Stem angle question...

[SoCalSteve]

Hi all,

OK, with Thomson stems, you can get them +/- 10* or +/- 17*...

With the 17*, when it is in the "up" position, is it LESS "up" than the 10* when it is in the up position?

I mean, the 17* is LOWER in the down position, yes? So, wouldn't it also be lower in the "up" position? Lower than the 10*?

As you can tell, geometry/angles/math were never my strong suit. Actually, I cant think of much that is my strong suit (but, math is REALLY low on the list).

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

PS: Please answer this as simply as possible as you are dealing with a really simple mind.

[AngryScientist]

i hope i'm understanding your question right, but a 17* stem will definitely have more rise in the up position than a 10* stem flipped up.

[SoCalSteve]

i hope i'm understanding your question right, but a 17* stem will definitely have more rise in the up position than a 10* stem flipped up.

Then I have it backwards....Figures.

Thanks!

Steve

PS: So, in other words, 17* is lower in the down and higher in the up?

[AngryScientist]

PS: So, in other words, 17* is lower in the down and higher in the up?

correct

[AngryScientist]

this picture stolen from google is a good visual for you. 10* rise/drop would fall in the middle of the 17* shadows.

http://charlottebikes.net/images/library/features/feature_stemmeasure_f.jpg

[BCS]

Here is a helpful little app to answer stem questions:

http://alex.phred.org/stemchart/Default.aspx

[amgc36]

Imagine you start with a flat surface. The -10 stem in the down position will create a decline of 10 degrees and the -17 will create a decline of 17 degrees. If you rotate each stem, now that decline will become an incline with the same respective degrees, 10 and 17. The 17 has a steeper angle, down or up.

[ultraman6970]

17 down is lower than 10 down. Obvious, reach is different tho.

17 up is upper than 10 up.

But probably this chart will help you to figure it out because the reach is what it change almost all the time, angles change but the reach change also.

http://www.habcycles.com/fitting.html

[SoCalSteve]

Imagine you start with a flat surface. The -10 stem in the down position will create a decline of 10 degrees and the -17 will create a decline of 17 degrees. If you rotate each stem, now that decline will become an incline with the same respective degrees, 10 and 17. The 17 has a steeper angle, down or up.

See, this is the visual that I need for it to make sense! No pie charts, graphs, or angle finders.

Just a simple visual explanation for my VERY simple mind!

Thank you all for your help. I now know what I need to do:

Lose weight, stretch more and lose weight.

I hate the look of an upturned stem!

[rugbysecondrow]

Lose weight, stretch more and lose weight.
!

Now this is crazy talk Steve, you need to take a nap and rethink your objectives.

[RPS]

Actually, I cant think of much that is my strong suit (but, math is REALLY low on the list). Lose weight, stretch more and lose weight.

I hate the look of an upturned stem!
Thanks to math you can at least track whether you are losing weight, right? ;)


BTW, appearance wise if you are riding a road bike with a “typical” head tube angle of around 73 degrees, then you can compare the “look” by estimating how much each stem turns up. The 10 degree stem will point up about 27 degrees and the 17 degree stem will point up at about 34 degrees. Although both would turn up significantly I doubt you’d notice that much of a difference between the two during a quick glance. I may be wrong but doubt most casual observers would notice 27 versus 34 degrees unless they were looking for it.