Slammed stems...

[excremanwu]

I use a custom top cap

Nice

other choice

low profile dust cover for Campy spec integrated headsets, 1.5mm stack height.

[2ndgen]

Thanks to all who've contributed.
Here are the results of my choices.


Before:


After:


Before:


After:

_____________________________________________________________

[RichTheRoadie]

A bike is going to be fastest if it fits the best. For some people slamming their stem will give them the best fit, for others it won't. for example i am 5' 9" and have a 34" inseam. On a bike with a top tube length that fits me, if i slammed my stem i could only ride for probably half an hour before my back gave out, and i am 18. I would rather be able to ride for 4-5 hours. I have maybe 3cm of spacers, and still have 9cm of drop, so i am still aero. There are diminishing returns with going lower. And Sacrificing comfort for looks is just silly.

This is the only post worth reading on this thread. You lot have *completely* the wrong focus here...

[andyindo]

A bike is going to be fastest if it fits the best. For some people slamming their stem will give them the best fit, for others it won't. for example i am 5' 9" and have a 34" inseam. On a bike with a top tube length that fits me, if i slammed my stem i could only ride for probably half an hour before my back gave out, and i am 18. I would rather be able to ride for 4-5 hours. I have maybe 3cm of spacers, and still have 9cm of drop, so i am still aero. There are diminishing returns with going lower. And Sacrificing comfort for looks is just silly.

This is the only post worth reading on this thread. You lot have *completely* the wrong focus here...

Dont be ridiculous Rich! Slam that stem!

[RichTheRoadie]

Dont be ridiculous Rich! Slam that stem!

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for slammed stems - but ONLY if it actually works for you. Slamming a stem just to make your bike look good is just ridiculous. If I rode my usual 150-250km rides on a slammed stem I'd be a wreck now.

[2ndgen]

Dont be ridiculous Rich! Slam that stem!

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for slammed stems - but ONLY if it actually works for you. Slamming a stem just to make your bike look good is just ridiculous. If I rode my usual 150-250km rides on a slammed stem I'd be a wreck now.

I agree. I'm a firm believer in "form following function". In my case, "it" works for me.

I'm a bit more flexible than the average person (especially people who aren't as active as I am and have been all my life).
I rode a mile home as from the LBS when I picked it up.As soon as I rolled out on it, it felt great. I found it felt better than it was before.
I can't wait to put some major miles on it. I'm actually more comfortable with the profile.

[2ndgen]

Question:

For anyone who's gone with a similar drop...

I'm 5'9" and ride a 56cm frame. I'm very comfortable with the current set-up.
Now that I've dropped the stem 13.5mm, if I were to go with a 120mm stem instead
of the 110mm stem I'm using, would that make a significant difference in comfort?

[fa63]

Hard to say. With that said, why do you want to change it if you're very comfortable with the current setup?

[neeb]

Question:

For anyone who's gone with a similar drop...

I'm 5'9" and ride a 56cm frame. I'm very comfortable with the current set-up.
Now that I've dropped the stem 13.5mm, if I were to go with a 120mm stem instead
of the 110mm stem I'm using, would that make a significant difference in comfort?

As it happens I'm exactly the same height as you, but having just checked out the CAAD9 geometry charts, if I was buying one of those frames I'd get a 54. I'm not saying that the 56 is the wrong size for you (if you're looking at a 120cm stem on that frame you must have a longer upper body / arms than me), just that the reason you need to slam the stem is because of the frame geometry. I have my bars lower than that relative to the saddle, but because my lower body / upper body ratio is greater I'd probably have 1 - 2cm of spacers on a size 54 and still have the saddle 9cm above the bars.

As far as the longer stem goes, if you feel that you'd sometimes like to stretch out more then a longer stem would be more comfortable, but if you always feel that the hoods are just a bit of a stretch then you wouldn't. Simple as that!

<edit> P.S., if you DO feel that you could stretch more, then going longer instead of going lower is a good way to get more aero without losing power.

[5 8 5]

@2 ndgen
6 pages and then you didn't slam it

Get a cheap 120mm stem and try it out. What might feel good on the Turbo can be completely different on a 2 or 3 hr ride.

BTW any reason for removing the spacer above your stem?

[ChamoisTime]

Gotta love seeing people with slammed stems riding with their hands on the tops while rolling along in a paceline on the flats. "I'm just relaxing right now". Right, and your arms are almost locked out even when you're giving it your all....

[2ndgen]

Hard to say. With that said, why do you want to change it if you're very comfortable with the current setup?

There's a particular stem that I'm interested in and it's only in 120mm.

@2 ndgen
6 pages and then you didn't slam it
Get a cheap 120mm stem and try it out. What might feel good on the Turbo can be completely different on a 2 or 3 hr ride.

Yeah. I couldn't bring myself to doing it.
Ended up with what I did want after all.

Great idea on picking up a cheap stem and playing with it.

BTW any reason for removing the spacer above your stem?

Aesthetics. I just really like the look of the cap right on the stem's top.

As far as the longer stem goes, if you feel that you'd sometimes like to stretch out more then a longer stem would be more comfortable, but if you always feel that the hoods are just a bit of a stretch then you wouldn't. Simple as that!

<edit> P.S., if you DO feel that you could stretch more, then going longer instead of going lower is a good way to get more aero without losing power.

Thanks.

[2ndgen]

Gotta love seeing people with slammed stems riding with their hands on the tops while rolling along in a paceline on the flats. "I'm just relaxing right now". Right, and your arms are almost locked out even when you're giving it your all....

Why?

[ChamoisTime]

Because its hilarious seeing them try to live an image rather than what's functional for their body.

[Getter]

Gotta love seeing people with slammed stems riding with their hands on the tops while rolling along in a paceline on the flats. "I'm just relaxing right now". Right, and your arms are almost locked out even when you're giving it your all....

I do see that from time to time. Guys that never use their drops since they can't go down that far.

The bar height should be set at the lowest comfortable position...which would be the drops.