I’m in the market for a drop stem in the 25/35 degree range. What are the ST suggestions? I have one of those adjustable stems on my TT bike right now (100mm, -45) and I’d like to get something with a little more reach and still be able to get low. I know how to do the trig to figure out just what angle I’d need for each stem length, I’m just too lazy to do it on a Sunday night watching Walking Dead wearing my trucker hats. More just looking for suggestions on what to look at. I’m sick of the creakyness and pain-in-the-assery of the adjustable stem.
Depending on where the pivot is located on your adj stem, the actual extension (not reach) of your stem as it’s currently set up, is probably less than 100mm, more like 85mm-ish. Since you need a bit more reach (by how much?), you’d need to find a rigid stem with more than 85mm of extension (i.e., the official stem length). I’d go for a 100-110 and see how it fits. Think about possible interference with nose cone if any.
Check out the Specialized stems. They have shim collars that gives you some adjustability.
I’ve seen stems like this from 70mm to 120mm
I currently use a 90mm and have a 120. That particular add is from a store 15 miles away from me so I can purchase and pick them up.
jaretj
Salsa or Ritchey. Salsa makes a nice range of -25 stems in lengths up to 130.
Maybe think about putting some money aside for future medical bills when you get disc/nerve problems in your neck from the cumulative effects of an aggressive aero position. ![]()
I’ll just make up for it with prize money ![]()
But really this would be to allow my back to elongate a little bit so I don’t end up a hunchback. My neck is rather comfortable and really doesn’t strain at all to look forward.
But thanks those have been helpful.
Is the specialized stem just a negative rise stem with a shim insert that makes it adjustable? If so, couldn’t you just buy the shim?
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Hernias caused by extension should be totally asymptomatic, since they would go the other direction of the symptomatic hernias caused by flexion. If unloaded (well, the head is heavy but) and passive movement even would have the potential to hurt the discs. They are pretty rigid.
The shim on the specialized stems is really like a bushing/sleeve that clamps around your steerer tube.
It would be too big to go inside of another company’s standard stem.
Gotcha. Thanks
Another option for these shimmed stems is from EIS. Their S7 can be set up as +8, -8, +12, -12, or +16, -16 degrees and are available in lengths from 70mm to 120mm. Hawley is a distributor and EIS is a Hawley brand. So, you can get EIS components through dealers who use Hawley:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/eis-s7-adjustable-stem-31-8-x-120mm-8-12-16-degree
Back to the original topic, as someone else mentioned, Salsa offers their Guide stems 25 degree stems and they are relatively affordable, too.
I have a Profile Designs Aris (-25) on my bike. Have a look at Syntace, too, as they’ve got a mondo-drop stem system as well (forgot the name, other than seeing it a while ago and going, “cool!”).
I also found a marked improvement in handling confidence when I went from an adjustable to a fixed stem.