stem query

just got my old marin eldridge grade out of storage so please be gentle with this old chestnut.

The reach is too long and looking again at replacement stems (as well as smaller frame).

Current quill stem has a diameter of 1" into headset (and is stamped 2.54) so I understand this is known as a 1 1/8 (as based on external diameters) and a reach of about 130mm c-c.

Rather than just a shorter stem I'm thinking of a stem adaptor then the "ahead" type, so I can get the existing bar in without taking everything off the bar and more flexiibility going forward. The bar has a 1" diameter at the centre. So what size of ahead bit do I need, ie how described, and are all the diameters at the top of the adaptor the same.

Has anyone done this and does the steering get very twitchy which was my initial concern ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ControlTech-90mm- ... 4158135fcb

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ITM-Quill-AHead-S ... 2a0f69545c

would these types work ? ie have I got it right ?

Fancy outing the stem I've just bought, you absolute swine! The price was roughly what I expected though, so I doubt whether you moved the market all that much.

You're right on the money with your comments. The reason I would fit a 90mm stem to a retro frame is that it compensates for fitting a longer fork than it originally had. i.e., fitting a longer (suspension) fork without changing the stem would make the steerer too dead. But fitting that stem to a 92 Eldridge Grade with its original rigid fork would make it quite twitchy - some people like twitchy, but you might find that excessive. If you're starting from 13cm, I would guess that an 11cm stem could be as short as you would want to take it, combined with the current fork.

Yes the quill converter will work perfectly well. You could then fit older-style 1 1/8 ahead stems with 25.4 handlebar clamps. You obviously need to bear in mind that contemporary stems have 31.8 clamps, but there are still plenty of 25.4 stems around to buy.

I see from your other thread that you have a more basic question about whether the frame is just too big. There is no doubt that retro Marins were big and a 23" c-c top tube is quite long for a size 19. That top tube would generally be reckoned to suit a height range from 6-0 to 6-4. Even then, if you're 6-0 say, then you might say it's a young 6-0. The older you get, the further your back thinks the bars seem to be from the saddle!

Anthony":18hks6e2 said:

Fancy outing the stem I've just bought, you absolute swine! The price was roughly what I expected though, so I doubt whether you moved the market all that much.

Click to expand...

:shock: mmm, only one other late bidder (not me) and 50 views of the thread, what the odds,

Thanks for the help. Being almost 6' its a bit of a long reach, I USED to be pretty flexible and in good shape. I don't want to put a suspension fork on it so will see if I can find a cheap shorter stem and keep an eye out for a smaller frame.

Agree with what Anthony says. You might be ok with an 100mm stem (have one on an old rigid p7) but definitely get twitchy below that I feel.