Road Bike Stem Length Measurement

The most significant thing while choosing a road stem is the length of the stem may be the key factor for overall fit of the bike. The most important consideration when choosing a road stem is the stem length considered as a key factor in the overall fit of the bike. The rise angle of stem from fork to bar has quite a large effect.

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Road Bike Frame Sizes Find Fit The Right Bicycle For You

The stem height is 41mm.

Road bike stem length measurement. Bike fit for road cycling can be complex. If you need a stem length beyond those extremes your bike frame is the wrong size. This size specific approach goes a long way to getting you set up with the correct stem length providing you ve chosen the right size frame another area where a bike fit comes in useful. Competitive racers will opt for a longer 120mm stem for optimum stretch.

When road cyclists think about stem length we tend to only take into account the effect it has on our position on the bike. Add our 71mm to the head tube length of 103mm for a steering column length of 174mm. The total of lower stack upper stack washers and stem is 74mm. That would place the fork exactly at the end of the stem so we deduct 3mm for a working total of 71mm.

If you end up with a decimal answer round up when cutting. As a rule of thumb on a road bike you shouldn t run a stem much shorter than 90mm or much longer than 130mm. In order to alter stem length you must first know the length of your current stem. We visited oli beckingsale of bw cycling in bristol to find out more about steam length and reach.

However most stems are not marked and must be measured in order to determine size. Riders looking to achieve a long low and aerodynamic position on the bike e g. Stem length designated in millimeters may be indicated on the stem. But mountain bikers change stem length depending on the handling.

Sometimes you might need to customise the stem length yourself though. Riders like to get a long small and aerodynamic position of the bike e g spirited racers can choose for a longer 1200 mm stem for optimum stretch. Generally speaking stem lengths on road bikes vary from 80 to 140mm with 100 to 110mm perhaps the most common sizes. Stem length is one aspect of a road bike that you can alter to increase both comfort and performance.

There s much more to understanding road bike frame sizing than effective top tube length stack and reach and choosing the right size is key to proper fit and handling. Some manufacturers specify different length stems in relation to the frame size to try and offer the best fit. Good bike shops will be very helpful in helping you get the right stem length on your new bike or buying a new stem doesn t have to cost a lot of money.