# what are the symptons of stem *too short*?



## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

Hello everyone,

what are the symptoms (like pain someplace?) of riding with a stem that is *too short*?

I know that if a stem is too long it often results is neck and upper arm pain. What if my stem is too short by 10mm or even 20mm? Any pain or other discomfort that can tell me?

Assume that the road/racing frame itself is the correct size for a given rider to make all things equal.

I am asking because I can ride my Trek Madone with either a 90mm or with 100mm stem (no pain in the neck or arms either way that I can tell) but I am not sure how to pick the stem better length for me. Should I opt for a longer 100mm stem, all things being equal?

thank you


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Trial and error.*

Prefered stem length takes a while to figure out and will change as you become a more experienced rider. For that reason, you alone need to figure out which stem lets you ride in comfort and with power. Consider buying two cheap stems - say, a 100 and a 110mm - and go on several long rides with your 90mm and then the other two. At the tail end of a 60-mile ride, your body will talk to you loud and clear. It takes 5 minutes to change stems nowadays, and you can eventually ebay the ones you don't want. 

One other thing: stop looking at what the pros use. And the best answer to a smart-ass remark about your choice of stem is to crank the tempo up one more notch.


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## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

*thanks!*



wim said:


> Prefered stem length takes a while to figure out and will change as you become a more experienced rider. For that reason, you alone need to figure out which stem lets you ride in comfort and with power. Consider buying two cheap stems - say, a 100 and a 110mm - and go on several long rides with your 90mm and then the other two. At the tail end of a 60-mile ride, your body will talk to you loud and clear. It takes 5 minutes to change stems nowadays, and you can eventually ebay the ones you don't want.
> 
> One other thing: stop looking at what the pros use. And the best answer to a smart-ass remark about your choice of stem is to crank the tempo up one more notch.


thank you! I will do just that. My LBS offered to swap out stem for free since I just got a new bike from them. I intend to take up their offer.

Do stems only come in 10mm length increments? I.e. there are 90, 100, 110, 120mm and there are no stems of say 95, 105, 115mm lengths? Perhaps there is no need for 5mm stem increments ?


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Increments.*

Yes, almost all manufacturers size their stems in 10mm increments.

With different lengths stems you adjust your reach, which is basically the distance between where you plant your butt and where your hands are. When you think about it, reach changes a lot with your position on the bike: sliding back or forward on the saddle, moving your hands from the brake hoods to the bar tops to the bar drops, pulling on the bars during periods of maximum effort, getting your chin down on the stem during a long descent, and so on. That's why stem length doesn't have to be a final, never-to-be-changed number for you - and the 10mm stem length increments are small enough for fine-tuning.

Sometimes you see stem lengths threads on this board involving detailed calculations down to the tenth of a millimeter of how to achieve a specific reach. With these calculations, long-time riders are trying to transfer their preferred reach - usually a precise measurement from the saddle tip to the handlebar tops - from their current frame onto another frame. You're not doing this, so trial and error should be your way right now to find your preferred reach.

Don't become obsessed with fit dimensions. There's a danger that you change the bike constantly, never giving your body a chance to adapt. Ride lots, and have fun with your bike!


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## DiRt DeViL (Jun 26, 2005)

acid_rider said:


> Do stems only come in 10mm length increments? I.e. there are 90, 100, 110, 120mm and there are no stems of say 95, 105, 115mm lengths? Perhaps there is no need for 5mm stem increments ?


 Not completely sure but I believe that I have an ITM 105 that was taken from my Orbea because it was too long for me, if interested PM me.


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