I've got a pretty stock 2009 Marin Mount Vision 5.8 in Large size…it has a 110mm stem on it and it seems pretty comfy but a few times on some steep stuff my front end is lifting…

I'm thinking I should try a shorter stem but what difference will it make? Thinking of a 90mm and don't wnat anything shorter…steering seems plenty quick and I'm not looking for twitchy (the width of the bars makes the steering very twitchy when the front end is light anyway!).

I'm thinking if I go for a shorter stem the front end is more likely to lift more often as there will be less weight on the front end…I'm already shifting my weight forward to ensure it doesn't just sit up, but unless I hang myself over the front then it will lift…

Just wondering if a slightly shorter stem will make a difference and if so, what difference?

Cheers.

Put your thumbs on top of the grips, will reduce pulling up on the bars.

Confused by your post – as you have pointed out a shorter stem is going to make the front end lift more, not less. 😕 Or are you wanting to try a shorter stem for another reason and wondering whether it will make it worse (it will).?

My 08 MV in large & 105mm stem climbs superb, but I've got forks with a 50mm drop climbing setting which work very well – which forks do you have?

a slightly shorter stem will make a difference.

drop the forks if you have travel adjust? will increase head angle and make a difference.

slide your saddle forward 5mm – that'll bring your weight forward just a little.

I'm not convinced a shorter stem will help reduce the front end lifting – the lifting isn't on every ride but I've started climbing steeper stuff and noticing it a bit more (I'm not talking stuff you need crampons on just steeper stuff than I normally climb)…

The shorter stem should make my steering quicker but should also move my weight back slightly (which I suspect will both have the effect of making the front end lift even more often).

I'm not thinking of a longer stem but I'm trying to think of ways to help reduce/prevent the front end lifting – apart from elbows out and thumbs over the bars and shifting more weight forwards, I'm not sure what else I can do without changing bits on the bike.

Bike has F120RL forks on it – same problem with them locked out – I suspect it's my technique more than anything but was just wondering about a shorter stem so thought I'd ask.

SOOBalias – I'm sure it will make a difference but what difference? Better or worse? I suspect it's going to make the front end twitchier and with less weight over it will make it easier to lift – which is what I don't want.

Tuck your elbows in, don't stick them out – makes a surprising amount of difference.

a shorter stem could make climbing worse. You may just need to bend your arms more with elbows down, lean forward more and shuffle forward onto the nose of your saddle on the steep stuff to keep the front end down.

as above plus try riding with your heels down and looking at the top of the climb to keep your head up.

Your front end is not lifting, YOU are lifting it! STOP IT!!

Get some cane creek bar ends, or similar to get your weight forward…

Hmmm you need skills training 😆

As already mentioned – move your saddle forward.

MV's have short chainstays and a slackish ST angle, so when it gets steep, your weight is too far back causing the lifting.

Short stem will exacerbate the problem.

Dropping the stem down on your steerer would also help.

tuck your elbows in and drop your wrists, shift weight forward on the saddle and drop your chest towards the bars.

get as much weight on the front wheel as possible without losing rear traction.

if you are pulling the bars, it should be down and backwards – pulling your body weight forward and down.

dont know who suggested a shorter stem but its not the solution to a light wandery front end. As you are running a xc bike in its standard setup, its your technique that needs fixing.

EDIT: lockout on a fork will not help, lockdown might as it drops the front end and steepend the headangle.

My cimbing has been transformed by a wiilingness to really move around on the saddle. Any where between shuffling forward a bit and sitting really on the nose of the saddle.

Or try moving the saddle forward on the rails for all the pros and cons of a more permanent solution….

Done the skills training…that is what is getting me to the steeper parts of the climbs!

I stick my elbows out – to the side as it pulls me forwards and down to help keep the weight on the front…

Sounds like I'm needing to tweak my 'technique' slightly and see how that works…

Thanks.

How is your saddle positioned? Back? Forward? Neutral for knee over the pedal? Have you tried moving the saddle forwards to move your weight forward? Also – have you got a lot of seat tube showing? If the geometry puts too much of your weight too close to the rear axle you'll lift the front more.

+1 for elbows in and actively pull down on the bars. Nose of the saddle should be up your bum

Done the skills training…that is what is getting me to the steeper parts of the climbs!

Only joking 🙂

it's all to do with keeping the pedals spinning smoothly. and as a couple of others have mentioned – perch on the nose of your saddle, drop your wrists and bring your chest down towards the bars.

weighting yourself correctly on the bike is really important for steep stuff, but keeping smooth revolutions is more important.

Aye, I'm regularly on the rivet on the saddle…I'm a lanky sort of build and do have a fair amount of post showing – probably an XL would have fitted me in the leg department but then too long in the reach department – the reach on this feels very comfortable and the saddle height can be adjusted to fit me – but I'm about 5mm off the minimum insertion line on the post.

Definitely sound slike my technique needs sorting – which is fine, happy to accept that and start working on sorting that out, thanks.

Hora – I know, but it's a valid point…

I think I used to drop my wrists – that does sound familiar and I suspect I've gotten out the habit – I didn't used to suffer this as often (but then I don't think I was climbing stuff as steep as I am now (again this isn't stuff that you need climbing gear for, just as I'm slowly improving, things are getting steeper)…I guess having such a long break of not doing proper riding has gotten me out of the ways of technique…easy fix is to do more of it…I'll get back into the dropping my wrists…it sounds familiar but I think at present I'm sticking my elbows out (which does sound as though it's wrong as it isn't helping keep the weight down…)

Thanks folks.