29er newbie me. I bought a new Spark RC last week. It all measured up well and gave me a good riding position compared to my 26er. Now I’ve ridden it I’m finding the front end on the new bike a bit twitchy on steep climbs and I’m going wide in fast tight corners plus the front wheel seems to get deflected easily on rough ground. The spark has an 80mm stem whereas my old 26er has a 110mm. Seems to make sense to me to just get a longer stem but wondered what others use before doing so. Is it just a case of altering riding style?

Hi buddy,i have Race Face Turbine 35 Stem with 50mm reach on my Norco charger 29 and it does the job perfectly on trail,mountains and bikeparks.Number 35 corresponds to diameter of handlebars so they wider.

The one that makes the bike handle how you want is the right answer.

This ^^

But as you say, the bike, tyre and wheels size is new to you so give it so give it some time.

I read 80mm stem and was already thinking ‘thats pretty long, no wonder it feels odd’ before I saw the 110 part.

Almost certainly a big change, so take a bit of time to get used to it, but I’d say be prepared to try shorter after a while too- I’ve got 55mm on the (old model) Solaris and even my cross bike is only on 70mm. I found when I went back to an old bike with a long stem I wondered far more how I ever rode that than the adaptation time from long-> short.

Also- as above, what makes it feel right to you. Just don’t necessarily confuse that with what you’re used to, be prepared to take time to try different options.

Does the new bike have a steeper head angle than the old?

probably a bit slacker wzzzz.

Both my XC bikes came with 90mm and are now running shorter stems because for me it improves the steering. I just can’t imagine going longer but as others have said it personal choice – try shorter first would be my advice.

Is the handlebar height the same? It tends to be higher on 29ers.

Maybe lose some spacers?

The saddle to bar drop is the same as my 26er and also the reach from saddle to bar grips. I do have some spacers so will experiment a bit.

I’m going to say it one more time, then you feel free to do you own thing.  You have a completely different bike, and moreover a pretty aggressive race orientated bike at that built for a purpose, and optimised around that purpose.   Do not try to make it replicate your 26er.   It’s designed and rides very differently that’s your 26er frame.  It will feel and ride different because it is different which is why it feels odd to you.

Spend a few weeks on it learning it and getting your body adjusted to it and I think you’ll want very minimal changes.   Change it now to the extent of which you are expressing, and you risk compromising its handling to a point that you may likely never be happy with it.

Scott did not make these bikes bad handlers as OEM, read the reviews.

I would also be asking the question of how wide the handle bars are as well as the size of frame and rider. Although I ride more trail and enduro and am 5.9” I like my bars at 780mm and would still want a 740mm bar on an xc bike with as short a stem as would work for me

I definitely hear what you are saying Kryton and I do plan to carry on with the bike as it is for now. After all i have only had it a week. Its just that a friend who rides elite and does bike fits as a job had recommended lengthening the stem and dropping the bars a bit after I told him how it was handling.

Sure and to me thats spot on hes right, because as a race bike its designed to be head down arse up with more weight over the front wheels in corners.  You need to play with your riding style.

I had the same issue with an Anthem 29 until i flipped the stem and swapped to a flat bar from a riser.

Thanks Kryton,thats definately the position I’ve been used to for the past 30 years! 😆

The spark is a slack bike compared to a traditional XC race bike. It’s likely the HTA and sta that are the most significant making the characteristics different.
I wouldn’t be lengthening the stem, but try sliding the saddle forwards and making sure you adjust your riding position when climbing. I’ve found that being right on the nose of the saddle and the spark is an absolute mountain goat uphill.
Took me a good few rides to figure that out and that was coming from a 27.5 genius, not like the huge change from your presumably steep 26er.
I run a 45mm stem on 760 bars.. I think I might try a 60mm max though, or wider bars to bring things more line with my other ‘long’ bikes
Wide in fast tight corners..this could also be a factor of how much extra speed you are carrying into the corners on the new bike 🙂