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Currently have a 90mm 5deg stem on my mmmBop and I think I'd like to get a shorter one. Although the bike handles great, at the moment with the slack(ish) head angle and 130mm forks the steering feels just a little bit heavy/sluggish and not as nimble as I think it could.
I know the recommended length is 50-70mm so that's a good starting range, but I'm not sure how short to go. At the moment the length of the bike feels perfect (18in frame with an inline post) I'm concerned that a shorter stem will make me feel cramped. I could get a lay-back post too, but then I'm concerned that the front end will feel too light as it already feels really nicely weighted and easy to lift/manual and I don't think I need any more rear wheel traction.
Have any other mmmBop owners experimented with different stem lengths, how did you get on?
How wide are your bars? If you can beg/steal/buy a cheap one to try out, that would probably be ideal. Then you can flog it and get a better one.
I have a flat 50mm stem on mine with 710mm hi-rise bars, layback post with saddle quite forward, 6 feet tall on 18" frame
Feels OK to me, ran this on a BP too
Bars are pretty wide: 710mm hi-rise - that would certainly slow down the steering compared to narrower bars, but its more the weight than the speed I'd like to change.
Not sure I follow, the weight of what?
The steering weight is how hard it is to move the bars, the steering speed is how quickly you can move the bars, there's a subtle difference.
Generally my understanding is the bar width generally impacts the weight of the steering (longer bar = more leverage = less weight) whereas the stem length changes the speed (shorter stem = less steering arc = more speed). However a change to one will impact the other slightly.
recommended length is 50-70mm
there is your answer.
I had a 70mm on mine with low rise 710mm bars and it was perfect.
However a change to one will impact the other slightly.
I think you are making too much of a meal of it.
Go out and razz it. Forget about steering weight - have a beer to take your mind off it.
If you are happy with your bike in every other respect, i'd try 70mm. Changing from 90 to 70 is still a fairly big jump, and should have a noticeable effect. If you can get a cheap stem to try that's probably still the best idea IMO.
The Ragleys were designed with in-line posts in mind, so i'd avoid using a layback to start with.
The Ragleys were designed with in-line posts in mind, so i'd avoid using a layback to start with.
Which is a bit odd considering the only Ragley seatpost has layback
Which is a bit odd considering the only Ragley seatpost has layback
Yes, I know. Not sure how that happened. Nice post though!
We have an inline one coming 🙂
I run a 70mm thomson zero rise with 710mm bars and its super, makes me wish i hadn't spent £2k on a full susser!
Anyone tried any of the wide flat bars on their mmmbop? Getting the bits together for a build and considering something like the sunline v1 flat. Thinking they would work well with the 160 lyriks. Bit worried about it fouling the top tube though.
Low rise 685mm Eastons, 10mm spacer under stem, brake levers hit top tube when bars turned.
Just don't crash or do bar spins.
I am using layback post (joplin_ with the seat forwards (would be central on an inline post) and a 50mm stem with 710mm wide bars.
6ft2 on an 18" frame