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SOOOOOO many stem choices !!

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,088
6,024
borcester rhymes
Except on the one side where the bars twisted in the stem....

Less parts=less stuff to tighten independently=>less stuff to go wrong out on the trail.

I'm sure you can design something that will be just as strong as a one piece part, but in the real world, things aren't perfect. In other words, there may be inconsistencies in bar diameters, crown mounting points, thread, manufacturing tolerances, etc.

I like the transition for just that reason...when everybody else seems to want 5 different parts to make one stem, I'd rather see two.
 

FOXROX

Turbo Monkey
Jun 23, 2007
2,120
0
hambur,nj
Except on the one side where the bars twisted in the stem....

Less parts=less stuff to tighten independently=>less stuff to go wrong out on the trail.

I'm sure you can design something that will be just as strong as a one piece part, but in the real world, things aren't perfect. In other words, there may be inconsistencies in bar diameters, crown mounting points, thread, manufacturing tolerances, etc.

I like the transition for just that reason...when everybody else seems to want 5 different parts to make one stem, I'd rather see two.

im not to fond of the transition stem, it supper narrow, wouldn't that affect the torsional stiffness far more then the amount of pieces to it? i think a one piece face plate and two piece "mount?" would be stronger.
 

kowekiller

Chimp
Mar 4, 2009
14
0
I was alittle worried about that too. But once you see the stem and bolt it up it super. Its really light and super stiff. Bars lined up with no problem and the price is sweet.
 

FOXROX

Turbo Monkey
Jun 23, 2007
2,120
0
hambur,nj
I was alittle worried about that too. But once you see the stem and bolt it up it super. Its really light and super stiff. Bars lined up with no problem and the price is sweet.

every stem feels stiff with no load on it. but since it is more narrow it getting more flex which in turn would that not increase the fatigue rate? i mean i know all the stems on the market are relativity narrow but wouldn't it make sense to increase the width?
 

Sam B

Monkey
Nov 25, 2001
280
0
Cascadia
im not to fond of the transition stem, it supper narrow, wouldn't that affect the torsional stiffness far more then the amount of pieces to it? i think a one piece face plate and two piece "mount?" would be stronger.
For what it is worth...

Our direct mount is 48mm wide at the bar, and our regular stem is 50mm wide at the bar. The bread and butter Truvativ Holzfeller stem is around 48-50mm of contact with the bar (uneven width on that stem).

It is hardly "super narrow" but yes, it is not as wide as the fully seperate two piece stems.
 

kowekiller

Chimp
Mar 4, 2009
14
0
every stem feels stiff with no load on it. but since it is more narrow it getting more flex which in turn would that not increase the fatigue rate? i mean i know all the stems on the market are relativity narrow but wouldn't it make sense to increase the width?
I'll agree its not the widest stem. But its not as narrow as you think. Plus the bars are built really thick right in that area and start to taper right about where the clamp ends. So it wouldn't be all that great to extend the clamping surface to the weak part of the bar and crush it. You need a little bit of flex in all parts anyway to stop things from snapping right away.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,029
1,167
El Lay
cool is in the eye of the beholder...

I wonder if it makes cool/annoying whistling sounds as the wind blows through there while you are riding.
 

spocomptonrider

sportin' the CROCS
Nov 30, 2007
1,412
118
spokanistan
Thomson stem! Notice they engraved it for Jerry at hippi tech as well "hippie go fast" and an address on the other side as its not yet out.
Really disappointed in the Thomson stem especially considering how svelte and good looking the regular X4 is. To each his own but I certainly won't be buying one.
 

daisycutter

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2006
1,663
131
New York City
"really disappointed in the Thomson stem especially considering how svelte and good looking the regular X4 is. To each his own but I certainly won't be buying one."

I was not going to buy one either because it is not a good looking stem. But the more I looked at it, the ore I like what it does. It is light, lowers the bars and is a strong design. If they come out by march I will buy one.
 
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al-irl

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
1,086
0
A, A
probably just for asthetics but it works for me. It has some nice lines and am sure would look really sweet when on the bike. Nice and neat.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,581
2,009
Seattle
I was not going to buy either because it is not a good looking stem. But the more I looked at it I liked what it does. It is light, lowers the bars and is a strong design. If they come out by march I will buy one.
It took me a little while to come around, but I like it a lot now. Simple, clean looking.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Jerrys (hippietech) bringing it over to the shop tomorrow so Ill snap a few pics of it from different angles.
I like it it is simple and this is the 5th generation that Jerrys been testing over the last couple of years, thomsons work is second to none and definently take a bit to release stuff but when they do its done right.
 

Biffff

Monkey
Jan 10, 2006
913
0
Jerrys (hippietech) bringing it over to the shop tomorrow so Ill snap a few pics of it from different angles.
I like it it is simple and this is the 5th generation that Jerrys been testing over the last couple of years, thomsons work is second to none and definently take a bit to release stuff but when they do its done right.
You can say that again....
I have a few Thomson Stems and seatposts, and they are beautifull in every way......... Right down to how they function.
If that stem was a available a couple months ago I would have bought it.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
You can say that again....
I have a few Thomson Stems and seatposts, and they are beautifull in every way......... Right down to how they function.
If that stem was a available a couple months ago I would have bought it.
yeah they make light but super strong stuff! Ive always liked there stems and posts, Im wanting to mess with with it a little Ill weight it as well (ofcourse lol) as get a pic of it. I dont expect it to be as light as some of the offerings but I do expect ot to be solid based on there x4 series especially the 50mm lineup for DH.
 

samdemo

Chimp
Aug 8, 2007
98
8
so with the Thomson DM, if you wants to check the torque on the stem to crown bolts, you need to remove the handle bars? having said that, it's not like i check the torque daily but if a creak starts to appear.....
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
so with the Thomson DM, if you wants to check the torque on the stem to crown bolts, you need to remove the handle bars? having said that, it's not like i check the torque daily but if a creak starts to appear.....
Yeah I could see that but overall thats not too big of a deal like a BB or other item. A little work never hurt anyone besides you will want to clean your bars and readjust them anywase! I know Im psychic OOOOAAAAAAOOOOO!:thumb:
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,029
1,167
El Lay
Wow lots of judgments on how the Thomson looks. No wonder we have silly light stems out there, if the primary concern is aesthetics.

I would trust Thomson's stems before the rest of these fly by night companies. It seems like a stem is the first thing manufactured when some random dude decides to start a component company in his garage.
 

Carnaza

Monkey
Aug 10, 2006
243
0
Santiago, Chile
It seems that the twenty6 direct mount stem got a little upgrade..

if you check the following photos you can see the difference... the face plate is a little wider.. and the "new" stem (purple) it`s a little heavier as well 140 grs v/s 125 grs (old one)



 

Jase76

Monkey
Aug 10, 2007
176
0
Australia
Po1nt pedals and stem are on order for me, cost a small fortune but I can't wait to get them...
I'll be running the same combo, I already have the stem but we've had a bit of a wait over here for the pedals. I'm really looking forward to giving the pedals a try. Po1nt gear is top notch.
 

frango

Turbo Monkey
Jun 13, 2007
1,454
5
Correct me if I am wrong... does Thomson DM stem hold h-bar with just 2 (two) bolts in the middle?