Mountain bike stems are typically around 50-80mm long, while road bike stems are longer, starting at around 80mm and extending to 120mm or longer as the frame size increases. Gravel bike stems typically sit somewhere between the two. On my Colnago EPS, I have a Deda Zero100 stem in 110mm. The specs say it is an 82 degree stem. Looking at the stem, it has almost no rise to it. Newer bikes most likely require stems with a 1 and 1/8 in. steerer tube clamp and an oversized 31.8mm handlebar clamp. On average, it is best for casual riders to have a longer stem (70mm to 120mm) with a positive (6 to 10 degree) rise. It is worthwhile to discuss stem options and fit with qualified staff at your local bike shop. Stem length has a big impact on the overall fit and ride of your bike. David Caudery / Immediate Media

Road cyclists have very different priorities to mountain bikers. Likewise competitive racers have different preferences to those who ride recreationally. Road A shorter stem will reduce the reach and provide a more upright position, which might help if you’re feeling too stretched out. On the flip side, if you’re feeling cramped on the bike, using a slightly longer stem will increase the reach.

Colour

Some bike manufacturers produce larger diameter fork steerer stems but these are quite rare and also clearly labelled. Cycle Centre Congleton Limited 2021. Cyclestore is a trading name of Cycle Centre Congleton Limited. All Rights Reserved Company No. 05107467 | VAT No: 593 733 507 As a rule of thumb, on a road bike you shouldn’t run a stem much shorter than 90mm or much longer than 130mm. If you need a stem length beyond those extremes, your bike frame is the wrong size. Sorry! Rise The main construction material for stems is alloy. There are also some carbon models and some even rarer titanium ones. The only exception to this handlebar clamp size is the new Deda 35 system which is, you’ve guessed it, 35mm and needs a corresponding bar and stem.

Having the right stem on your bike can make all the difference in comfort and handling. Changing this small part is an easy way to tailor your bike to fit you better and meet your specific needs. You can also upgrade your stem to save weight or customize its colour. Types of StemsA stem is the component that connects your handlebars to the frame of your bike. A threadless stem clamps around the steerer tube of your bicycle’s fork whereas a quill stem inserts inside the top of the fork steerer tube and is held in place internally. An adjustable stem allows you to easily alter the angle of your bike on the stem itself without having to replace the entire unit. Most new bikes come with threadless stems; however, some hybrids and a lot of older bikes have quill stems.

would rise or drop 14 degrees if the steer tube were perpendicular. A "high rise" for some or "deep drop" for others. Old-school bikes had a quill stem. This was an inverted L-shape, with the shaft of the stem slotting down into the top of the fork’s steerer tube, and secured by an expander bolt with an (in most cases) Allen key head at its top. would rise or drop 6 degrees if the steer tube were perpendicular. This would rise a little more than the 90/0 if in the "flipped up" position, and would be lower in the flipped down position.

DMR DEFY50 Stem

Assuming a stem length of 110 mm, a – 6 degree rise will give you a saddle to handlebar drop of 57 mm. For the same stem length, going by a -17 degree step, your saddle-to-bar drop will increase by 21 mm. The standard size for most modern mountain and road bikes, with typical lengths of between 35mm and 80mm for MTB stems, 80mm and 100mm for gravel bikes and 90mm to 140mm for road bikes. 1 1/4in steerer, 31.8mm bar clamp Lastly and not to be overlooked is the stem colour. Does it match your bike, bars, seatpost? A small consideration to some but once you have your position sorted there’s no point in spoiling it with the wrong aesthetics! Although bike stems may look simple, there’s a significant amount of complexity in choosing the right one for your bike, largely due to the bike industry’s custom of developing multiple standards. a right angle'd stem, would be horizontal if the steer tube were perpendicular. This would rise a little from horizontal when mounted on a typical angled head/ steer tube. Would not change if reversed (flipped).

Once you choose the appropriate type of stem for your bike, it is important to determine which clamp dimensions are compatible with your steerer tube and handlebars. Steerer Tube Clamp Diameter Stems between 100-120mm of length are known as long stems and anything below 90mm is considered as short stems. Generally on a road bike stems tend not to be shorter than 90mm and longer than 130mm. Bike stems look like a standard equipment without any science to it, however, they are highly influential when it comes to comfort and control. The wrong stem length will not only make it difficult to reach for the handlebars, it will also destabilize the steering and affect body position on the bike.As a result, fine-tuning the stem can be one way to tweak the handling of your bike – but remember, your stem doesn’t exist in isolation and changing the stem length will also impact your position on the bike. Generally speaking, a shorter stem will result in faster handling, while a longer stem will result in slower, more predictable handling. The numbers are +/- because the stem can be installed to angle up or down. To get to the next level of detail, the actual rise from horizontal depends on the head tube angle. Also, if you make significant changes in the rise (or drop), you might need to adjust the length. But a change of +/- 2 degrees would change the reach in terms of a couple mm. The rise (angle of stem from fork to bar) has quite a large effect. Rise is quoted in + or – degrees as this determines the angle the stem rises or falls from the fork steerer. The higher the degrees (+) the more upright your position will be. Or if inverting the stem, the lower you will be. Found on some mountain bikes and also some drop-bar machines such as Giant’s cyclocross bikes. 1 1/8in steerer, 35mm bar clamp