S&S coupled stem?

[BobbyJones]

Was cruising Bingham’s site and came across this.

I’m sure it fills a specific need, but I can’t figure it out. Besides doing it “because I can”

Maybe a perfectionist who has a really hard time repositioning their bars? Centering their stem?

Anyone with insight?

[mhespenheide]

Zinn has done them too. His justification was that, for a travel bike with a carbon stem, you don't want to be torquing the bolts on and off every time. (His words, not mine.)

I don't see the point with Ti.

I also don't see the point, period -- just get a good aluminum stem.

[jkbrwn]

Is it necessary? No. But I get it - it means you don't change your fit accidentally when dissassembling and reassembling a bike for travel. You're not changing the angle of your bars because you're not removing them from the stem clamp, and you don't need to take your stem off to move your bars.

[Louis]

Other than cost, weight, and perhaps aesthetics, I don't see any downside of using one.

[Peter P.]

I think it's a great idea for a travel bike.

There's no need to readjust the headset when reassembling the bike. Probably makes the bike easier to pack as well.

[Black Dog]

For a travel bike with carbon bars this is a smart idea. No need to bring a torque wrench when you travel or carbon prep paste.

[schwa86]

As someone with a coupled bike, that despite very careful packing, tube wrapping, etc, still gets banged around a bit every time, are there really people using carbon bars and stems on their travel bikes? I went for cheapish durability personally...

[Louis]

Originally Posted by schwa86

As someone with a coupled bike, that despite very careful packing, tube wrapping, etc, still gets banged around a bit every time, are there really people using carbon bars and stems on their travel bikes? I went for cheapish durability personally...

I was thinking the same thing - no way would I ever use CF bars on a travel bike.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by Louis

I was thinking the same thing - no way would I ever use CF bars on a travel bike.

I agree it's a bad idea but people will do it.

[CaptStash]

Originally Posted by Louis

I was thinking the same thing - no way would I ever use CF bars on a travel bike.

So I have had a titanium travel bike with carbon bars for nine years that annually gets a minimum of ten round trip flights (usually quite a few more). I still have the original carbon bars I put on when I built it up. No problem. I would love a coupled stem; anything to make to easier to pack and unpack.

CaptStash....


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[happycampyer]

If it had a z-coupler, I would consider it.

[Wolfman]

It's now old school and I'm not even sure if you went custom that they'd do it for you, but a quill stem solves all of this.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

It's now old school and I'm not even sure if you went custom that they'd do it for you, but a quill stem solves all of this.

A quill presents additional issues. You would need to leave cables long to allow you to fully remove it, a drop bar with a quill stem won’t pack as conveniently, and the solution above wouldn’t require a long grease covered quill section.