Short stems on bikes designed for looong stems.

[amandar]

Hello all! I'm new to these forums and mountain biking, so apologies in advance for being a dunce.
I found myself a Bontrager Privateer. Unfortunately it's a size too big for me and I have trouble steering it (standover is fine).
I'm entertaining the idea of sticking a shorter stem on it, but I'm afraid I'll mess up the fabled Bonty geometry.
How do these older bikes that were designed around super long stems handle when you put short stems on them?
Current stem is 130 and to put me at the right reach I'd have to go 80 or shorter.
Thanks for your help!

 

[barry2017]

Well, it will look AWFUL.

But if you like it, so what? Most of my bikes end up with shorter stems, otherwise I don't ride them.

 

[andrewl]

Current stem is 130 and to put me at the right reach I'd have to go 80 or shorter.
Thanks for your help!

Personally I never liked long stems even when they were the fashion and I've gone for a bigger frame and shorter stem on a few older rides and it works really well for me.

Going to 80mm may be an issue as older stems in that length may be hard to find. you could try something linke a 100mm stem and some bars with a bit more backsweep to get yourself into the right position.

 

[longun]

got a 90mm stem on my kona,tbh it handles better,and it was good before hand.

 

[russ77]

I've done the same to my Privateer. True, it doesn't look the same, but now I can ride it.

I first put shorter stems on my bikes because my back was starting to ache on long rides. It hasn't done that for years now so maybe there's something in it other than fashion?

 

[amandar]

Thanks for the input everyone. Now to find a nice salsa stem.