05Fierte TI
06-12-2006, 07:51 PM
I thought I would pass along my recent experiences with Stems. I was quite surpirsed on the effect the change had to the handling of the bike
I ride a 60 cm Fierte Ti and tend to be more legs than torso. I purchased the bike from Cronometro in Madison WI which included the normal Serotta fitting. I had approximately 7.5 cm seat to bar drop using a -17 degree FSA 115 stem in a 120 size. Liked the bike, rode much nicer than the C-dale I was riding before and unlike the C-dale, this bike fits.
After spending much of the winter on the rollers, I kind of liked the higher bar hight the rollers create as the rear wheel is cradled in two rollers while the front is on top of one roller.
I purchased a Ritche 4axis 84 degree stem also in 120 mm. My first impression was that the Ritche stem flexed more than the FSA but the more interesting thing is that the bike was now very twichy and nervous in the handling department. All that happened is that the bars ended up one centemeter higher than they were before. I no longer thought that my bike was stable and to make matters worse, it felt that the higher position generated less power. I found myself riding in the drops much more as it now felt that the hoods was too upright. I also felt that the front end of the bike now felt spongy and soft.
Well I went back to the FSA stem and all is well in the handling department. I was very surprised that such a small change in set-up would bring about such a large change in the handling and feel of the whole bike.
I ride a 60 cm Fierte Ti and tend to be more legs than torso. I purchased the bike from Cronometro in Madison WI which included the normal Serotta fitting. I had approximately 7.5 cm seat to bar drop using a -17 degree FSA 115 stem in a 120 size. Liked the bike, rode much nicer than the C-dale I was riding before and unlike the C-dale, this bike fits.
After spending much of the winter on the rollers, I kind of liked the higher bar hight the rollers create as the rear wheel is cradled in two rollers while the front is on top of one roller.
I purchased a Ritche 4axis 84 degree stem also in 120 mm. My first impression was that the Ritche stem flexed more than the FSA but the more interesting thing is that the bike was now very twichy and nervous in the handling department. All that happened is that the bars ended up one centemeter higher than they were before. I no longer thought that my bike was stable and to make matters worse, it felt that the higher position generated less power. I found myself riding in the drops much more as it now felt that the hoods was too upright. I also felt that the front end of the bike now felt spongy and soft.
Well I went back to the FSA stem and all is well in the handling department. I was very surprised that such a small change in set-up would bring about such a large change in the handling and feel of the whole bike.