How to Measure a Bicycle Stem

Measuring your bicycle stem is simple, but you must be precise.

The stem connects the handlebars of a bike with the forks. When you're measuring your bicycle's stem, it is important to come to an exact conclusion if you are looking to replace your old stem with a new one. Measuring to and from the right places can give you an exact measurement of your stem so you know whether or not you want one that is larger, smaller or the same size.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Secure your bicycle with the handlebars straight ahead.

2. Measure the handlebars to find the center, which is located directly over the headset of the bicycle.

3. Use a tape measure to measure from the center of the handlebars to the center of the fork steerer, which is also called a headset. The center of the headset is marked with a quill bolt if it is threaded or a headset-adjusted bolt on a threadless headset. This gives you the measurements of your bicycle stem.

References

• Habanero Cycles: Bike Stem Calculator
• Bike Forums: How to measure stem size

Resources

• Different types of headsets