... any interest in doing three sentences, then a jump, to a paragraph, etc. might make a better read.
robert clair
alexandria, va
>I feel that for most people a half centimeter jump in stem reach is not
>necessary. The reason that small jumps in seat height are so easily felt is
>that the body has no way to compensate for these changes without either
>lifting the heel at the bottom of the stroke or grinding the pubic area
>into the saddle or even worse - rocking on the saddle throwing off cadence
>and efficiency. The difference between a 10 cm stem and a 10.5 stem is
>barely felt if at all by me. I can make up the difference with a tiny
>change in my elbow angle. (We do all keep a small bend in the elbows all
>the time - don't we?) If you raise the stem even a smidge, you also shorten
>the reach by almost the same amount. The difference between the reach of
>two bars from the classic period is easily 1 cm or more. If you bring your
>hands to the hoods as opposed to the drops the difference in reach is quite
>a few centimeters. If you put the brake levers further up the bar curve you
>effectively change the reach also when on the hoods. If you use a 172.5
>crank instead of a 170 crank, you lengthen the stem reach an effective
>quarter of a centimeter. A thicker bar tape shortens the reach by a quarter
>also. Changing the angle that you secure the bars to the stem changes reach
>too. If you use bars that are smaller than what is called for - for a given
>stem clamp area, you can lengthen or shorten the reach depending on how and
>where you apply the shim. If you ride in the morning when your spine is as
>much as a half inch longer - do you switch out to a longer stem? I don't
>
> Garth Libre who uses 9's 10's and 10.5 stem interchangeably. (in Miami Fl
> USA)