Ti Stems on Ebay

[UKBROOKLYN]

Anybody know anything about these Race Tech stems.

I can get the length I want with no logo.. great price, made in Taiwan..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281557125594?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://76.163.13.22/images/stem.jpg

[Cicli]

Are they cast?
Can you even cast Ti?

[AngryScientist]

feedback score of 471\97.9 is enough to turn me off.

no direct experience of course, but for that price i would rather have a trusted brand aluminum stem than a brand x titanium stem any day of the week.

[eippo1]

Are they cast?


Can you even cast Ti?



That was my thought too. Wonder if it's actually aluminum with TI playing.

[Cicli]

That was my thought too. Wonder if it's actually aluminum with TI playing.

Yeah, looks janky to me.

[UKBROOKLYN]

97.9 % is pretty high.. so you are saying that 6 people in the 323 sales last year would turn you off the seller.. The items they complain about are not titanium.

FWIW Amazon had a n 86 customer satisfaction score in 2014. Does that mean you would not buy from Amazon. ??

The description says Fully CNC Machined.

Anybody seen these or others from Taiwan.

This one from Van Nicholas is also made in Taiwan

http://road.cc/content/review/4708-van-nicholas-ti-stem

[UKBROOKLYN]

OK ok.. Angry et all.. My new Indi Fab frame has arrived and now I am looking for bits.. thats why I posted this....

Lynskey have a nice ti setback seat post for 200 bucks.. which is an easy choice.. But I am thinking about a Ti Stem and trying to find one I like the look of... I have not fully decided yet but may be going Pewter Chris King headset..
The fork is no decal Enve 2

[Kirk Pacenti]

I don't know the maker, and can't speak to the quality of this specific part, but it's clearly investment cast. And generally speaking, the Taiwanese are masters of investment casting titanium and pretty much every other material. Iirc, 80% of all titanium driver heads come from Taiwan.

Cheers,
KP

[UKBROOKLYN]

Bit of a different application wouldn't you say..

[Cicli]

So, would a cast Ti stem be ok?

Thats a bad part to find out it wont.

[bicycletricycle]

specialized had cast ti stems a while back, looks nicer to me, taiwan is pretty good at making bicycle stuff.

[pbarry]

^^ Gets it. :beer:

[UKBROOKLYN]

I got an email back from seller saying they are cast and then CNC machined.

[Cat3roadracer]

You have already invested enough in your dream frame. Go with Moots, Erikson if you need a Ti stem. Thomson for all else.

[UKBROOKLYN]

Moots and Erikson are bead blasted,.... Seat post will be a Lynskey.. basically same as Moots but brushed and not over priced.

[Cat3roadracer]

Seven, Firefly?

[UKBROOKLYN]

Seven ugky face plate plus 500 bucks

Firefly is really the nicest out there but again 350 roubles

[firerescuefin]

Seven ugky face plate plus 500 bucks

Firefly is really the nicest out there but again 350 roubles

.....and what did you pay for that new custom frame and fork? I know that's not an excuse to get ripped off, but if I spent that kind of coin on a custom bike, I'd get the stem I wanted...even if it was a few extra dollars.

[UKBROOKLYN]

Well clearly you have more money than me.. good for you..

I don't want a fugly Seven stem... The only one of the high end ones I like is the Firefly..

So I will put the Ti stem on hold and run an alloy for now... The seat post is more important so Lynskey will get the dollars for now..

[firerescuefin]

I thought you were asking for input. My mistake. Good luck with your build.

[Peter B]

Well clearly you have more money than me.. good for you..

I don't want a fugly Seven stem... The only one of the high end ones I like is the Firefly..

So I will put the Ti stem on hold and run an alloy for now... The seat post is more important so Lynskey will get the dollars for now..

PM if interested in a 110 Firefly ti stem.

[UKBROOKLYN]

Too long.. sad face,,,

[Peter B]

Used Moots can be had in the low $200s in most sizes. Watch the bay.

[UKBROOKLYN]

every day

Thanks anyway

[Veloo]

I think it's overpriced but very pretty. Also like the smaller setback in the seatpost.

http://www.controltechbikes.com/timania.php

[macaroon]

Ti is a silly material to make stems from anyway. You want light and stiff so go for a nice alloy one; 3T/Deda/Zipp/Pro all make good stems in a range of sizes for not too much money.

[oldpotatoe]

Moots and Erikson are bead blasted,.... Seat post will be a Lynskey.. basically same as Moots but brushed and not over priced.

'Basically' is right. Both ti and both seatposts. I wouldn't say the Moots is 'over priced', but the Lynskey is priced the way it is compared to the Moots or Erikson for a reason. The Lynskey will work fine and dandy but 'not produced by Lynskey' clamp mech and 'off shore' titanium make the difference in $.

[UKBROOKLYN]

Functions the same.. Enve clamp.. for my money it just makes sense..

By the way the control tech are Made in Taiwan.. FWIW I think their stem looks a little picky.. Well i have decided to go Alloy for now.. thanks for input.. guess I will just save for a Firefly stem in the future.

I am picking up the frame today so now I have to also order the headset.. Pretty sure thats going to be Pewter Chris King.. any objections...??

[oldpotatoe]

Functions the same.. Enve clamp.. for my money it just makes sense..

By the way the control tech are Made in Taiwan.. FWIW I think their stem looks a little picky.. Well i have decided to go Alloy for now.. thanks for input.. guess I will just save for a Firefly stem in the future.

I am picking up the frame today so now I have to also order the headset.. Pretty sure thats going to be Pewter Chris King.. any objections...??

Not saying it doesn't make sense. As I mentioned, it will work just fine. Like 6800 groups..I think the seat post is underpriced, compared to Moots(and 9000).

[UKBROOKLYN]

I understand your affinity for the Moots product.. but it depends on ones perspective. Is one underpriced or one overpriced. BTW shame on you Old P for invoking numbers associated with the other group set.

And why are you up so early.. it must still be dark in CO

[FastforaSlowGuy]

Just remember that if you come across a bead blasted stem at a good price, you can turn it into a brushed finish with a couple scotch Brite pads. I did it to an Eriksen seatpost and it matches my wife's Seven perfectly. It took an hour.


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[RFC]

I don't know the maker, and can't speak to the quality of this specific part, but it's clearly investment cast. And generally speaking, the Taiwanese are masters of investment casting titanium and pretty much every other material. Iirc, 80% of all titanium driver heads come from Taiwan.

Cheers,
KP

You are correct! A metallurgy engineer friend of mine has explained to me that investment cast Ti can be superior to machined because it creates a more uniform structure.

[RedRider]

Save some money and buy a bicycle part from an unknown manufacturer in Taiwan that uses eBay for distribution. What could go wrong?

[Cat3roadracer]

Save some money and buy a bicycle part from an unknown manufacturer in Taiwan that uses eBay for distribution. What could go wrong?

My favorite post in some time.

[firerescuefin]

.

[tumbler]

What about something like this: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/handlebar-stems-h-bar-stems-ahead-oversize-road-csn-titanium-318-stem/csnahbss200

[earlfoss]

I like the Moots stems because you can easily remove the Moots decal. The etched on logos are a big turn off for me.

[teleguy57]

Just remember that if you come across a bead blasted stem at a good price, you can turn it into a brushed finish with a couple scotch Brite pads. I did it to an Eriksen seatpost and it matches my wife's Seven perfectly. It took an hour.

I like the Moots stems because you can easily remove the Moots decal.

Yes on refinishing a blasted ti piece, and yes on easily-removable Moots decals. Both effects shown below; Steve refinished a Moots post I scored in the classifieds here to match the brushed finish on my Hampsten ti GP :beer:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Ut68xhVN6RI/VP4EkK_xm3I/AAAAAAAAFM0/jSX9tWMzBdk/w656-h809-no/DSC_0048.JPG

[buddybikes]

Firefly can do this, it is the one piece of my bike I actually look at, design in memory of my parents:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflybicycles/10074446486/in/set-72157636160361504

[Corso]

I believe those Specialized cast ti mountain bike stems were recalled years back. Most who have them (like me) keep them on the shelf.

[pbarry]

FWIW and iirc, most investment cast lugs, except for Henry James, are made in Taiwan. Yes, even those from your favorite botique builders..

[RFC]

Check out the 3TTT Forge Ahead. I picked up a bunch of these on closeout and use them on several Ti bikes. Not Ti, but complementary and, I think, a very nice blend of form and function, particularly since so many threadless stems are just plain fugly. You can find them on the Bay.

https://bikeminimalismdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/3tforgeahead.jpg

[Erik_A]

I think black Thomson posts and stems look great against the Ti frame.