Mark W Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 'lo all, Since time began I've been running Pazzaz carbon fibre bars with a T-Master stem. This is quite a tall front end, and recently I got some new forks that bumped it up again. My bar height, with the T-Master stem and Onza proto forks is 38" (there or thereabouts). With this set-up, I can hop->manual, bunnyhop up stuff, backwheel around abouts 45", gap long enough, etc. etc. Recently, I wanted to try lowering my front end slightly. I found someone selling a ZOO! mod stem on here pretty cheap, so I snapped that up. The stem came a few days later and I put it on my bike. Immediately, the front end felt way lower, and it turned out to be 2" lower (I know "It's only 2"", but like with BMX top-tubes 1/2" feels like a mile in terms of difference). It felt pretty stable on the back wheel, pretty nice for sidehopping, and pretty nice for gapping. However, it is an absolute bitch to back wheel. What I'm getting at is is this just something I need to get used to? I know that if you change anything on a bike it'll take some getting used to, but this feels well different, and not in a shit hot kinda way. Have any of you gone from a high to low front end, and found the same sorta results? Or has it all been plain sailing? I had my ZOO! stem on on Saturday and couldn't backwheel 3ft, then on Sunday for my Windsor ride I put the T-Master back on and backwheeled the cross-bar of a scaled down football goal (45" or so), so it felt nicer for backwheeling, but the ZOO! stem felt a bit nicer for gapping. It's all b*****d confusing, so I was hoping someone could let me know if it's just something to get used to or if it's a love/hate thing. Thanks y'all, Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisa Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I changed from a Brisa bar and stem on my Base (when i had it) to a 100*5 Truvative SL stem and try all bars. Instantly I could tap a lot higher but for some reason I could not straight backwheel anything... I run a Brisa bar and stem on my t-pro, I would this this has a high front end but I find backwheeling pretty pleasent. I have no experiance of a lower set up on mod, only on stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQuiT-man Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I need to make the choice between high or low, long or short reach stems/bars soon.. How muchdid you find your lower bars improved you for gapping, etc over your T-master stem? Those are my two main stem choices I have to choose between Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I kept almost over-shooting stuff 'cos the back wheel was a lot further forwards than I thought it would be. For gapping, it just made stuff a bit easier 'cos the longer and lower cockpit area allowed more room for pre-loading and so on. It was the same story for sidehopping; I could just launch up a bit easier 'cos I could crouch down more and explode up. For upping though, it just doesn't really do much for me. It's a whore to manual, and not much fun to pedal-up stuff. If you were well into tapping it might be good, but I prefer to just pedal straight up stuff. Should really do more tapping though :ermm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkee Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 (edited) ok i know this is for stock but maybe of some use. i used to ride a onza t raptor bar and stem on my zoo boa. Felt great and everything but they started flexing bad so i thought time for a new bar and stem. Got ma self a echo bar and stem combo really really low in comparison. They felt pretty gay to be honest.. my bike felt a mile shorter.. i cant gap anywhere near what i used to just.. everything went gay i felt like i was going to go over the front because to compensate for the lack of distance id try to lower the front lower and lower and just couldnt get the power through. Apart from maybe wheel swapping, started to get better at that. oh and i couldnt surge at all i just couldnt pull the front end up quick enough. See my bike in general felt like a dead dog in a bath. So i thought id try a little test and got me a monty bar and stem. Ive been using them for 2 weeks now and im in love. Cant fault them at all really it just made my bike feel how it should again.. my gapping is still shocking.. since i still have a wank technique from the echo bar and stem. Higher rise on the front all the way. The lower bar and stems are useless for me. in my opinion it could all be personal preference, techniques, style, experience. But for me the switch back has worked Edited March 1, 2005 by Spacemunkee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I changed my very high front end, to a very low front end. I like it lower, you have to put much more effort in to get onto your back wheel, but its much better all around. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 Put my Master stem back on, tilted the bars more forwards than usual, almost nailed a 4ft wall after work tonight just having a chill out ride :blink: Definitely sticking with the T-Master stem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly C Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I put the T-Master back on and backwheeled the cross-bar of a scaled down football goal (45" or so)← Shown here: (Y) I went to low rise from high rise, I think it was better I cant remeber anymore though so Im not much help, I like my current setup so Im not changing, Im sure I could find a better setup to improve my riding but what I dont try wont hurt me. Olly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsking 55 Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 i have just put my try-all b+s on my 221ti and i have loads more control. just i cant gap as far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davetrials Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 (edited) Shown here: :) I went to low rise from high rise, I think it was better I cant remeber anymore though so Im not much help, I like my current setup so Im not changing, Im sure I could find a better setup to improve my riding but what I dont try wont hurt me. Olly. ← Ur bike looks like a bunny hop machine olly!!!!!!!! On my pythong, i had a older echo stem ment for flat bars with zoo riser bars, and wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooe did it bunny hop, were as when i had standard megamo stem and bars it suck big time.! Higher bar hightsonly affect stock riders and it screws up your taps, i had a 42" barhight on my ashton once fly guy forks UNCUT! with about 10 spacers with a stupid high stem and 2.5inch double walls. (Y) Nice bunny hop marklar. Edited March 2, 2005 by Davetrials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Drewery Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 (edited) I recently switched from brisa bar and stem to a zoo bar and stem and though the front end is slightly lower, everything feels pretty much the same except for bunnyhops and streety moves ie spins, manuals etc which are all easier (Y) BT, that bunnyhop looks pretty huge! Edited March 2, 2005 by scunnytrials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colly Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 i found with my low bar and stem on a stock that i cant manuel as good, (but once its up its ok) as for back wheeling i just have to bump most things over 30inch now. i am going to try my high bars again, but i know for a fact high bars on a short bike, = street machine, but will be terrible for natural terrain on hills, where some times a long wheel base bike with a high stem can feel good. i thinks its all trial and error, and personal perferance :( :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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