@tnelson 140554 wrote:
I recently acquired a Giant OCR3 from my uncle’s basement that I want to tune up and use for some longer rides. Part of that is replacing the adjustable stem currently on the bike with a regular stem, likely with a more aggressive road/racing position than what’s currently on there. I’m not really sure where to start with deciding what stem to purchase. Is this going to require a full bike fitting? I’m not looking to do anything competitive with this bike and don’t want to drop too much on it – I already need to take it in for a tune-up and get a new saddle – but I don’t want to end up being uncomfortable on my rides.
Bike shops can put you on the trainer with a stem sizer to narrow down your best stem length and angle. No substitute for a test ride, but will get you in the ballpark. At my wife’s shop, she doesn’t charge for a full profit if only working on hands and reach and not working on foot-pedal (which unlike stem is the most time consuming).
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