Short stem cons?

[bwagner]

Ok, here's the deal. I'm getting pretty used to my nice new long bike (BT RAVen 5.0), but my hands are killing me. I was on a Pure 1085 before this bike, and my hands have been hurting, but now it's killing me. I'm considering switching stem length from a 90mm, down to a 70mm. I'm trying to take some weight off of my hands for a bit. What kind of negative effects will this have on me? I've been riding (not just trials though) for over fifteen years now, and until starting this longer stem thing, I've never had problems like this. I know it's not true "Trials style" with a shorter stem, but it will help my manuals, and also my regular bunnyhops right? What are the major drawbacks that you guys are sure of?? Thanks in advance for your opinions.
~bwagner

P.S. I almost forgot to mention that I'm like 5'8" tall, er um, I mean short;)

[Elan]

inconsistant and harder to pull up for like a tap or somtihng like that. less leverage. other stuff. some people ride short stems and seem to do fine though...sooo PP.

[senorplinka]

I just switched back to a long stem today and my ups and gaps seemed alot better and more controlled. However with the short stem manuals and bunnyhops are easy, as with spins. Run both and see what fits you better, whether it be your style or what you wanna do with your bicicleta dood.

[sebLG]

since when was there a goddamn "true trials style"? do whatever you fucking wannt and put a shorter stem on if its what you want. i dont think it will have any major drawbacks. in fact the only thing that has major drawbacks that i know of is having a stem/bike that is long for you. as a result you are stretched out all the time and get tired much more easily, and it makes moves harder to hold onto rear wheel. i just changed my stem from a 110mm to a 90mm yesterday because i am a shortass and am finding the length of the bt too much.

[Orkje]

I do think a longer stem gives you more leverage, so you can move the front around a lot easier. Sucks for bmx-style bunnyhops though.

[xxxfr]

since when was there a goddamn "true trials style"? do whatever you fucking wannt and put a shorter stem on if its what you want. i dont think it will have any major drawbacks. in fact the only thing that has major drawbacks that i know of is having a stem/bike that is long for you. as a result you are stretched out all the time and get tired much more easily, and it makes moves harder to hold onto rear wheel. i just changed my stem from a 110mm to a 90mm yesterday because i am a shortass and am finding the length of the bt too much.
yea really, i got the shortest frame avail, a zebdi, w/ a 400mm fork and a 50mm stem, and sure i suck at natural stuff or balancing for more than a week and a half straight, but my bike is fun as anything, i ride urban, throw some trials into it, do some hucking and laugh when the guys on the dh bikes jaws hit the ground when i follow them on a fully rigid bike, i can go to the skate park, or the djs too.

i wasnt able to afford to have a fr bike, a bmx bike, and a good street/trials bike, so i got one bike that i can do everything on.....

and if your bike is hurting you (not u trying a 10 foot drop and nosing in so ur hands hurt) but if its actually your bike, then change it, till it feels right....

[cogmog]

Wagner, looks like your the same age as me, '71 (I'm in june, got ya beat :eek3: ) My hands and wrists and elbows hurt everytime I ride, probably because of my hand breakage history and age, and that I also have a odd defect that my arms dont go completely straight (elbows dont lock statight). I wear some ACE wrist supports, they reduce the pain in my hands and wrists and elbows enough that I can ride with minmum pain. You can pick them up at cvs for like 5 bucks each. There black and velcroed so you dont look like a total tool wearing them and they work better and are cheaper than any weight lifting ones Ive found. Ive tried alot of them, these work the best with gloves.

[jmkimmel]

I have a BT raven 4.0, and I found the length a bit much with the 110 mm stem I had on it - (I'm about 5'9"). I put a shorter stem on it (I think its like 70-80 mm maybe) and it helped me from feeling like all my weight was over the front wheel. I also have riser bars twisted forward, which is like adding a bit in stem length, so the shorter stem just kinda makes sense. Anyways, it's worth trying.

[bwagner]

Cog,
Thanks for the suggestion. Yep, I'm an old man too;)
Hey man, I have to apologise to you also, yesterday I drove up to Philly for a little ride with some other friends, and to pick up my buddies new bike. So we get there and were riding the museum with the huge rock wall around it and Gary Lessner said, "hey we should have called COGMOG!". I felt like a complete ass. That area has a ton of good rocks to ride all over the place. We'll be back soon just to ride the same place again, so I promise we'll give you a call. How far is it for you to go there and ride, or anywhere near the Drexel Campus I guess?

~Bruce Wagner

[AndyT]

Bruce you should meet up with dave so he can tell you fancy stories about his old college days here in fort collins colorado :)

[tzimon]

The length of the XTP feels great now that i've been able to ride it.. but i'm also having problems that I've never had before.. even when on a 1070ish Pitbull. The XTP is just way stiffer and I'm running a 90 stem on a 1085ish WB.. front end is a little twitchy compared to what i'm used to. The bike is just beating the shit out of my back everytime I ride though. It rides amazingly well, I've just got to let my back get used to the extra stretch and land even softer on everything I guess.

I'd actually like to try a 100 or 105.. but the 90 feels good and I sure as hell don't need to be stretched out any more. I'm 6 foot and change.

[cogmog]

LoL Andrew.....yep the "old" days! Brian, I'm like 10 minutes from there. Would like to ride with you all sometime soon. I'm getting married this weekend, so I probably woulnt be riding till the following weekend, but defiently another time. Theres another rider that I ride with here and he would definetly be down to ride as well, and he goes huge and is sick with his skills! 610 202 5081....

[AndyT]

I'm getting married this weekend,

:bowdown: :bigthumb:

Congrats player..

[cogmog]

thanks mang.....oh by the way, were going to be movin back to CO in the near future! Philly aint all it's cracked up to be. Probably next year but if it was up to me, tommorrow!

[sebLG]

haaahaaa that means tha you have probably had sex before :momaru: ... im am mature.









... congratulations by the way. lol

[AndyT]

Where in CO ?? Drinks are on me....



Seb, I'll have sex with you :momaru:

[hydroboy]

Mind if i watch?

[AndyT]

Not at all. But you have to wear a bunny suit.

[hydroboy]

All set.......



http://www.observedtrials.net/otn/bunnysuit3.jpg

[tomacropod]

"and afterwards, you say 'my, what a lovely tea party'"

- Joel

[sebLG]

:drool: you guysss dont get me all excsited :greddy:

[cogmog]

thanks Seb, ... Were both wanting to get jobs in the new hospital in Summit County, or something like that. Probably Dnever though. ....Definetly keep you posted though as the time draws near.

[sebLG]

dont mind me, sorry for fucking up your topic ... im just a 15 year old.