As title really. Been a while since I needed to buy a new stem. I've got a new bike with 35mm clamp stem and bars on it, and I like my Spank Vibrocore bars better. But of course they're 31.8mm clamp.
And there doesn't seem to be much choice any more. Some quite expensive stuff, some cheap poggy stuff, but not much in the middle. Is there anything out there I'm missing? Probs looking to spend about £50, so far in that price range I've seen Pro Koryak and Sonder and not much else.
Edit to say I'm after 35-40mm length.
FB marketplace
I reckon marketplace is probably the only reason I might ever consider dipping into that cesspit. Maybe.
Sorry - Ignore! I didn't see 35-40 length bit
Praxis Works Turn? Looks reasonable and available
Apparently I am terrible at Google. Both of those look like decent options, cheers @rockthreegozy
No problem!
New superstar stems look nice and bang on budget: https://www.superstarcomponents.com/products/rockstar-cnc-stem-31-8-bars-35mm-reach
Google is showing Rental Apex can be had for £60 and DMR for £45
I got a Funn 31.8 stem from Aliexpress not too long ago. It was pretty cheap, and the real thing.
25% off those Superstar stems with code
STEM
not sure for how long, they’ve just launched and I’m on SS mail list 👍
35mm the other MTB standard that nobody asked for or wants. This industry is ****ing daft.
@flyingmonkeycorps I have a brand new Shimano Pro Koryak stem you could have cheap. It’s a 50mm, 0 degree rise so may not be right for you but maybe worth a try?
Could be worse - my bike's so old it's 25.4mm... 😳
Dammit now I have too much choice. Cheers all - might have to flip a coin...
@flyingmonkeycorps I have a brand new Shimano Pro Koryak stem you could have cheap. It’s a 50mm, 0 degree rise so may not be right for you but maybe worth a try?
Cheers but I already have a couple of 50mm stems (including a nice Thomson one) but the new bike is waaaaaay longer than the old one, so I don't really want to go any longer than what it has now (which is a 40mm).
I actually found a 35mm El Guapo stem in the shed last night, but that's going on MiniMonkey v1.0's bike now.
The other option is of course... gulp... shims.
Example: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems/rjt-handlebar-shim-stem-reducer-convert-318mm-to-350mm-stem/
(other shims are available)
Less than ideal but does increase your options Stem wise.
Could be worse - my bike's so old it's 25.4mm...
Loads of new 25.4mm stems out there thanks to the BMX peeps.
The other option is of course... gulp... shims.
Example: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems/rjt-handlebar-shim-stem-reducer-convert-318mm-to-350mm-stem/
(other shims are available)
Less than ideal but does increase your options Stem wise.
I'm wary of shims as this is my main steep stuff/rocky stuff/being rubbish at jumps etc bike. Anywhere but the bars I'd be tempted but... Yeah. And there seem to be a few decent options.
Think the DMR is my favourite, I'd just have to run a bunch of spacers until I settle on the height and chop the steerer down.
I'm wary of shims as this is my main steep stuff/rocky stuff/being rubbish at jumps etc bike.
I'm not sure how they'd make a failure more probable, a shim can only be as good/bad as your ability to tighten bolts, pretty much the same as an un-shimmed setup would be.
No I don't really know either, I'm just not keen on adding an extra element to go wrong on a critical bit of bike. It's probably completely in my head, but I think it'd always be in the back of my mind.
New superstar stems look nice and bang on budget: https://www.superstarcomponents.com/products/rockstar-cnc-stem-31-8-bars-35mm-reach
Mine turned up last week - mines the 35mm though.
Very well made, the machining is beautiful. As always, SuperStar were cool to deal with too
Superstar ones do look decent. Teensy bit shorter than I really want though.
I've just bought one of those Superstar ones (with the 20% discount) to replace the DMR defy one on my RocketMax. Nothing wrong with the DMR one but I just really don't like the look of it.....whereas the SS one looks really nice.
Anyone want a silver DMR Defy stem (35mm dia) used for two rides for £25?
Nah I'm not keen on the super low stack of the DMR either.
I've gone for the Praxis (and added a new saddle because why not?)
How else can they sell the 'more compliant/comfy' bars we all now need to stop the standard 35mm feeling too harsh?
or any of the new higher rise bars - that barely anyone is doing in 31.8 - so that's a new stem to add to the shop. At least they cheap - not!
it's just so ****ing wasteful!
Gusset do 50mm bars in 31.8.
There's also the Chromag FU50
Loads of new 25.4mm stems out there thanks to the BMX peeps
The vast majority are 22.2mm. BSD offer some oversized 25.4 barclamp bars/stems options, but they’re the exception rather than the rule.
Update - they sent me a 35mm clamp instead of a 31.8mm. Sigh. So that's getting swapped except they're waiting on stock... So fingers crossed.
In fairness, it did say 31.8mm on the box, just had the wrong stem inside.
I have a spare Hope 31.8/35 if anyone needs one
It's orange though
DMR Defy 31.8 comes in 35 or 50mm reach, it's also one of the best looking stems on the market imo! Plus DMR is just a cool brand 🙂
Never thought I'd say this but... The orange wouldn't match my bike!
I'm actually not keen on the look of the Defy, not into the super low stack. I do like DMR though!