25.4mm vs 26mm stem

[Steve and Amy Bernth]

In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
(threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
want to take any chances.

 

[Vee]

Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
> want to take any chances.

Your road bike doesn't fit you if you need a 50mm stem, but if you
insist, Nitto makes a 25.4 road handlebar (model B115). As for using a
26.0 bar in a 25.4 stem... it's been done, but the idea scares me.
I've heard of at least one such setup failing catastrophically. It
seems to work out okay for recreational riders with relatively heavy
stems and bars.

-Vee

 

[Pete Biggs]

Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of
> stem (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but
> would like to go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find
> in that length indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the
> 26.0mm road bike diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems
> close, but I wouldn't want to take any chances.

3T The Stem goes down to 50mm and is intended for 25.8mm - compatible with
26.0.

~PB

 

[Ernie Willson]

Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
> want to take any chances.
>
>
I would expect no problem whatsoever.

EJ in NJ

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
> want to take any chances.

You will bottom the bolts...get a shim, many made for this 24.5 to 26mm
conversion.

Or get a 25.4 road handlebar...many available as well...

 

[Mark Hickey]

"Steve and Amy Bernth" <[email protected]> wrote:

>In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
>(threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
>go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
>indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
>diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
>want to take any chances.

I agree with the other poster that you should at least consider the
fact that a 50mm stem IS very short, and that you should look at your
overall fit on the bike.

That said, I wouldn't recommend using a 25.4mm clamp on a 26.0mm bar
(why DOES this industry do things like create two specs a half mm
apart anyway???). Visualize where the "points" of the clamp will
contact the bar, and what's gonna "give" as you tighten down the clamp
and I think it's clear why you wouldn't want to do that (pinching /
gouging the bars at the obvious stress riser point just doesn't seem
like a high-percentage move to me).

But you don't have to go with a MTB stem - you can get an Oval
Concepts 50mm road stem with a 26mm clamp. Most any bike store can
order it for you (ask 'em to look in their QBP catalog).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[SYJ]

Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
> want to take any chances.

ISTR reading about a domestic team (Health Net?) that switched sponsors
(to Ritchey?) right before a race having to machine 25.4 stems to fit
26.0 bars. I dunno that I'd try it, but if it's good enough for the
(immenseley stronger than I) pros....

of course, they swapped out after they got the road stems in, no doubt.

 

[Steve and Amy Bernth]

Thanks for all the responses. It sounds like the best (safest) way to go
for me will be to take a look at the 50mm road stem offered by Oval
Concepts. I really do need a 50mm stem as this search was the result of a
bike fitting. In order to get my seat positioned correctly it had to be
moved back, but because of my somewhat less than normal body geometry (I
have short arms) it took me too far away from my bars. My current situation
is not horrible by any means, but creates a bit of a problem when I'm down
in the aero bars. I obviously can't shorten my top tube, so the only other
options would be a shorter stem or a new bike.

 

[[email protected]]

Vee wrote:
> Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> > In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
> > (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
> > go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
> > indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
> > diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
> > want to take any chances.
>
> Your road bike doesn't fit you if you need a 50mm stem, but if you
> insist, Nitto makes a 25.4 road handlebar (model B115).

The problem with this is the Nitto B115 handlebar has a fairly long
reach. So the hoods could likely end up further away than they are now
even if he put on a shorter stem.




As for using a
> 26.0 bar in a 25.4 stem... it's been done, but the idea scares me.
> I've heard of at least one such setup failing catastrophically. It
> seems to work out okay for recreational riders with relatively heavy
> stems and bars.
>
> -Vee

 

[Bill Lloyd]

On 2006-06-24 08:42:22 -0700, "SYJ" <[email protected]> said:

>
> Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
>> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
>> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
>> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
>> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
>> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
>> want to take any chances.
>
> ISTR reading about a domestic team (Health Net?) that switched sponsors
> (to Ritchey?) right before a race having to machine 25.4 stems to fit
> 26.0 bars. I dunno that I'd try it, but if it's good enough for the
> (immenseley stronger than I) pros....
>
> of course, they swapped out after they got the road stems in, no doubt.

I don't believe it. 25.4 bars went out more than 10 years ago. 26.0
has been the standard since 94 or earlier -- no pro team is going to be
going around with a truckload of 25.4 parts.

 

[SYJ]

Bill Lloyd wrote:
> On 2006-06-24 08:42:22 -0700, "SYJ" <[email protected]> said:
>
> >
> > Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
> >> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
> >> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
> >> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
> >> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
> >> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
> >> want to take any chances.
> >
> > ISTR reading about a domestic team (Health Net?) that switched sponsors
> > (to Ritchey?) right before a race having to machine 25.4 stems to fit
> > 26.0 bars. I dunno that I'd try it, but if it's good enough for the
> > (immenseley stronger than I) pros....
> >
> > of course, they swapped out after they got the road stems in, no doubt.
>
> I don't believe it. 25.4 bars went out more than 10 years ago. 26.0
> has been the standard since 94 or earlier -- no pro team is going to be
> going around with a truckload of 25.4 parts.

Out? 25.4 Road Bars? Yes. 25.4 MTB Bars - still the defacto standard
(although 31.8 is making inroads). Perhaps I didn't explain very well.
As I recall, the team of the rider picked up a new sponsor (or the
existing sponsor developed a new model) shortly before a race. That
sponsor offered essentially the same model in both MTB (25.4) and road
(26.0) diameters. However, the model was so new that the sponsor did
not have any of the road sized stems available, and so they had to
machine MTB stems to fit the road bars.

I've been trying to find the link, but haven't had much luck. I
thought it was one of Lieswyn's diaries on cyclingnews, but there's no
trace of it...

SYJ

 

[Bill Lloyd]

On 2006-06-26 17:25:03 -0700, "SYJ" <[email protected]> said:

>
> Bill Lloyd wrote:
>> On 2006-06-24 08:42:22 -0700, "SYJ" <[email protected]> said:
>>
>>>
>>> Steve and Amy Bernth wrote:
>>>> In order to make by road bike "fit" me properly, I need as short of stem
>>>> (threadless) as possible. I currently have a 65mm stem, but would like to
>>>> go to a 50mm. The problem is, the only ones I can find in that length
>>>> indicate they are for the 25.4mm mtb bar diam. not the 26.0mm road bike
>>>> diam. I have. Can I use a 25.4mm or not. It seems close, but I wouldn't
>>>> want to take any chances.
>>>
>>> ISTR reading about a domestic team (Health Net?) that switched sponsors
>>> (to Ritchey?) right before a race having to machine 25.4 stems to fit
>>> 26.0 bars. I dunno that I'd try it, but if it's good enough for the
>>> (immenseley stronger than I) pros....
>>>
>>> of course, they swapped out after they got the road stems in, no doubt.
>>
>> I don't believe it. 25.4 bars went out more than 10 years ago. 26.0
>> has been the standard since 94 or earlier -- no pro team is going to be
>> going around with a truckload of 25.4 parts.
>
> Out? 25.4 Road Bars? Yes. 25.4 MTB Bars - still the defacto standard
> (although 31.8 is making inroads). Perhaps I didn't explain very well.
> As I recall, the team of the rider picked up a new sponsor (or the
> existing sponsor developed a new model) shortly before a race. That
> sponsor offered essentially the same model in both MTB (25.4) and road
> (26.0) diameters. However, the model was so new that the sponsor did
> not have any of the road sized stems available, and so they had to
> machine MTB stems to fit the road bars.
>
> I've been trying to find the link, but haven't had much luck. I
> thought it was one of Lieswyn's diaries on cyclingnews, but there's no
> trace of it...

Ah, okay, gotcha. Yes, MTB bars are still 25.4, though some are now
going 31.8 or whatever standard OS size is.