Bar reach v stem lenght

[samsbike]

I am curious about this.

I have recently put some nitto noodles on my bike, but am finding the reach a tad too long.

However I dont understand why bars just dont come in one reach, with the stem doing all the adjustment. Why do we have so many bar reach variations and why do you prefer long/ short reach and dont adjust via the stem?

thanks

[LollyKat]

People come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and have different riding style too. AFAIK the modern shorter reach bars were designed for modern STI-type brake hoods, which are longer than the old style ones. If you like riding on the hoods as most people do, the reach is further forward than with the trad ones.

I have one bike with STIs and short reach bars, with a stem length that gives a comfortable reach to the hoods. However I find that down on the drops in a headwind I feel a bit cramped. My other, 1980s bike with DT levers has longer, deeper drops, with a stem length giving the same reach to the hoods as the other bike. However down on the drops I am slightly more comfortable than on the short-reach bars - it feels better for going into a wind, I can breath more freely and the longer reach lets me get more power from my gluts.

With enough time and money(!) I could no doubt find a bar/stem combination that would give me the same positions on hoods and drops on the STI bike, but it is not enough of a problem for me to bother at the moment.

[531colin]

I like Noodles because I can get my "hoods" position long enough, but have my bar bag relatively close (on a shorter stem) so it doesn't wag the steering quite as much when its full of binoculars, maps, etc.
I ride on the hoods most of the time, it has to be a shallow drop these days for me to reach it, even for headwinds. I don't use the tops much.
One bike that's a bit long in the top tube has regular compact drops...I could just manage Noodles on that bike, but its very stable even with a loaded barbag, so I can't be bothered to change it.
I reckon theres about 20mm more reach in Noodles than in my compact bars, that's 2 stem sizes.

[reohn2]

I've been riding Pro compact LT drops(26mm size) for about 7 or 8 years and like them but the hoods/just behind the hoods position,has never been 'just so' (I'm fussy I know ) and I'd been wanting to try a FSA Vero,which are more compact than the LT's.
The Vero offers a shallower drop and a shorter reach,because of this there's a tighter bend to the drops which makes the section behind the hoods is more level and not sloping away and downward,this also means the hoods are more level which I prefer.
Because of the shorter reach of the Vero,to get the right reach to the hoods meant a 1cm longer stem,which had to be 31.8mm,luckily I had one though I had to buy a pair of 31.8mm cross top levers as the 26mm one were now redundant .
The upshot is that if you're thinking of changing your handlebar you may need to change you're stem and if your old 'bars are 26mm you'll definately need a new stem as 26mm bars are disappearing fast.
Also if you use crosstop levers and want them near the the center of the bars you'll need 31.8mm levers to boot.
I've one,possibly two more bikes to convert,but what price perfection?

[LollyKat]

I've just come across this interesting page comparing different bars: Road Drop Bar Geometry

[Norman H]

reohn2 wrote

The upshot is that if you're thinking of changing your handlebar you may need to change you're stem and if your old 'bars are 26mm you'll definately need a new stem as 26mm bars are disappearing fast.

It's a great shame that there isn't more choice of compact bars in 26mm size. It would help if someone made 31.8 quill stems and while we're at it make them front loading!

[531colin]

...............It's a great shame that there isn't more choice of compact bars in 26mm size. It would help if someone made 31.8 quill stems and while we're at it make them front loading!

Its not going to happen, in the headlong rush for "progress" we just have to make use of whats available

I already have most of my noodle bars in 31.8 stems with shims, and my only remaining 1" threaded bike is on a quill adapter

Be careful with shims, though!.......http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=79239&hilit=+shim

[samsbike]

Well I have dropped my bars to see if that works for me otherwise I will change them.

Given the rubbish weather I shall not be going out for awhile.

[niggle]

Well I have dropped my bars to see if that works for me otherwise I will change them.

Given the rubbish weather I shall not be going out for awhile.

Generally I would say that lowering the bars makes the reach longer, or at least makes it feel longer as the bars are further from your shoulders, IYSWIM.

[BSRU]

I am curious about this.

I have recently put some nitto noodles on my bike, but am finding the reach a tad too long.

However I dont understand why bars just dont come in one reach, with the stem doing all the adjustment. Why do we have so many bar reach variations and why do you prefer long/ short reach and dont adjust via the stem?

thanks

I always thought adjusting the stem size changes the handling characteristics of the front end.
I changed the bars on my Ridgeback Panorama from standard drops to compact drops because the brake hoods were too far away and made for uncomfortable riding. The stem length was correct for me so the changing to compact drops was the option to take.

[LollyKat]

I always thought adjusting the stem size changes the handling characteristics of the front end.
I changed the bars on my Ridgeback Panorama from standard drops to compact drops because the brake hoods were too far away and made for uncomfortable riding. The stem length was correct for me so the changing to compact drops was the option to take.

I wonder about this. You've kept the stem and gone for compact bars to get the brake hoods in the right position. But if you had kept the original bars you could have shortened the stem, so getting the hoods in the same preferred position. If your hands are in the same position and therefore your body weight distribution is the same, then won't the handling and steering feel the same?

[531colin]

............
I always thought adjusting the stem size changes the handling characteristics of the front end..............

On a reasonably stable bike (eg tourer, cross-country MTB) if you move your hands a lot closer (to the saddle) eg 100mm closer, you will take some weight off the front wheel and the steering will feel "a bit light"**. Moving your hands much less than 100mm is a bit like moving from the tops to the hoods (of drop bars) and I have never noticed a difference in steering feel doing that.

**until you ride no-hands, when it feels exactly the same...

.....add some weight in front panniers, and the steering will feel "a bit heavy" , until a few hours into your tour, when it just feels "normal".

[BSRU]

I always thought adjusting the stem size changes the handling characteristics of the front end.
I changed the bars on my Ridgeback Panorama from standard drops to compact drops because the brake hoods were too far away and made for uncomfortable riding. The stem length was correct for me so the changing to compact drops was the option to take.

I wonder about this. You've kept the stem and gone for compact bars to get the brake hoods in the right position. But if you had kept the original bars you could have shortened the stem, so getting the hoods in the same preferred position. If your hands are in the same position and therefore your body weight distribution is the same, then won't the handling and steering feel the same?

Shortening the stem would have meant the bars would be closer to the saddle and not in the best place for holding them for riding up a climb.
The straight part of the bar which goes though the stem was at the perfect distance from the nose of my saddle, I did not want to alter this distance just the distance to the brake hoods.

[LollyKat]

Ah, I understand now. I ride mostly on the hoods and never on the tops, so it makes no difference to me whether I change the stem or the bars.