Stem length and handling

[Charlotte]

The stem on the Thorn Cyclosportif that I rode TRAT on this year is 50mm long.

Everyone told me that it was very wrong, but I found the bike comfortable and thought it handled well.

Did they say why they thought it was wrong?
Anything that fits your body is likely to handle better than annything that does not fit. Riding no-handed isn't often an issue. It's one of those things that theoretically should be possible but I have seldom managed.

I fitted it - 'cos I have shorter arms than the medium-sized bloke that the frame was probably designed for.

[Che]

... small effect from the weight distribution, but that's all.

Which is the concise version of my waffleage.

[hellymedic]

The stem on the Thorn Cyclosportif that I rode TRAT on this year is 50mm long.

Everyone told me that it was very wrong, but I found the bike comfortable and thought it handled well.

Did they say why they thought it was wrong?
Anything that fits your body is likely to handle better than annything that does not fit. Riding no-handed isn't often an issue. It's one of those things that theoretically should be possible but I have seldom managed.

I fitted it - 'cos I have shorter arms than the medium-sized bloke that the frame was probably designed for.

Oh I understand and accept that (and it concurs with what I posted about myself upthread) but why did they say it was wrong?
It might have looked strange, granted.

[Biggsy]

Yeah, I typed my reply before seeing yours, Che.  Busy thread, this!

Jacomus-rides-Gen, try reducing weight on the bars when riding one-handed, then it will be more like riding no-handed!  I use short stems as well now.  A longer stem might indeed smooth things out, but your comfort is more important than that.

[Zipperhead]

It will take you five minutes flat to get used to the steering with any stem, then it will just seem perfectly normal.

I've got a variety of different stem lengths on my bikes, most are probably around 100-120mm, and I don't notice it.

The only time I really notice is when I put the tandem back into the garage and hop onto the Brompton to ride home. For the first 50m I'm *very* aware of the difference in steering response (which in this case is much more than stem length dependent), but by the time I've got home (perhaps 500m) I've stopped noticing.

[giropaul]

The ex-Motorola mechanic - Scott Parr - wrote in his book "Tales from the Toolbox" that the starting point for sizing is the top tube, together with how high the rider likes the bars (this was before sloping frames). Higher bars = larger frame, and vice-versa.

When I was younger it was the received knowledge that anyone with a stem less than 120cm was obviously a rank amateur.

[innesh]

When Dave Yates built my frame he sized it for a 90mm stem, as he did most of his audax frames in smaller/medium sizes.  This allows a longer top tube for a bit more comfort and extra space for mudguards.  It rides like a dream, even 'no hands'.

I've always found short stems (and high bars) awkward to ride when out of the saddle.