Ti Stems

[jpw]

Do ti stems provide more comfort and insulation from front end buzz and vibration, all other things being equal, than a standard forged alu stem?

[oldpotatoe]

Do ti stems provide more comfort and insulation from front end buzz and vibration, all other things being equal, than a standard forged alu stem?

Not really.

Bigger tires, less air has a far bigger impact.

[dave thompson]

Like Peter said; larger tires with less pressure would help a lot. So would a re-wrap of your bartape with some sort of underlayment (cloth tape for instance) would also be beneficial.

[wallymann]

Stems are generally designed for some level of stiffness, so not alot of room in that equation for 'shock attenuating' movement.

That leaves the potential inherent damping qualities of the material. I don't have the coefficients or formulae handy, but most Ti and Al alloys found in stems don't have a lot of inherent damping compared to CF for instance. Even if there was, there isn't alot of geometric space in a stem for much meaningful damping to occur.

[bambam]

I can tell you my serotta 130mm ti quill stem has a lot of flex so I would think it soaks up vibration. I can push down on the hoods and see them go down. If your looking from the side the only thing that flexes is the stem not the bars,fork or tire. This worried me at first but flexing is not braking.
BamBam

[happycampyer]

I have Moots stems on my ti bikes (over the years, 2 Ottrotts, multiple Moots, a Strada Bianca, etc.). Before I order the ti stem, I confirm the correct length etc. by installing an aluminum stem first (usually 3T or Deda), and riding the bike for a bit, and making an necessary adjustments. When I switch to the ti stem, I've never noticed a difference in damping, comfort, etc.

[rustychisel]

no, not really. Some flex a bit more is all.

[roydyates]

Do ti stems provide more comfort and insulation from front end buzz and vibration, all other things being equal, than a standard forged alu stem?
probably not .. or at least i can't tell the difference. However, they look cool, especially if the patina of the stem matches your frame. Also, it's fun to lie to your riding buddies about this. On fresh chipseal, they'll believe you. :)

[fogrider]

I had one and the flex drove me nuts!