I think this is sound advice & do not disagree with any of it. But what about trying a very short stem vs. the effective extension on the bar pictured?Possibly even a “zero” extension stem like those from discord? FWIW, I rode my 52 Clem L 25 miles yesterday with the 130mm FacePlater stem & 580 wide Bosco’s. One of the things I really like about this bike/configuration is the room I have for my knees. It’s the roomiest cockpit I have experienced on any bicycle. The hand position on the Bosco’s is the “palms on table while seated” as espoused by Grant - very upright. 100% delightful! All I am suggesting is if the reach is too far in the current configuration move the bars back. With all of the stem & handlebar options available there must be one that can work for you?
Rich in Toledo, loving every millimeter of my Clem L for its first four years & 10,000 miles.:)
Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 31, 2026, at 11:51 AM, John Johnson <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi Joe,

Fellow Clem owner and also 5'6" (shorter legs, longer torso). For all the talk of "joyously upright", the Clems have a very aggressive stack/reach. You need a very swept back bar if you want to get upright. 

My experience: I had a 2019 Clem 45 H and was very comfortable with bullmoose bars (the Nitto fillet brazed version, with an "effective" 150mm stem length, 30° sweep). I tried Boscos and didn't have room for my knees. There is no way I could straddle a 52cm Clem H. 

I also have a 2019 Clem 45 L (with 26" wheels, pre the 27.5" on the 45). There was a geometry update to the Clem L in late 2019, and that's the kind I have. AFAIK, the geometry did not change on the H. With the updated geometry, the ETT on the Clem L is 625mm - the Clem H had an ETT of 575mm. Both the L and the H have a reach over 400mm. Bikes that fit great for me typically have a reach under 400mm (17" Black Mountain La Cabra or 52cm XO-1). For this longer ETT Clem L, I needed a swept back bar to make it comfortable. Albatross bars were too much of a stretch, but Toscos fit the bill (on 80cm stem). 

In summary:
I am your height, but have had 2 Clems in the size smaller than yours. 
Due to the geometry differences between the Clem H and Clem L, I could not run swept back bars on the Clem H and I cannot run bars without a significant sweep on the Clem L. 

I think you could keep your bike and try changing your bars to something more swept back. 
Or 
You could try finding a Clem H 45cm (from 2019 - I think that's the last year they were made) and you'd probably be good with the bullmoose bars you have. 
Or 
You could try a newer Clem L 45cm (could use your wheels, etc.), but you'd probably want a swept back bar. 

Cheers,

John (somewhere in the middle of France on a TGV)
On Monday, March 30, 2026 at 5:47:48 PM UTC+2 [email protected] wrote:
Hi all,

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback; there's definitely a lot to digest here. The original build actually had Bosco bars, and based on your comments, it sounds like I probably should have stayed with those. 

Best regards,

Joe


On Sun, Mar 29, 2026 at 10:51 PM Zachary Cannon <[email protected]> wrote:
You've asked a difficult question, because it sounds like you aren't quite comfortable on your Clem. For me, that means that your picture could be indicative of a lot of different things, not all of which would be fixed by a change in bike size. It's easier to see a bike that's been made comfortable for a rider but has a particularly long, short or high stem/saddle, and consider how the bike could be made more comfortable.

It might be worth trying to dial the fit that works for your body first, and then decide which size and model of frame best aligns. Little things make a big difference for me in fit, such as raise or lowering bars and my seat 2-3mm at.a time. Adjust stem reach and saddle setback bit by bit, along with their angles. Once you get that all dialed in through trial and error and perhaps reader up here and elsewhere on fit, it might be clear what frame optimizes the fit your want.

Having lived in Chicago for many years previously, I think it's a location that demands a good fit because the lack of hills means you tend to ride in the same position all the time. 

I hope that helps and doesn't feel like a dodge. 
Best, Zach in ABQ 




On Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 7:16:15 PM UTC-6 [email protected] wrote:
@David, 

"One thing thing to add is that you don’t really need a setback seatpost on any Rivendell due to the slack seatpost tube."

Au contrairie, I own 52cm Clem Smith Jr. "L" bicycle, I have a long torso and short limbs. This bicycle fits and suits all of my needs with Nitto Bosco bars. I have a Sakae Ringyo MTE-100 seatpost on it, This adds a lot more comfort and allows me to sit further back onto the rear wheel and not directly over the BB. Everyone has a different body and customizes their bikes to fit their body portions for comfort. 

Kim Hetzel. 





On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 4:40 PM David Ross <[email protected]> wrote:
The bike looks like it fits to me, and well within the range that the contact points can be made to work. One thing thing to add is that you don’t really need a setback seatpost on any Rivendell due to the slack seatpost tube. You’ll be able to move the saddle forward approximately an inch with a straight post. Just an idea. Otherwise, you’ll need to experiment with different stem/bar combos. You can get really close by measuring where you want your hands to be and then backing into it. 

On Sun, Mar 29, 2026 at 1:11 PM Richard Rose <[email protected]> wrote:
I am not certain what the question here is? That Clem looks well sorted fit wise. Appropriate(?) amount of seat post showing with room to adjust in either direction. So the frame size seems good vertically at least? I am not a fan of PBH sizing. I know my saddle height, my preferred barometer.
Further, I am not sure what relationship there might be between PBH or saddle height & reach? 
I am 5’10” tall. My saddle height is 72.5cm. I ride a 52 Clem L with a 130mm FacePlater stem & 580 wide Bosco. I also ride a 57 Gus with a 35mm stem with a 785 wide, much less swept back (Albacore) bar. Contact points are nearly identical on both bikes with the exception of bar width. I guess my thought is if the saddle is right all else can be fine tuned via bar & stem. That said, I am no fit expert.
Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 29, 2026, at 12:35 PM, Joe Alter <[email protected]> wrote:



Hi all, 

I'm writing to you from the Roscoe Village neighborhood in Chicago.

I'm joining the group to learn more about how others are sizing their rigs. As much as I love the Clem, I’m starting to suspect I might be a better fit for a 50cm (I'm 5'6" with a shorter torso), so I’m looking forward to reading through the archives here regarding PBH and reach.

Best regards,

Joe


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