[Bugrans]

Hello again,
Just asking if short stems dont work so well with the XCL? Put a 75 mm 5 degree xr stem from the start on my medium and it feels good going downhill but seems to make the front end sketchy in the corners,
I put in an old 100 mm xr and seems to be more balanced also wheelies come just as easy and wheelie drops have not suffered at all, the thing i dont like is being stretched out a bit.. Anyway whats the minimum stem length that will make the front end planted in corners and make downhills feel just as good?Bar is a 50 mm rise hussefelt. Fork a revelation coil at 130.My height is 5.91/2 with a 31.5 inseam.
Thanks

 

[dubjay]

Stem length is a very personal thing. What works for someone else might not work for you. Everyone's body position is a little different, both descending as well as ascending. You have to take into account fore/aft position of the saddle as the width of the handlebar as well.

That being said, I'm 1/2 inch taller than you, and I use a 90mm (6 degree rise) with a 30mm rise bar.

 

[Bugrans]

Thanks will try a 90 with my 50 mm rise an 80 might be too close to my 75.

 

[xc_flip]

Bugrans, i had 90 the first time.. then switch to 70.. the 90 made climbing better or maybe its just I was a tittle stretched out, but it also made my descend sketchy, I would washed the front often. Thats when I switched to 70, and it made a world of difference, I have more confidence on corners and just about everything, I just have to move my butt forward a little when there is a steep hill, but other wise as Dubjay says everyone has they're own preference, gotta play around to your setting.

cheers

 

[Bugrans]

xc_flip,
Thats what I thought a short stem would do.but it seems give too much rearward weight bias when cornering maybe i have to move a bit forward than usual to keep it planted.Anyway will try a 90 too. ty.

 

[Ricky D]

I just switched from a 110mm, 10 degree rise to a 90mm, 0 rise and I feel like it controls the descents a little better and definitely helps through the techy stuff. I'm 6' 0" and ride a medium XCL.

 

[Legbacon]

To get the most from a short stem you need to adjust your cornering and climbing positions. Try weighting the front end a bit when cornering. I recently took my Turner RFX/TALUS 36 to Moab, Hurricane UT, and Bootleg Canyon for 3 1/2 weeks. It's angles are a little slacker than the XCL but I think my findings are valid. I originaly planned to swap between my 50 and 70 mm stems to suit different rides. I have used the 50mm for DH but never used this bike as a trail bike and figured that the 70 mm would be better for all round riding. Well, I ended up using the 50 mm for everything and was able to climb everthing that I could previously on my 5 Spot with a 90 mm stem. I did learn to weight the the front end as required but really enjoyed the handling and DH bike like descending capability. I'm in the process of putting a 70 mm stem on my Spot, as I already have one on my XC HT and love it. I'm 5'9" and ride bikes with 23 to 23.5 " top tubes.

 

[Bugrans]

Thanks for the replies,
I always believed in short stems since I read the Leelikesbikes. Been using a 65 Easton Vice on my older bike.just feels different when cornering and climbing.But I gues theres a reason XCL build kits go with a 100 mm Truvativ.
If the 90 feels ok going down I may stick with it. Ty