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Not sure this is the right place for a road bike question but.....
On a road bike the 'reach' to the hoods can be reduced in two ways, either by using a shorter stem or shorter reach bars, or both. Am I right in thinking that there is absolutely no difference between either approach as long as the total reach is the same?
Example: For a given total reach you could use a 70mm stem and 80mm reach bar or a 90mm stem with a 70mm reach bar. The total reach is the same and the shorter/longer stem makes no dynamic difference.
Make sense?
Makes sense however there is a dynamic difference. By altering the reach of the bars you alter the difference between being on the flats of the bars to the hoods so not all of the reach points are the same
Yes....but.
You are assuming that there is one position on road bike drop bars, which is not entirely true.
The position Iset my overall reach is to the hoods, but I wouldn't do it by ignoring the use of the tops, next to the stem because it's a useful position to me.
Thanks guys. I take the point about the changing distance to the flats, but that's not important to me because if I'm on the flats then I'm relaxing and 20mm won't make any real difference. I was more concerned about any impact on steering dynamics, stability on downhills etc. But I think I was right that this isn't affected as long as total reach is unaffected.
Any views on short -v- long reach. I get the feeling that a longer reach (stem plus bars) will be more stable on fast downhills?
I've got a shorter than standard stem on my road bike and only notice it being twitchy at slow speed.