Question from J. Luo: "Friends keep telling me that the stem on my bike is too long. What are the benefits of a shorter stem?"
Answer: You will feel the effect immediately. The handling of your bike improves significantly with a shorter stem. The bike reacts more agilely to steering movements, the rider's posture becomes more upright and breathing becomes easier. Of course, the distance between the saddle and handlebars is also shortened, which can have a negative effect on the bike's climbing characteristics. However, if the distance was previously too great, a slightly shorter stem allows the body to relax better when riding uphill. If the front wheel frequently lifts off the ground on steep terrain, you should not fit a shorter stem.
Photo: Daniel Simon
