in my vertebrate. So I flip the stem had better control more comfortable.So upright position is not correct all the time .
I had a 100mm stem on my Tarmac sl7 and experienced saddle soreness. My bike fitter shortened the stem to 80mm and that helped with my saddle being more comfortable. My new bike (long story) also had a 100mm stem and I felt stretched out with my arms almost locked out to have my hands securely around the hoods. So I changed the stem to an 80mm and my saddle is a little more uncomfortable than it was with the 100mm. Should I move the saddle back a smidge? Thanks for a great video
This happens all the time. Get a good fit (or two) BEFORE spending big money. I have been riding the wrong size bike largely because I walked into the fitter with a bike. They then try to work with what they have. Get the fit first, it is a lot cheaper. Ask me how I know.
where do you buy a nice stem, say i want 35 degrees down 100mm, i can only find cheap options online. Where would i go to find that perfect aesthetic stem after ive dialed it in?
This bike was really easy to assemble ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
I have a real Frankenstein’s monster of a bike fit. I am 173cm tall with a 182 wingspan and I have a Specialized Allez in a size 56. The Allez has a very tall head tube, especially in a size 56. When I got the bike, it was just too big for me. It’s taken me a year of tinkering but I’ve finally dialled in the perfect fit- and it was all in the stem! I’ve completely slammed it, beyond even factory limitations, as I’ve fit a 5mm headset washer and I’ve taken the stem it’s self down in length to 90mm (from the original 100) and also down to a 12 degree drop (down from 6). The bike now fits like a dream and the position it puts me in, is more akin to a full on race bike, than an endurance bike. (I’ve also narrowed the handlebars by 20mm)
Just downloaded size my bike to find it hasn’t been supported for 7 years and doesn’t work on my device. Probably won’t bring it up in future videos. Now have to sort a refund. 🤦🏻
I did a fitting, the bike was worse than when i went in. I had it set up already by myself, until everyone said get a bike fitting, it’ll be great. Not
I'm in the US, and just paid $12.92 for one and 11.95 for another....shipping included (amazon). If you want name brands and really lightweight stuff, then yeah, it'll cost.
3:26 the cosine of 8 degrees is 0.99. Your stem would have to be 500 mm long for you to have a difference in length of 5 mm when you raise the stem by 8 degrees. You need to run these videos by a technical editor
To get the right stem length, start with your saddle! You must have the right setback to get the right the balance of upper torso weight on the bars. When you are pedaling with moderate effort, your hands should rest just lightly on the bar hoods. Too much pressure? Bring the saddle back and work on core strength. Not enough power in seated climbs? Bring it forwards. Once you have got the right setback, choose the stem length that best accommodates a proper angle between the torso and the humerus (about 90 degrees) or one that just feels naturally comfortable. If you do a lot of climbing out of the saddle, a longer stem will give you more leverage to pull on the bars; if you are just casually pedaling a flat course, or touring a shorter stem will give you a better upright position.
Nice calm, scripted delivery with lots of solid, practical info. Many thanks.
Thank for making one of the best and most honest videos about stem length. I admire you for letting it all out on the table and hopefully the fashionista cycling world will pick up on you common sense approach and focus on proper fit.
First saddle height, setback and tilt. Adjust setback and height to have good control over top and bottom of pedal stroke. Then weight on hands with saddle tilt. Last the stem length to accomodate the reach of that position.
Nothing to ask, Just wanna say, its the perfect form of content someone can probably produce, perfect job, literally worth countless views, and you should know when your viewer is this happy you are going to get much more views if you keep producing similar quality content
I spent a lot of money on a bike fit and all the "fitter" did was move my seat up .5 cm! I definitely felt ripped off. I have been riding a long time and always have done my own fits and been just fine. I let a friend talk me into the fit. I understand some people could benefit from a fit but NOT everybody. I am a 58 year old female and I ride in quite an aggressive position, long stem and slammed. This is COMFORTABLE for me! I came into cycling many years ago riding a tri bike so this position feels great! Everyone has a different body, so what works for one might not work for another! I have had people comment that I was trying to look pro and this is not true, although I will say that the bike does look great!
how long is your stem btw?
@@hybridmeteora5467 110mm
@@jcsrst thanks for the reply!
How much did the fitter charge you?
If you were comfortable then you didn't need a fit
The other thing you can alter is the handlebars reach. Some bars have shorter reach. Use this in combination with the stem length. Anything with a reach shorter than 80mm is considered short. The Specialized Short Reach and the Aerozine XB1.2 is the shortest I know at 65mm.
Makes good sense and sums it up around 5:10 > 6:58.
I'm starting with correcting my stem length so my bar's grip position is aligned with the fork tube. Then, I can easily tell where my Saddle needs adjusting.
I am capable of a reasonably aggressive position on a bike. I often will run an aggressive negative rise stem with some spacers below rather than neutral rise slammed. Same bar position but easier resell as a potential new owner has greater adjustment options. Additionally it’s not really about the stem, it’s the position of hand poison/controls in space. The bar plays an equal role in this on a road bike.
NIce video, that avoids intelligently to fall into all the bells and whistles of the time, but still adresses them all!
I went from a 90 mm to a 120 mm stem. I have long arms. It was a huge improvement.
Very professionally delivered. Well done.
Nice voice, nice organization, good questions. A good job telling me many things that I did not know.
got fitted by one of Steve Hogg’s approved fitters.. he gave me a 140mm stem and I have never been more comfortable on my bike
How long was your previous stem?
used to have 110mm stem
Oi oi a fellow mtber from 90's, good to see you're still in the game Justin, are you a roadie now or you like me and love it all and have far too many bikes to be considered normal even by other cyclists.
Perfect its when u dont see front hub.
In pro riders u see hub after bar. But its pro and agressive position
Great to see Justin present on here, brought back great memories from MBUK. Hope he appears more frequently. Thanks for the upload, very helpful for my recent bike build.
That was very informative. Thank you. Thank you, James Hetfield. Subscribed
I put a shorter MTB stem(65 vs 90) on my road bike, now my shoulder doesn't hurt after a ride.
This is such a good video, packed with honest, clear information. Thank you so much, I learned a lot!
Great info. Always winged it, but bought a new bike that needs a bit more fit adjustments, so this was good.
I was comfortably numb on my bike untill I saw David Gilmour do this very helpful video. Thank you
🤣 That's hilarious!
whaat? to be frank i thought more of James Hetfield :P
So many wanna be pro's of all ages need to watch this!¬
Cracking video and advice. Cheers!
Outstanding video. Very clear and informative. Thank you.
Since I've retired from racing, I've become less flexible over the last 5 years (that and the fact that I'm old now) For years, I rode a frame with a 58 top tube, and a 140mm stem (-6 degrees, I believe). To make things more comfortable, I changed over to a 130mm stem (much better)
Thanks for the clear explanation! Great work!
I got a bike fit recently. We started with cleats (moving them back a bit.) Next was the saddle, which went forward, up, and more level. Finally, the bars. Mine are narrow, which is perfect. The fitter wants me to rotate the levers higher, so I can get a more natural bend in the elbows while keeping the wrists neutral. Finally, I will go from a 110mm stem to 90mm. (It was between a 90 and 100, and I decided to get a 90 to really feel the difference. If it feels too cramped, 100 it is!)
Anyway, with my fitting process, the stem length was the final piece of the puzzle, not the first.
BTW, my stem is still on order. In the meantime, I’m riding with my hands back from the hoods. The cheapest and easiest way to try different positions is to fake it and position your hands where they would be with the new equipment. Easiest way to try before you buy.
I know I'm late to the party, but thanks for posting the process.
Absolutely impressive video, a game changer for me, thank you so much the video is full of truth and really addresses all my issues thank you, thank you so much ❤️
Nice advice....sensibly presented👍🏻
Thanks for this video, loaded with information. Well delivered and presented.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have swapped to 80 from 110 in stock
also frame size is important. i'm only 5ft 11 but i find riding a classic racer 59cm (xl) frame , with an average stem length is the most confortable.
I like how you mention its a fashion choice sometimes.
Thanks you. Great video. You mentioned the reach is shorter when angle is higher. That makes sense . If I have a 90mm stem, one with 6 degree and one with 12 degree, the reach would be shorter with the 12 degree. I think I got that (hopefully). What would happen if I have two stems. One with 90mm and 6 degree and the other 110mm with 12 degree. On the same frame, would the reach still be shorter due to the 12 degree rise even though the length increased 20mm ? Just want to check ! Basic geometry says: Vertical rise = stem length * sin(angle) = 90mm * sin(6°) ≈ 9.5mm and Vertical rise = stem length * sin(angle)
= 110mm * sin(12°) ≈ 23.0mm. The difference in vertical rise between the two stems is approximately:
23.0mm - 9.5mm = 13.5mm
So, by switching to a 110mm stem with a 12-degree angle, I will effectively raise my handlebars by approximately 13.5mm, reducing my lean and back angle. Does this make sense or am I way off ? My forks are cut so no play in stack height and trying to reduce the reach - slightly so thinking this combo may work. Would love to hear your feedback. Thanks so much for a great video. Saving this one to back to from time to time.
I recently hadba bikefit where the stem was changed from 100mm -6° to 120mm +17°. Now I'm way more comfortable on the bike, but I hate the look of it. 😅
+17 ? Your bike must look like an Harley davidson.
My new gravel bikes stem is 10mm longer than my road bike. Cant say i feel any difference. Only had the gravel bike 2 weeks it feels ok for now some great tips in the video guys
this is wonderful advice and a good refresher on stems too.
This is the one thing I don't like about these integrated bars it stops all these options. I like a 120mm personally
Most Informative video I've seen on this topic. Good job. I'm not buying any more stems though. I could open a shop already.
Me too
thank you for making and sharing this video.
Excellent, well explained advises.
Thanks for the video, and love the Tom Ritchey bobble head in the background
Good infornative explanation 💪
Glad you liked it
The greatest product!
Very educational thank you very much and more videos please you are very helpful!
I was riding upright position and yes I did get fitted for my body. never felt that kind of pain in my vertebrate. So I flip the stem had better control more comfortable.So upright position is not correct all the time .
You have the bars well, well below the saddle level. Your perfect stem length will be very different from my perfect stem length.
Great video! cheers
I had a 100mm stem on my Tarmac sl7 and experienced saddle soreness. My bike fitter shortened the stem to 80mm and that helped with my saddle being more comfortable. My new bike (long story) also had a 100mm stem and I felt stretched out with my arms almost locked out to have my hands securely around the hoods. So I changed the stem to an 80mm and my saddle is a little more uncomfortable than it was with the 100mm. Should I move the saddle back a smidge? Thanks for a great video
front , back , tilt, up and down, seat is #1
many thanks for the tips
$350 for a bike fit then your fitter tells you your $1000 integrated handlebar stem is too short 😂
Or too long.
So get s stem riser $20 dollars
So get a fit before you get the wrong bike!
This happens all the time. Get a good fit (or two) BEFORE spending big money. I have been riding the wrong size bike largely because I walked into the fitter with a bike. They then try to work with what they have. Get the fit first, it is a lot cheaper. Ask me how I know.
😂
Awesome video. By the way, what is your bike frame size, your height and your bike stem length? Thanks
where do you buy a nice stem, say i want 35 degrees down 100mm, i can only find cheap options online. Where would i go to find that perfect aesthetic stem after ive dialed it in?
Most bike shop are a rip off, most have no idea, this is my experience.
Mine too. I tried to support local businesses, but they made it difficult.
Des Erdinger Weißbier, des is halt a pracht, lalalaladaaaa..... ^^ love it ^^
What about when your knees hitting your arms while in the drops to short or just right
Good info. Cheers!
I have Kona ROVE HD which has a 60mm stem, but the closest suspension stem I have found in length is an 80mm. Anybody have any ideas?
I appreciate the humor put it between the useful information. Good stuff!
My experience of bike fits are… they don’t really work well for me.
I’ve had 5 different fits over 10 years of riding.
@Bebo if it works
I wonder how much of a difference there is between 50 to 60mm?
10mm
@@juanposada9319 Hahaha ! Lol.
This bike was really easy to assemble ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
Tried to learn what length I should go for but could only ask myself why two Erdinger beer glasses are standing in an empty wooden basket.
if you're easily distracted then we have a podcast you could listen to?
I have a real Frankenstein’s monster of a bike fit. I am 173cm tall with a 182 wingspan and I have a Specialized Allez in a size 56. The Allez has a very tall head tube, especially in a size 56. When I got the bike, it was just too big for me. It’s taken me a year of tinkering but I’ve finally dialled in the perfect fit- and it was all in the stem! I’ve completely slammed it, beyond even factory limitations, as I’ve fit a 5mm headset washer and I’ve taken the stem it’s self down in length to 90mm (from the original 100) and also down to a 12 degree drop (down from 6). The bike now fits like a dream and the position it puts me in, is more akin to a full on race bike, than an endurance bike. (I’ve also narrowed the handlebars by 20mm)
Can I use it for racing
great video! thank you
Glad you liked it!
what do you think of the shock stop stem (suspension stem)
they're really good for long distance comfort: road.cc/content/review/249893-redshift-sports-shockstop-suspension-stem
Just downloaded size my bike to find it hasn’t been supported for 7 years and doesn’t work on my device. Probably won’t bring it up in future videos. Now have to sort a refund. 🤦🏻
I did a fitting, the bike was worse than when i went in. I had it set up already by myself, until everyone said get a bike fitting, it’ll be great. Not
Thank you, great info
Whew these 40$+ for a stem is still too expensive for me
glad I'm closer to SEA to get these stems at sub 30$ prices
I'm in the US, and just paid $12.92 for one and 11.95 for another....shipping included (amazon). If you want name brands and really lightweight stuff, then yeah, it'll cost.
Like this guy.
3:26 the cosine of 8 degrees is 0.99. Your stem would have to be 500 mm long for you to have a difference in length of 5 mm when you raise the stem by 8 degrees. You need to run these videos by a technical editor
I'm a pro!
Your bike with handlebars 15 cm below the saddle makes you unrelatable.
Don't be late for school again
Hell no I wanna feel my back burning 😫😫😫
Or you could get an integrated bar and be a pretentious pro when all you do is weekend recreational rides and sit in an office cubicle everyday 😏
Ble
body "needs"... humans are adaptable, dont fall for this "neeeeed" meme
kiss me uwu
Nice good info! thanks!