Modern day bars & stem for an old newb where to start?

ausdb

Being who he is
Possibly a quick question, possibly a f/wits question, should probably ask this in a PYR but I haven't started one yet ;) I'm looking for bars and stem for my 29er hardtail project. I'm trying to do the build on a budget something along the lines of @nathanm's Torrent and the pickings on the secondhand market in the West are slim at the moment.
Does the height x 0.440 rule still apply or has that gone out of fashion, if that's the case then based on me being 173cm I should be looking for something around 760mm.

Where do you start with rise and how do you work out what size stem when you don't have a bike you can actually sit on and see what sort of fits yet? I've got a 75mm 31.8m stem kicking around or should I start with around 50mm? The frame is an old Giant XTC 2013 size M not really sure on any of that modern reach and stack stuff

If I bite the bullet and buy new should I go 35mm as no one seems to have stock of anything these days but I can get a cheapy bar and stem for $100 in

Excuse my ramblings
 
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downunderdallas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
What is the frame and the reach? Handlebar width is personal pref, I think anything 740-800 is generally accepted, I'm a bit taller and run a 770mm (down from 800mm which felt too wide for me) bar but if you start wider you can always cut it down to suit.

Certainly wouldn't think you would want to go beyond 60mm stem. Again personal preference comes into it, personally, I don't feel like stem length makes as massive difference within reason in typical 35mm-50mm range.
 

ausdb

Being who he is
I've posted the specs but none of those new fangled measurements are on it. I'll put some wheels on and measure it later today.

75mm stem was only because I have it and would save some $$ buying one for the time being, the stem on my old 26er was about 130mm!
 

downunderdallas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I've posted the specs but none of those new fangled measurements are on it. I'll put some wheels on and measure it later today.

75mm stem was only because I have it and would save some $$ buying one for the time being, the stem on my old 26er was about 130mm!
Ah I see the link, somehow I missed a whole paragraph! Some pretty old school numbers there 71.5 head angle is super steep! I expect it will be pretty short reach so you might need stem at the longer end of the range. Give it a spin with the 75 see how it rides if you already have it. I wouldn't be inclined to sink much money into that frame.
 

ausdb

Being who he is
Ta budget is the plan!
I should have added its @Isaakk's old frame and it's got a - 2° angle set in it already and I've got a set of 120mm SIDS so it's not quite the standard numbers
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
I have the same rig and size, unsure on year ... in the shed which does occasionally get ridden.

70mm stem, 740mm bars ... 20mm rise ... I think it originally came with 100mm stem 680mm bars ... 5mm rise
Occasionally gets shorter stem ... but this combo suits the people that get on it say 5’4 to 5’8 males and females, teens and adults.

Old skool geo with steeper HA isn’t going to produce the same effects to steerage / control that shorter stems offer on slacker geo ... will be more about making you more upright IMO

similarly, wider bars is about lowering your attack position with modern geo (pushing you forward). I reckon wider bars, shorter stem on older geo will push you rearwards and unweight the front, which isn’t going to be nice if you like railing corners, Unless you have a Dropper as well.

Will save your back though, which might be a good thing if you’re over 40 and with a growing belly :). Not that there is anything wrong with that.

if I’m Sydney, inner west... I have a few stem lengths you can use as loaners to help decide.
 

ausdb

Being who he is
@Nerf Herder thank you very much for the comments, you've pretty much nailed me except I'm over 50 not 40 with a few dodgy discs in the back and neck so upright is better anyway. I'll give @ashes_mtb bars and stem a go at the moment and was going to get some lock-ons I could slide inwards to play around with width. Currently I don't have a dropper but will ask Santa for one, I saw a post of yours saying you were getting some budget options in soon?

With a 120 fork on what was a 100mm frame and the -2deg angleset it should be slightly less old skool I'm hoping?
 

Isaakk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Just to weigh in, I was running a 0deg rise 70mm stem with 780 bars at 6'2 which was granted quite small for my size on the M, but the upright position suited me due to back issues and not being able to ride in a forward position for longer periods of time. I do actually still have the stem sitting around unused if you wanted to give it a go for cheap @ausdb , is a silver Funn Tron.

If i'm honest I still somewhat miss riding that frame as nice as the Niner is, was just so easy to cruise around on. The geo with the 120 fork and -2deg angle set definitely feels more in line with recent bikes & was certainly far easier to handle than 100mm form without the headset. Also alleviates the issues that I had experienced with the tyre buzzing the shoe around tighter corners, due to the wheel being pushed further forward. Would probably summarise the geo as less twitchy & more forgiving in the front, making it more comfortable than what the frame was designed as (ie, a 100mm travel hardtail XC race rocket), with the slight tradeoff of sitting slightly higher on the bike due to the longer fork and raised BB (which is mitigated somewhat by the angleset).
 
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