Why no 90º threadless stems?

[Keith A]

I just received an older Ritchey 90º from our pal bcm119 and I started wondering why no one produces a 90º stem any longer. They are all either ±6º or ±17º these days. I actually like the look of the 90º stems, but I could only find one manufacturer (Thomson) that make one with this angle, but it is only in the 31.8mm clamp size.

Does anyone know another manufacturer that makes a 90º threadless stem? And why the lack of availability?

[Grant McLean]

90' stems only offers one position.

80' can be flipped to give either -10 or +10
which seems to be more popular, considering how many
bikes appear with the stem flip to the higher position.

In an ideal world, every stem model would be available in
73' 80' 90' and in every 5mm increments too.

-g

[jamesau]

...stem comes in a 90 degree version though I've never seen one.

http://www.salsacycles.com/comps_stems.html

[Keith A]

Grant -- I do realize the 90º doesn't offer a dual position, but the beyond 90º isn't as aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.

jamesau -- Thanks for the input on the Salsa stems. I've been a fan of their cromoly threaded stems, but don't know much about their scandium product. Has anyone tried this stem?

[yim]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=12535&highlight=c40

This stem is good but the paint is not very firmed and easily get rusted.

[Jeff N.]

You're right, there isn't many 90 degree road stems (NEW ones at least) being manufactured. There's the Control Tech's and Salsa CroMo, available from time to time on E-Bay, which come in 90 degree examples. Another alternative is to have one custom made by Seven Cycles (for example), which they will build to any length or rise you specify. They are flat gorgeous! Moots, Bill Holland, and perhaps several others, will do the same. But they are pricey! Deda offers a stem called the 31/86 which I really like. 31.7 bar size, with an 86 degree rise. Very nice. Not 90 degrees, but close enough! Other than that, I can't really think of any others. Jeff N.

[jeh]

Does anyone know another manufacturer that makes a 90º threadless stem? And why the lack of availability?

I have a Deda Zero. it's nice if you're not counting grams.

http://www.losering.net/images/stem.jpg

-j

[jerk]

why?

because a 90 degree stem is mad painful unless you're ridng a fes track bike that doesn't fit you...in which case you're an eat german who can do a 58 second kilo so the jerk ain't telling you shi'ite.

jerk

[Kirk Pacenti]

Agreed! I like 90* stems best, and I said as much here:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=167831&postcount=87

I think it's the best way to do an ahead set stem...for many reasons. OK, you didn't hear it from me, but I have it on VERY good authority that a popular maker from Walnut Creek CA should have a lugged 90* ahead stem out in the very near future...if it's not out already.

[Dude]

Thomson makes a 90 deg stem in black or silver. It is the OS mountain version x4(?) i believe. Very nice stem.

[Grant McLean]

Grant -- I do realize the 90º doesn't offer a dual position, but the beyond 90º isn't as aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.


keith,

i got that part, no problem, i'm glad you like them. I was just responding
to the question as to why they ain't that common, not making a case
against the 90 or how it looks.

-g

[Kirk Pacenti]

why?

because a 90 degree stem is mad painful unless you're ridng a fes track bike that doesn't fit you...in which case you're an eat german who can do a 58 second kilo so the jerk ain't telling you shi'ite.

jerk


j-man,

All things considered I like the LOOKS of a -17* quill stem best; set up nice and low, it simply looks right. (If its jacked sky high, then all bets are off of course... )

But with an A-head set up, the 90* seems to make for the most compact and cleanest line (imo). I know it shoots a bit upward, but one must make some compromises with an ahead system.

Take the pics of your Peg you recently posted as an example. If you drew a line from the center of the bars, perpendicular to the center line of the steering tube you'd see that you could remove a whole lot of un-needed material, maybe an inch(?), and not need the "stove pipe" head tube extension.

atmo, it doesn't make sense to go way up just to come back down with the stem for the sake of looks in this case.

Now, I know the same argument could be made for slopers, but that is a different story altogehter. One on which you and I can firmly agree on! mp indeed!

[Argos]

I was gonna write pretty much the same thing. There is nothing worse then HT extension. Period.

[vaxn8r]

I was gonna write pretty much the same thing. There is nothing worse then HT extension. Period.
I gotta disagree even though Argos has phenomenal taste about bikes. But I just don't care for sloping stems. Maybe with the one exception if your ride has a sloping TT. I think a good visual rule of thumb is to have your stem angle parallel to the TT. Just looks right.

[Ti-Boy]

Moots Open Road stem is 90 degrees. Pricey, sometimes hard to come by, but nice.

[Kirk Pacenti]

I gotta disagree even though Argos has phenomenal taste about bikes. But I just don't care for sloping stems. Maybe with the one exception if your ride has a sloping TT. I think a good visual rule of thumb is to have your stem angle parallel to the TT. Just looks right.

But it's almost an impossibility to have your stem parallel to the ground, or parallel to a horizontal TT today. I see VERY FEW -17* a head stems in use. This is what's required to achieve a stem that is parallel to the ground(roughly). Anything less than -17, however slight, actually points upward a bit.

[Keith A]

All things considered I like the LOOKS of a -17* quill stem best; set up nice and low, it simply looks right. (If its jacked sky high, then all bets are off of course... )

But with an A-head set up, the 90* seems to make for the most compact and cleanest line (imo). I know it shoots a bit upward, but one must make some compromises with an ahead system.

Take the pics of your Peg you recently posted as an example. If you drew a line from the center of the bars, perpendicular to the center line of the steering tube you'd see that you could remove a whole lot of un-needed material, maybe an inch(?), and not need the "stove pipe" head tube extension.

atmo, it doesn't make sense to go way up just to come back down with the stem for the sake of looks in this case.Hey Kirk,

I am with you 100%!!! Everything you said (IMHO) is so true. And if my memory serves me correctly, I recall talking to Dave Kirk at the TdFL and he expressed the same opinion.

I guess great minds think alike...especially if they have a "K" in their name :D

[Kirk Pacenti]

Hey Kirk,

I am with you 100%!!! Everything you said (IMHO) is so true. And if my memory serves me correctly, I recall talking to Dave Kirk at the TdFL and he expressed the same opinion.

I guess great minds think alike...especially if they have a "K" in their name :D

Post of the day atmo!

[Grant McLean]

But it's almost an impossibility to have your stem parallel to the ground, or parallel to a horizontal TT today. I see VERY FEW -17* a head stems in use. This is what's required to achieve a stem that is parallel to the ground(roughly). Anything less than -17, however slight, actually points upward a bit.

Hey Kirk,

Have you seen that Colnago gets their 1" stems from ITM with a slightly oversize steerer
spacer that is drilled at about a 8' or10' angle that allows you to insert it so the 80' stem
is either near parrallel or flip it 180 and near 90'. A neat trick, and I think Specialized
used (uses?) it on some of their bikes too.

-g

[Kirk Pacenti]

Hey Kirk,

Have you seen that Colnago gets their 1" stems from ITM with a slightly oversize steerer
spacer that is drilled at about a 8' or10' angle that allows you to insert it so the 80' stem
is either near parrallel or flip it 180 and near 90'. A neat trick, and I think Specialized
used (uses?) it on some of their bikes too.

-g

Haven't seen that, I'll have to check it out.

[jerk]

kirk-

stove pipe? the jerk is using the shortest tack headset he can... that's how dario made' it, the jerk just puts the bars as low as they'll go.

jerk

[Grant McLean]

Haven't seen that, I'll have to check it out.

I have one on my C40. The bummer is, don't lose the straight shim,
it looks just like a 1 1/8" reducer, but it's bigger! The bore of the colnago
stem is about 1mm bigger, to allow for the offset.

Specialized has their version on their website:

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=13495

-g

[Grant McLean]

kirk-

stove pipe? the jerk is using the shortest tack headset he can... that's how dario made' it, the jerk just puts the bars as low as they'll go.

jerk

Yup, The difference is between a "dropped top tube" and a "headtube extension".

-g

[Dr. Doofus]

doof has a "K" in his actual name...but he likes his slopers and his seatposts with the kink in 'em...so he's the exception


fwiw...ritchey stems are available in 5mm increments. its easy. take a 120 mtb stem and flip it over...voila...a 125 -6 stem...its what the doof did on the ridley so he didn't have a 40mm dogpile of spacers under a cool italian
-10 125 stem from the jerk that is now on doof's home bench....

[Kirk Pacenti]

kirk-

stove pipe? the jerk is using the shortest tack headset he can... that's how dario made' it, the jerk just puts the bars as low as they'll go.

jerk

J-man,

I wasn't dissn' your ride! Dario's work is on my top 3 list! And your personal bike is way sweeeet!

What I was trying to illustrate was teh compromisese you have to make with an a-head. And, that with a 90* stem you could have achieved the same position with less head tube extension.

[Keith A]

Thanks for the tip on the Specialized stem -- I'll check this one out.

BTW, "jerk" also has a "K" in it, but I'm not sure that counts :D

Edit: Well the "adjustable" Specialized stems only come in 31.8 clamp size :crap:

[93legendti]

I just received an older Ritchey 90º from our pal bcm119 and I started wondering why no one produces a 90º stem any longer. They are all either ±6º or ±17º these days. I actually like the look of the 90º stems, but I could only find one manufacturer (Thomson) that make one with this angle, but it is only in the 31.8mm clamp size.

Does anyone know another manufacturer that makes a 90º threadless stem? And why the lack of availability?


I just saw a Salsa threadless today: 130mm and still in the Salsa bag--looked like a 90º and 1". It was among Dennis Cotcamp's stuff at the local Serotta dealer. Probably never used, like half of the stuff of his they are selling. 248-625-7000 if anyone is interested. I picked up a XTR front der., D/A brake levers, Syntace 120mm stem and ITM 120mm stem all for $125.

[landshark_98]

sells its ahead stem in either 80 or 90 degree rise and 5 mm increments in length.

[Keith A]

Thanks for the tip.

http://www.wrcompositi.it/img_prodotti/attacco_ahead.jpg