# swap stem for a lower end model or sell it and get something else?.



## digby (Jul 23, 2004)

I just bougth a tcr1 but the stem is slightly too long at 125mm, I need maybe a 110 or 105mm. The bar I also thought was a bit long but I'm getting used to it, 44cm i am a 40 jacket size if that helps. The stem is a giant carbon, the shop is willing to swap out a shorter stem for me but the only thing they will swap it out with is a deda magic. When I was buying the bike the guy kept on telling me how much different things retailed for on the bike, the stem $120 or so. The deda is a $60 stem, and the only way to get a carbon giant stem to swap is for the shop to order a new one, and they will give me 20% off retail on that stem but no straight out swap. Should I sell the giant stem and get something else, swap for the deda, or keep it on for another month and try to get used to it?

mainly with the stem on now, the bike feels a little stretched out and I find my hands about an inch away from the hoods for comfort.


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## Xyzzy (Mar 22, 2004)

I was told when I got my TCR1 that because the bikes come in such limited sizes the dealers all stock multiple stems and seatposts to fit the bike... I can't imagine a shop charging you for a different reach stem...

I actually paid pretty close to retail for my TCR1... They are very hard to find where I live and the shops that have them know this... There is a local Performance shop, but the guy that does their builds does a crappy job and all the bikes have been thrashed with test rides anyways... I usually get 10-15% off of a bike no problem but on the TCR I only got 2% off for paying in cash... I really wanted that damn bike!

I told the guy I knew he was getting a good deal and I expected him to take care of me... They so far have swapped out the cassette for me and are willing to swap the stem out if I need to... I asked them about the stem specifically.

My stem happens to be one of the matte finish ones... Some of the TCRs I have seen have a gloss carbon stem...


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## Xyzzy (Mar 22, 2004)

Oh yeah...

I felt stretched out too... (I posted a whole thread about it!)

Now after a couple hundred miles I feel just right, with no changes other than I rotated the bars up a bit to get the hoods about 1 inch closer...

Maybe give it some time?


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## digby (Jul 23, 2004)

Ive had it a week now, and put about 100 miles on it already. Still feels stretched out. Theyve already swapped out the cassette for me(from 11-23 ultegra to 12-26 sram) seat(sl turbomatic hole thing to a slr) but for the stem, they say they dont want too many take off parts lying around, so they will only swap for whats in stock. I feel somewhat cheated now after reading your post. So I think I will ask one more time if they will just order me a stem, and if they wont, I will most likely just call or mail giant directly and try to work out something with them. I would be much happier paying giant cost + shipping than going through the bike shop and getting 13%(20% - tax) off RETAIL on the stem, which would still be over $100. 


Ive done the elbow to seat and fingers along the stem measuring thing and my fingers only get to maybe 1/3(maybe less) of the way up the stem, I can ride it, but I'd rather have a shorter stem.


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## jammer (Apr 8, 2004)

I don't know where you live but I a pretty sure that the LBS can get any length stem that Giant makes if you are willing to wait for it. That is part of the cost of building compact frames. The correct sizing is done with the seat post lengths and the stem lengths. I was told by my LBS, when I purchased my TCR1, that it would not be a problem to order another stem when I determined what size I wanted him to order. I know the owner pretty good so I will ask tomorrow if there was any charge to him for the 100mm stem that he did end up ordering and getting for me. It did take about 6 weeks to finally come in but I did get it.


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