[Closed] Is a 50mm stem considered short?

Yes

It is by me, but I am old-ish.

I have a 50mm stem and binned it after 5 rides far to twitchy i really felt very uncomfortable with it jumped up to a 70mm the differance is night and day

I think 50's pretty short, probably over (under?) kill for lots of people and purposes

I'm back up to 70 now, too

How wide are you current bars?
How long is your current stem?
How is your current fit?
What bike do you have and what type of riding do you do?

All things to consider when talking about stem length, otherwise it's just random numbers and wild guesses.

depends what you're doing.......

i ride with a 110 for xc racing but have used a 70 for SS all-mountain stuff

I have a 40mm stem for sale :p

I ride a Remedy 7 and am about 5' 10'', at the mo have 680mm wide bars and a 80mm stem.

Started riding more downhill freeride stuff and fancied a cockpit change, was thinking bars about 740mm and a 50mm nukeproof warhead stem.
Going to the Alps in summer so if I change now can see if I like it and get used to the change.

yes
Id say soemthing like 55mm and under short, 60-90 medium and 95 and longer long.
Though nowadays 90mm is probably considered long

When you say 700+mm though, are we talking 710mm? 810mm? (915mm?)

(currenly on 50/711 on 'play' hardtail, 70/710 on full suss, 90/685 on XC hardtail, 115/600 on rigid commuter/rollers bike, though thinking wanting to go wider on all of them, shorter on at least the FS)

They are 780mm but think for my frame they will be to wide, going to put them on and move the grips in a bit to see what I like.

Depends on the bike. 50mm just right for my Hemlock, slightly too long for my dare, slightly too short for my 456, and enormously too short for my Limba.

But it's almost certainly below average.

With 780mm Id think 50mm would be the longest youd want to go
though if you're frame is particularly short on you then it might be too cramped

Mbuk will love you.

Mbuk will love you.

Don't get it.

Would a 50mm stem be short enough for 700+ wide bars?

Bar width and stem length aren't reliant on each other. You don't have to run a shorter stem just cos you've got wider bars, though of course you can if you want to.

Got 762mm wide bars on the end of an 85mm stem on my full sus here, and 711mm wide on the end of a 90mm stem on my hardtail. Why? Cos that's what feels right to me given the bikes and the setup I like. Thoroughly against current trend I know, but it feels fine to me.

I got a 50mm stem cos they look cool.

I've got 760 wide bars, a 90mm stem and 40mm of spacers under it. Eat that fashion police!

"dont have to run a shorter stem just cos you've got wider bars"
No but it might help to attempt to maintain a similar steering response and cockpit position
As in if you're putting a wider bar on, its going to steer slower (so a shorter one will steer quicker) and drag your weight further forward (so a shorter one will shove you back). The exact relationship to maintain some kind balance I dont know
If the head angle is particularly steep then a short stem might make it too twitchy. duuno

Just wait a moment...

Shorter stem = more direct steering.
40 or 50mm stem here with 750 bars.
XC bikes are more suited to longer stems as above, thats why they're always going over the bars 😉

If you are riding techy downhills and stuff then I'd try a shorter stem, but see what suits you. Its certainly not a fashion thing as people say, it fundamentally effects your steering feel and I can't help feeling that anything over about 60mm must feel pretty much like steering a narrowboat.

Anyway, see if folk will lend you a few lengths to try.

As said it's relative to the discipline of riding, intended stem length for the frame, fit between you and the bike etc.

I personally like the feel of 60-70mm stems on my bikes as I go uphill as much as down. I've settled on 70mm on the Trance with a 711 bar, the 60 felt a bit cramped as it's designed to be sold with a longer stem and it climbs better (or feels like it does) with the extra 10mm. I'm 5'11" and ride a medium frame.

On my Dialled PA which is longer in the TT, the 60 feels good. It's all relative.

How do you fit your bike? Are you bang on in the sizing, a little smaller than it's intended or a bit bigger? Also what sort of stuff do you do?

50mm stems should be compulsory

50mm stems should be compulsory

I really don't see the point in any longer on a modern MTB, with "modern" geometry. (not including race XC bikes, maybe, ie off-road road biking, don't bring world cup xc courses into this, that's something else)

Shorter stems have their place with wide bars - wide bars pull you forward in your riding position, coupled with a medium/long stem they can place too much of your weight up at the front. A shorter stem complements a wider bar by putting you back in your riding position a little.

Stems/bar length/rise are all factors that can be influenced by the geometry of your frame and your riding style.

I've borrowed a friend's Scott Genius (Mk 1) which comes as standard with a 110mm stem and narrow bars. Mainly because they got the geometry wrong. Cockpit too short.

The long stem means it won't roll down bumpy stuff - weight too forward so it stops when it hits a rock. It also means you need written notice of a change in direction. Steers like an oil tanker. I put a 50mm stem on and it's really fun to ride - except its a bit cramped and my knees hit the bars when I get out of the saddle.

I've tried various stems.

For my type of riding -anywhere, everywhere, all kinds of terrain and trail, enjoying both slow and fast technical riding. I'm not an XC racer.

I've settled on 60mm for both my hardtail and my full susser. I have the (28" wide) bars slightly higher than the saddle.
(I also have my seats quite a long way forward on in-line posts to get my knees over the pedals, so I wouldn't want the bars any nearer to me. A bespoke frame for me might have a steeper seat tube and a longer top tube)

This puts me in a fairly neutral position that keeps the weight off my wrists. I find this position good for allowing me to keep my weight on the pedals, making gentle bar inputs and for shifting my weight around on technical/downhill sections.

This arrangement is fine on climbs if you pedal fairly smoothly.

-Importantly, I also find this very comfortable.

Choose a stem to suit you and your riding, don't worry about fashion. I used to use much longer stems, but far prefer the 60mm.