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  • Road bike stem sizing question
  • jamesgarbett
    Free Member

    Just started road biking and seem to be getting some neck/shoulder pain. Thinking I should try a shorter/higher stem as I think I may be on the lower limit of my frame size. Current stem is 110mm. Would a switch to 90mm with more rise help?

    supertwisted
    Free Member

    Give it some time if you’ve only just started. I had the same issue when I got my first road bike. Stuck with it (mainly as I was too cheap to buy a new stem) and was used to it within a hundred or so accumulated miles.

    What are yours and your bikes dimensions?

    TiRed
    Full Member

    Assuming your saddle is positioned correctly, are your shoulders hunched on the hoods? that gave me neck pain so I dropped 20 mm off the stem to a 100 mm. An easy check is to place your hands on the hoods, lean forward as if riding hard into the wind. The angle of your elbows should be 90-100 degrees. More than this and your stem is too long. Try not to go below 80 mm unless you have a small (sub 54 cm) frame.

    toronte
    Free Member

    Adjust spacers, flip the stem, rotate the handlebar further up. These are some possible free solutions. I know it’s very general but see if your handlebars cover the front hub. If they do, stem length probably isn’t the issue.

    RealMan
    Free Member

    If you’ve just started it’s more likely you just haven’t learnt how to relax enough yet. Try to make a concious effort of relaxing, not gripping too tight, dropping the shoulders etc. If you post a pic of your bike (even better with you on it) from the side you’ll probably get a load more useful (mostly) advice.

    traildog
    Free Member

    It might help.. Not really enough information to say it will. Try flipping the stem over to get a bit of height. It could be the opposite and you need to stretch yourself out more. Very difficult to say really.

    I think you need a 130mm stem or longer for the pro look though.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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