Mtb Stem, long or short ?

[fullfunk]

tdont pu music over voice in this videos

[HealthyNactive]

@fullfunk, I don't put music in the videos any more. I wanted to remove it, but youtube does not have that feature yet. I may be able to put a silent track over the existing track in the future.

[Raw2v07]

@healthynactive thanks for the vid, raised points that I didnt know. Who is the background track by

[HealthyNactive]

@Raw2v07, Evanescence, song is tourniquet

[blackdubsociety]

I have been playing with stem length lately after seeing this video, and I believe the 70mm is perfect but I want to try a 60mm. I went from 110mm to 100mm to 90mm to 70mm. I do prefer the more upright position, and most important i can still climb with 0 difficulty.

[HealthyNactive]

@blackdubsociety, Most people in general will find that a 70mm will work well as it is close to the middle as it gets as far as mtb stem length. In your opinion, how did your bike change when you went to a shorter stem?

[blackdubsociety]

@HealthyNactive The front grip through turns is the biggest change i find. I will be a little more clear also. The 70mm stem is on my 26er, and I want to try the 60mm on my 29er since it's got about a 15mm longer top tube than my 26er.

[MongooseFreeRider]

I got two bikes where i can pop wheelies on it no problem with the short stem where as the other bike with the stem 30mm longer is harder to do.Thanx man i just learned something new :)

[HealthyNactive]

@MongooseFreeRider, cool, I have the exact same problem with long stems, very hard to lift the front for 'manuals' and getting over logs, larger rocks, etc... Riders just need to find a happy medium. Maybe a 65/70mm length would be ideal... For XC racers, 100mm is usually fine as they need it for climbing.

[supra619]

I currently have a 75mm with a small rise on my Rumblefish (Small) but i have short arms. So when riding I feel more upright. I'm thinking about going with a 85mm stem to compensate for the short top tube. Your thoughts?

[HealthyNactive]

@supra619. Customizing the cockpit of the bike really is dependent upon your body and the bike geometry. Some people feel much more comfortable with a longer stem which is perfectly fine. Climbing with a longer stem is preferred.

[ThePanzerfist44]

@HealthyNactive - Thanks for this video , I am having the same dilemma with a 98 GT arrowhead ive just rebuilt - its got a 120mm FSA XC stem and feels very cumbersome as I am only a short guy , ive been looking at either a Thompson x 4 or a Hope am stem both are 70mm , then i'll have to find a suitable riser bar

thats the 1st thing I noticed when I got into rebuilding retro MTB's - narrow bars and long assed stems ( arrghh)

[HealthyNactive]

@ThePanzerfist44, for a riser bar, check out the Easton Monkey Lites. They are carbon fiber, pretty light and really strong. I've had mine for 4+ years with no problems.

[AustinPetDetective]

A close up of the stem would have been nice ?.

[HealthyNactive]

@AustinPetDetective, Hi. the stem that I have on my bike is a Thompson. You can see it at their website, just google 'bike thompson' and go to the stems page. I have a Thompson Elite.

The size is 1-1/8″ x 0° x 50 mm x 25.4 mm

[ThePanzerfist44]

@HealthyNactive Thompson elite for 25.4mm bars eh ? Ive got some race face bars in 25.4mm that I want to use for a rebuild but I cant find a nice enough stem for them ( they mostly tend to be 31.8mm ) - think i'll check out the thompson elite( they do a nice layback seatpost too )

:-)

[angrd020]

Thanks for the tips, time for a short stem!

[MrPaperclip82]

i have to many weight on my arms,i lean to much on the steer(riser) should i use a shorter 1? mine is now 90mm.its for urban cycling

[lstruggy]

awesome video man!

[Schwoog]

I'm looking at the Thomson Elite and there are a few on EBay. 90 degree, 0 degree, 0 degree rise. Your opinion?

[HealthyNactive]

@Schwoog, I've got a Thompson Elite 50mm. A 70mm is a good choice for trail riding. I still say that a shorter stem is the best for basic trail riding. (Not for XC racing).

[Schwoog]

What are the specs of the stem?

[HealthyNactive]

@Schwoog, the one I use is a Thompson Elite and is 50mm long. They have just one in this length... Not too much as far as rise angle because their is not enough metal.

[BillieJean900]

is a medium 18" bike good for 1.80 men?

[tirimut]

@BillieJean900 It depends on the frame.Different frames have different geometry.I am 171-172 cm tall and have a bike with an 18" frame.Well,it's a bit small for me now.I use it with a long (90mm) stem and most of the seatpost out.Try the bike before buying it.

[hpotter1097]

Enjoyed your video, and the advice/reasoning you present seems sound. I'm an older guy, and found the music track unnecessary [the younger riders probably appreciated it, though].

[jairocontreras11]

para descenso es mejor un "stem" corto, para trial largo y para ruta una mediano.

[OFFENSIVEWORDS]

Thank you for the help, I appreciate your time.

[HealthyNactive]

@OFFENSIVEWORDS, spring is coming up! Time to get in shape for some Mtb'ing this summer!

[pmmM203]

the primary reason that i chose a short stem is that it's cheaper. hehe

[HealthyNactive]

@pmmM203, maybe I should have mentioned that......... =)

[Dylans503]

with a longer stem your constantly have weight on the front end to.

[OtherVincentLee]

I prefer my Syntace F99 90mm 25.4mm and weighs in at 98 grams. Long stem better, more stability on jumps and other stuff, general riding.

[SteveTheJazzMan]

mountain bikes came from beach cruisers.... it just happens that a road bike builder adapted the same frame shape and that trend followed

[HealthyNactive]

I have an 18" bike, that is the measurement between the bottom bracket and the top by the seat. It's probably a medium though. I'm 5'10"... Glad you like the vids, try to implement the techniques on your trail and let me know how it goes...

[Guitarguykiddude]

Hey I really like your vids! I am busy watching all of them! I do have one question: What size frame is your bike? It looks like an m or is it a L? Please let me know! Thanks!!

Guitarguykiddude

[WHYTRIP206]

The exact info I was looking for.

Cheers.

[HealthyNactive]

Glad you enjoyed and learned a few things from the vids desy. I'd go with a 60mm as you mentioned. I have a 50mm on mine now...

[desy2478]

Ok thanks!

[desy2478]

Useful video thanks. The stem on my Trance X5 is 100mm long. I've moved my saddle back and now I want to shorten the stem to get the added benefits your talking about. I do enjoy the climbs and XC stuff but usually it's a means of getting to the single track downhill sections. So I'm wondering what might be a good stem length? I want sharper trail performance without compromising uphill performance excessively. Maybe 60mm?

[HealthyNactive]

I'm running a 50mm stem from Thompson. I use to run a 80mm or so, but IMO there is no comparison as far as overall riding.

[ferozoso23]

What size stem are you running?

[ferozoso23]

Thanks for the advice. Great videos by the way.

[THRILLBILLIES199]

yeah haha its pretty short and i definately feel the difference!.

[THRILLBILLIES199]

your pretty spot on on all of those points!! pretty good video

[HealthyNactive]

Glad you enjoyed the vid, I'd guess that you already have a shorter stem on your mtb...