Talk to me about MTB stems, forks, bars and ride characteristics...

[zambenini]

Talk to me about riding and handling qualities and the effects of stems and bars and forks - I’ve read up on wide bars and stubby stems a bit... but I am unclear about how they’ll do in my particular case, or whether the choice actually matters.

My Cielo has prettty XC-ish angles at 72ht and 73 st, but wound up with more tire clearance than earlier models plus internal dropper routing. (Running 2.4” trail Bosses”.

—> am using a 100mm zero degree stem with bars just under 700mm. 680ish?

I am interestsed in the benefits of a shorter stem for descending and don’t think I am liable to lose a lot of precision going uphill by going, say, 70mm. Liable to see benefits? Drawbacks? Thoughts?

—> ALSO: the tires I run are hardly plus tires by today’s standards but with the trail Bosses and the dropper this thing doesn’t ride just like an XC race bike one trick pony ... I have no interest in trying to make it into an enduro anything, as if that’d be possible, but I have from the time I ordered it thought about the possibility of swapping out its 100mm fork for a 120 or 130. For those who have gone up in the travel department on XC-leaning Bikes, did you like it? What did you notice?

[CMiller]

I say pick stem size for fit, not for handling. And a new taller fork will affect the seat tube angle and effective top tube, maybe sell this and buy a new bike if it's not working?

[zambenini]

Oh, nothing about it is “not working”. Love riding the bike and it’s comfortable. that said people run wide bars or shorter or longer stems for reasons.

I’m not too finicky with fit and am not necessarily a believer that there is just one right position based on the sum of a rider’s body dimensions... just for me, and I don’t measure power output or anything, but Personally I like to go by how the bike feels to me... for instance, I ride as close as I can to a slammed stem on road bikes not because I have amazing flexibility (decent but not amazing) but because I can’t stand the way bikes wander all over the road with relatively higher handlebars. Make sense?

And so I am wondering what benefits there could be in handling to a couple minor changes. Is the short stem thing all it’s cracked up to be and how about for more xc type bikes.

[Jaybee]

IME, mountain bike fit is a lot more dynamic than road bike fit, so I wouldn't worry too much about moving the reach forward or back a CM or two. Experiment! You may find something you like - at the very least you will gain information.

I've got a 29er with pretty similar angles (original El Mariachi), and I found that I like the handling best with either the included suspension corrected rigid fork or a fork between 100 and 80mm. A 120 fork was really floppy, and hard for me to control the wander on steep climbs. I think the bigger fork is best paired with a slacker head angle.

[weisan]

. I like to go by how the bike feels to me..

I go by that approach as well.

If that's how you like to do things, why don't you continue using the tried and true, give it a try and see what you think?

[CMiller]

Yeah, Cielos are supposed to be great handling bikes!

I'd try 70mm and add on a wiiide and swept bar.

[charliedid]

Remember, many of the bikes you see with short stems and wide bars are probably more modern ATB geometry. Slack angles with long TT and high front end.

[zambenini]

Remember, many of the bikes you see with short stems and wide bars are probably more modern ATB geometry. Slack angles with long TT and high front end.

And that's probably the crux of my question: people riding those bikes seem all to have moved to 35mm stems ... I'm wondering if there's similar benefits in proportionate measure for a XC-oriented bike. That is, how bout 70mm like suggested...? Wondering if there will be perceptible benefits. Who is running this?

[charliedid]

And that's probably the crux of my question: people riding those bikes seem all to have moved to 35mm stems ... I'm wondering if there's similar benefits in proportionate measure for a XC-oriented bike. That is, how bout 70mm like suggested...? Wondering if there will be perceptible benefits. Who is running this?

Well, at some point you will unweight the front end so much that it will adversely affect handling. All you can do is try but if you are riding a 100 right now and are comfy and like the handling, a 70mm stem will likely feel all wrong on your bike.

Just my 2c

[charliedid]

Also, with 29" wheels and people running a bigger offset fork, a shorter stem can make the steering a little quicker and offset the wheel flop and heavy steering you might get with a longer stem.

[charliedid]

Zambenini PM me your address and I will send you a stem to try

[zambenini]

PM sent! Man they’s good people on the internet.

[HenryA]

If its working for you now, leave it alone.

And I think its not designed with the super short stem and big bar thing in mind. If it were mine I’d probably cut the bars down and tend towards trying a longer stem. Not much longer though. But I am inclined to go with a bike that carves from enough weight on the front wheel and a cockpit that lets me unweight the front end when I want.

Said another way, a good seated pedaling position that I can move from to weight the bike how it needs to be for the next move.

Longer fork, short stem and wide bars will get you a sketchy bike more than likely. Definitely do not go for the longer travel fork.

But I am old and slow and don’t drink a liter of Mountain Dew or Red Bull before every ride with my overstuffed backpack while jumping off big drops.

Get off my lawn!

[KonaSS]

OK, I will play as a XC rider who has moved to wide(r) bars and short(er) stem. It is not night and day different, but I like it better. I will agree with most others that you have to try it out. If you are at 100, try 70 or 80 stem and a 720 bar or so. This should keep your weight balance in the same neighborhood. Give it a few rides. Most people end up liking it. It isn't just a fad.

[pcxmbfj]

I'd suggest possibly installing a dropper post as your next ride element and hold off the stem and handlebar experimenting.

If you embrace the dropper as most do then dial in stem and handlebar to that setup.

[zambenini]

Yep, I'm droppin'. Love it. Would pick the droppah over my suspension fork if forced to choose.

[wooly]

Been heavily into mountain biking for the last 3 years after a long stint (rode mtb heavily in the 90’s). The change in geometry has really gone hand in hand with the advent of shorter stems and wider bars. I think the biggest benefit you gain from wider bars and shorter stems is more control when conditions get knarlier. With a fairly steep head angle of 72 I’m not sure how much benefit you’d get from going to 700mm bars and a 70mm stem. Worth a try tho. It’s always fun to experiment. I’ve got a 700mm flat FSA Carbon bar if you’re interested. Have fun and good luck.