Help with an accurate measurement for Ritchey stem?

[jowens]

Due to a recent fit consultation, I'm trying to shorten my overall reach by about 5 mm.

My bike (Giant TCR) has a 1.25 inch steerer tube, and came with a 110mm stem. It actually measures about 115mm from center of top cap to the center of the handlebar clamp. I bought one of the few aftermaket 1.25 stems (Zipp, also 110mm) assuming it would be a true 110mm in length, but it also measures about 114mm.

Before I buy the only other stem I can find offered in 1.25, a Ritchey WCS 4-Axis, I want to make sure it is a TRUE 110mm in length. I can't seem to locate any locally, so I would have to mail order.

Does anyone have a 110 Ritchey WCS stem that they could measure for accuracy? I doubt the steerer tube diameter makes a difference, so standard 1.125 is fine.

I would really appreciate any help.

[Keith A]

It seems like I remember reading on here that even within a given manufacturer, that there could be slight variations in the actual length of a stem. I thought that someone even posted a picture of several stems from the same manufacturer that were supposed to all be the same length, but they were all off a bit.

I may have actually have a 110mm Ritchey WCS stem at the house than I can messure for you. However, it's the previous generation and not the most recent one (see picture below).

I did want to ask a question and was curious if your fitter thought you would really be able to feel the difference in a stem that was 5mm shorter. It seems to me, that you might want to consider making a little bigger change such as going with a 100mm stem instead. Just my 2 cents.

http://www.masherz.com/images/productpics/ritchey/wcs4axisstembig.jpg

[dave thompson]

My Ritchey 110 measures, they way you do it, 113.5. I'm not quite sure that is an accurate way to measure though because from the center of the top cap to the edge of the clamp introduces an angle which effectively lengthens the stem measurement. To prove this I flipped the stem over and measured from the top cap to the edge of the handlbar clamp and it measured less than 110mm. I suspect any stem with a +/- 6~8 degree angle would be affected this way. it should be measured for the center of the steer tube hole to the center of the handlebar hole.

As Keith said, is 5mm really going to affect your fit?

[John H.]

My guess is that you need to get a 100mm stem.
They can measure long depending on your measuring point.
Also, different Ritchey stems (off the same size) tend to be different lengths.
I have three 110mm -6 degree Ritchey WCS stems on my workbench- they are all three different lengths.
Size down- then play with bar angle and lever location to find the happy medium.

[jowens]

Thanks for the advice. I flipped the stem, and reduced the spacers underneath which resulted in a 7-8 mm reduction in reach while keeping the bars at the same height.

Looks dorky, but I'll try it like this for a while.

[Chris]

My 120 4axis measures 125