45 - 50mm stems - l...
 

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[Closed] 45 - 50mm stems - light / strong etc?

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I’m just building up parts for a new hardtail I’m building up when I get a frame. Thinking I want a 45-50mm sort of stem on my new bike.

Last frame was 432 reach and I was running a 60mm stem. New frame is going to be 445mm reach so probably leaning towards a 50mm stem on the new one as it’ll then be just a touch longer feet-hands when standing up (not by much admittedly).

Anyone seen any decent 50mm stems with a 31.8mm bar clamp size and 0 rise. Thinking I’d like something fairly light but still robust. I liked the Raceface Turbine R I had before but they’re 35mm barclamp size. I’ve got a feeling the plain turbine had a tendency to crack the front plates - otherwise I’d consider one of those.

Budget isn’t fixed but I don’t want to go bonkers - no more than £80 as it’s not a complicated part of the bike!


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 12:15 pm
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Funnduro.
Nukeproof Horizon.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 12:20 pm
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I've just built a bike with a 50mm USE Vyce stem. It's got a bit of a novel clamping mechanism but it definitely works and it looks incredible. Fairly light too.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 12:29 pm
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Chromag Ranger, not light, but gorgeous and mega, mega strong. Get matching bars too!


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 12:30 pm
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I’ve just built a bike with a 50mm USE Vyce stem

They look cool but have you ridden it yet? I had the BMX version when that first came out, the Odyssey Elementary. It was a really fine line between having your bars slip forward, or nipping up the single bolt and crushing the bar.

Not as much leverage on a low-rise MTB bar though. I also need a 31.8mm stem, I might pick one up if they work alright.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 12:34 pm
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Funnduro +1


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 12:48 pm
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I've just replaced my Thomson 40mm with a Pro Koryak 35mm, much lighter and I'm happy with the aesthetics, shop around & they can be found for £40+/-.

https://r2-bike.com/PRO-Stem-Koryak-318-mm-0-50-mm


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 2:33 pm
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I just got a thomson 50mm in the CRC sale .


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 2:35 pm
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You can't go wrong with a Syntace Megaforce. Should be able to find one just in budget..not cheap but light and very strong (15 stone here)..


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 2:37 pm
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They look cool but have you ridden it yet?

Have ridden about 200km on it with no issues. It is a flat bar and I'm not the most rad rider so your experience might be more pertinent to the OP.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 2:40 pm
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Try a search for an Easton Haven stem on ebay. They are the same as the Turbine R (just a company/name change I believe) and can easily be had with a 31.8mm clamp size. I'm not sure what the shortest size available is but I'm pretty sure I've got a 70 mm one on a bike downstairs and would be surprised if that was the shortest they built.

Edit, looks like 55 mm might have been the shortest they did for the Haven.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 2:54 pm
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+1 Syntace Megaforce

The king of stems.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 4:57 pm
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I’m not sure I like the Megaforxe tbh!

Like the Thomson option but currently out of stock. Same for the Nukeproof Horizon unless I go with purple - but it’s not the 90’s anymore.

Just noticed the Hope AM stem - could be very tempted with one of those in black or possibly silver.


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 5:05 pm
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King of stems? 😆


 
Posted : 27/07/2020 5:23 pm
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Renthal Apex? Got them on two of my bikes. Not heavy, seem to do what a stem should.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 7:31 am
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Another vote for the Megaforce here.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 7:41 am
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Another vote for the renthal stems


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 7:53 am
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Funnduro +2 (or 3?)

Great stems, not too expensive, and not missed a best in 2+ years of heavy riding.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 8:35 am
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Hadn’t thought of Renthal - will have w google and see what’s what


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 8:56 am
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Funnduro look a little clunky / dare I say cheap to me?

This bike is a bit of a treat to me for my 40th birthday so I’m going a little blingier than I usually do (e.g my other bike has a 45mm Nukeproof Neutron stem on it and it does everything a stem needs to do but it’s not fancy).


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 9:00 am
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Funn stems are all nice quality CNC items.

You really are overthinking this though. Just buy a stem you like the look of.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 9:13 am
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I would say either Deity or the Burgtec Mk3.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 9:16 am
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I have a funn stem but I've found that it's started slipping at the steerer, even when overtorqued. Still, I've got 2 years out of it which is reasonable for £20.

Also you can get seemingly the same stem off ebay for £7,make of that what you will.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 11:21 am
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chakaping
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Funn stems are all nice quality CNC items.

You really are overthinking this though. Just buy a stem you like the look of.

That’s the whole point I’m this forum surely - overthinking things? 😃

I’m not really overthinking it in this case - just asking for suggestions of slightly blingy stems that I might not have thought of. There are a few here that fit the bill - I think the Burgtec mentioned about (mk3) might be my favourite option so far tbh


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 12:28 pm
 poah
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just buy the one you like the look of that is within your budget. Its a stem


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 1:49 pm
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Renthal Apex have a habit of breaking.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 1:55 pm
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just buy the one you like the look of that is within your budget. Its a stem

Pretty much what I’m doing.....


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 1:57 pm
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I had a Turbine, the face plate cracked and was replaced under warranty. Not much later I was then sent a replacement face plate that had been redesigned and has been good for about 6 years since, the original one was slightly too short and stretched under torque eventually snapping.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 2:06 pm
 poah
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Pretty much what I’m doing…..

in the spirit of recommending what you own the spank split stems are pretty nice looking as are the new mk3 burgtect but they ain't cheap.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 2:16 pm
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Pro Koryak 35mm. Got one on my sons bike - been faultless,

Renthal Apex. Been fuss free. Strong. Light. Looks good.

RaceFace Turbine R. Just ordered one. How it’s as good as the two above!


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 2:28 pm
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Spank stems look pretty good too.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 4:39 pm
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I have a funn stem but I’ve found that it’s started slipping at the steerer, even when overtorqued.

I had a BMX stem that did this, have you tried stripping, degreasing, relubing & torqueing to normal values all the stem bolts and their contact points? It sorted mine.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 5:06 pm
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This bike is a bit of a treat to me for my 40th birthday so I’m going a little blingier than I usually do (e.g my other bike has a 45mm Nukeproof Neutron stem on it and it does everything a stem needs to do but it’s not fancy).

Um... so you don't want another?
Logical spend more item is the horizon then?
The Spank ones often seem to have discount and look pretty nice but then unless you get black you'll have problems colour matching.


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 5:12 pm
 poah
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This bike is a bit of a treat to me for my 40th birthday so I’m going a little blingier than I usually do

shiny shiny shiny it is then -


 
Posted : 28/07/2020 6:09 pm

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