New to threadless stems

[warren128]

Hi,

I couldn't help myself, I found a great deal on a 2003 Lemond Arrivee frameset for my next build project. Anyone else out there have one? My frame is stripped down to the bare ti.

It will be my newest frame, and I don't know much about working on threadless headsets and stems.

So what brands of stems are good?
Is there a difference between mtb and road stems?

I'm not a weight weenie. I want a stem that is reasonably priced, fairly light, and reliable. Any suggestions on where to start?

I see 3T T.H.E. stems on Ebay that seem reasonably priced. Are they any good?

TIA,

Warren

[thegunner]

enve, easton, 3t, zipp, deda, ritchey, PRO all make fine stuff :)

[regularguy412]

There are those that will 'pooh pooh' this, but I really like my VO aluminum stem. They are reasonably light, well made and inexpensive. I've ridden mine all year on my 'new' Serotta Fondo Ti. Nary a creak from it. More info can be found at the link below. I have no affiliation with VO.

Mike in AR:beer:


http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/stems/threadless-stems.html

[Dead Man]

I think pretty much every 3T product I've seen on eBay has been from China...... beware unlicensed/counterfeit bike products on eBay

[cinema]

if you're not a ww just get a thomson x4 and be done

[warren128]

Thanks folks. I appreciate all the tips.

BTW, I must have missed the memo, why would VO be poo-pooed? :rolleyes:

[Louis]

Personally I love Nitto: (without any doubt some of the best quality stems out there)

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0157/4000/products/MG_5006_large.jpg?v=1364524261

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D0lo-pWIwhE/T4FjE1ZAn2I/AAAAAAAACDw/7QDWfCnD5R0/s800/P1000375.JPG

[warren128]

Personally I love Nitto: (without any doubt some of the best quality stems out there)

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0157/4000/products/MG_5006_large.jpg?v=1364524261

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D0lo-pWIwhE/T4FjE1ZAn2I/AAAAAAAACDw/7QDWfCnD5R0/s800/P1000375.JPG

Wow, very nice! I should have known that Nitto would make threadless stems (and why wouldn't they, right?) I'm partial to Nitto Noodle bars.

[Louis]

I don't think Ben's is the cheapest place to get them, but they do have some:

https://www.benscycle.com/c-74-stems.aspx#PowerSearch=[Sub+Category:Threadless+Stems^$Manufacturer:Nitto]&PriceMin=[2.5]&PriceMax=[415]&PriceStart=[2.5]&PriceEnd=[415]&PageNum=[1]&SortBy=[Name%20ASC]&ItemsPerPage=[20]&View=[GridView]

[oldpotatoe]

Hi,

I couldn't help myself, I found a great deal on a 2003 Lemond Arrivee frameset for my next build project. Anyone else out there have one? My frame is stripped down to the bare ti.

It will be my newest frame, and I don't know much about working on threadless headsets and stems.

So what brands of stems are good?
Is there a difference between mtb and road stems?

I'm not a weight weenie. I want a stem that is reasonably priced, fairly light, and reliable. Any suggestions on where to start?

I see 3T T.H.E. stems on Ebay that seem reasonably priced. Are they any good?

TIA,

Warren

Once upon a time, 'road' stems were for 26mm handlebars and 'MTB were for 25.4mm handlebars. NOW all are usually 31.8..one of the very few places stuff was standardized.

Ritchey...hard to beat for the $. Comp or Pro. A stem holds you handlebars on..it needs to be the correct length and rise for your fit. 'Some' stuff from TTT on fleabay is counterfeit.

Go see a LBS..

[regularguy412]

Thanks folks. I appreciate all the tips.

BTW, I must have missed the memo, why would VO be poo-pooed? :rolleyes:

You'll have to ask 'them'. When I posted that I had put a VO 120mm -17 stem on my Fondo Ti, there were some naysayers. At any rate, I could not find a suitable black or matte AL, 120mm -17 stem in 1 1/8 x 26.0 at a 'reasonable' price. And I REFUSE to anymore purchase or ride ANYYYY_THINGGGGG marketed with Tom Ritchey's name on it. (And YES I DO have a really good reason for that!)

I guess maybe my choice was sneered at by some because the bike is matte Ti but the stem is shiny AL.

Anyway,,,, I like it and it works perfectly. Really can't go wrong for around $30 US.

Mike in AR:beer:

[oliver1850]

Do you want to stick with a Noodle? If so that will limit your stem options as many are 31.8 only. Nitto does make the UI-85GX in 26.0 - Ben's has them but only in 90mm and shorter.

Personally, I use a lot of 31.8 ITM stems that I bought cheap. 40g more than a Thomson, but I've never cracked one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thomson-Elite-Stem-SM-E116-10-x-120-x-26-0-CRACKED-/401020460824?hash=item5d5eae9f18:g:UFUAAOSwo0JWKpl B

[ultraman6970]

ITM stems work really nice. Millenium and mantis for example... you can find them for next to nothing and they work nice.

[warren128]

Good info everyone, thanks. :beer:

After further internet detective work, I now think my new project frame is not an Arrivee like I first thought. I think it's a 2001 or 2002 Tete de Course or Victoire.

[oliver1850]

The LeMond catalogs are available at:

http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=71133E86-9298-46DF-B2FE-06C8B9BF9F91&Enum=120&AbsPos=16

Perhaps you can ID the frame using catalog pics.

I have a print copy of the 2002 catalog if the online scan isn't good enough.

The Millenium stem was 26.0 and the one Serotta used circa 2000. You can find them branded Serotta or ITM.

[Dead Man]

I never knew I wanted a Nitto threadless stem before this thread. Now I knoez

[warren128]

another question:

Since my frame is a traditional horizontal TT design, I want the stem to be horizontal to match. Would that be a -17 stem?

TIA :)

[bicycletricycle]

horizontal stem will be acheived by having a stem that is the result of 90 minus your head tube angle. lots of head tube angles are 73 making the result 17. the minus indicates that it is meant to be installed pointing down and not up although many threadless stems work either way.

I love that someone here is new to threadless stems :)

[warren128]

horizontal stem will be acheived by having a stem that is the result of 90 minus your head tube angle. lots of head tube angles are 73 making the result 17. the minus indicates that it is meant to be installed pointing down and not up although many threadless stems work either way.

I love that someone here is new to threadless stems :)

I'm aging myself, LOL (I'm 57). My newest frame up to now has been my 1996 Litespeed which still used a 1" threaded headset.

Looking at the geometry chart for my 2002 Lemond Tete de Course/Victoire frame, I see that the head angle is 73.5 with a 73 seat tube angle.

Thanks for the reply.

[bicycletricycle]

you might find -17 a little difficult to find and maybe for good reason.

the change to threadless tends to set the bars lower, in stems this meant that something more like a -10 became popular, that way it can still look like a "race" bike but it can get you up a little higher, also, -17 stems flipped over really look strange, -10ish stems look all right flipped up (to most people).

the lower stack height of threadless headsets also led to sloping top tubes, extended headtubes, funny bar shapes (FSA riser drop bar things), and lots of spacers.