Stems

I'm just trying to acquire a yellow Cinelli Alter stem.

My Thomson is just a bit ugly even if it does the job perfectly.

It's a real shame there are no really classic looking chrome stems available for track bikes, everything seems to be heavy looking alu blocks and carbon.

Have you seen an alter in the flesh? They're not elegant! I've got a silver one with the pin up sticker that I'd be happy to sell. I think it's 120mm.

The other option is the nitto chrome threadless stem. They are very beuatiful, but they cost about £75 new. Brixton Cycles has them in stock. Otherwise the Nitto aluminium one is about £30 and looks nice. Again BC has them. Hubjub has pictures of them.

The alter's are garish I know. But the Thomson is hardly elegant. If I can't have a nice classic and under-stated quill stem I'll go the opposite route and get the loud stem.

I looked at this one on Hubjub:

It's nice, but I can't justify £70 on it when I can get an Alter off eBay for £15 (via my girl picking it up in the US and bringing it back).

Those Nittos are nice but, as you say, really expensive for a stem! The Alters are quite fun - you can see your wheel through the gaps if you don't have the sticker. Or you can have laydeez on your bike. Either way is good.

What about ITM eclyspe stems, nice salsa single bolt stems or Cinelli Grammo stems? All very nice and minimal but hard to come by in their threadless form. Nice thing about the Grammos and the salsa stems is that they're stiff which is good for skidding/riding at Herne Hill. Actually can't remember any flex in the Eclypse I owned either.

BTW aren't the Alter stems 1" only? Didn't think they came in 1 1/8" or am I talking rubbish? I think the stems I listed above may also be 1" only.

You're right about the alter - 1" only. I think you might be right about the Grammo too. Not sure about Salsa, but they have the new ones which are probably 1 1/8".

Oooh, the Eclypse is quite nice, and for the price a bargain:

I think my steerer is 1". Damn, now I want to take it apart and check.

The Nitto that I was talking about is this one.

It's not too expensive at £32 and it looks nice.

velocity boy:The alter's are garish I know. But the Thomson is hardly elegant. If I can't have a nice classic and under-stated quill stem I'll go the opposite route and get the loud stem.

I had heaps of enquires about the stem on this.. I don't even know what model it is!
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/d/hippy.htm

..those Nitto stems Momentum posted look sweet AND have the removable front face plate which is a BIG plus over any of the old school stems where you have to strip your bars of bits to remove them.

hey david. i've been keeping my eyes peeled on a look ergostem. i think people are pretty divided over whether it's nasty or tasty. elegant it is not, but when it comes to adjustability, i don't think you could do better.

Don't forget about this little guy
I miss my little phallic buddy.

Cranky, the word fisting comes to mind. And that is not a bad thing.

Come on a nice polished elegant stem would look out of place on this

the Alter does have it's industrial appeal

so brixton cycles has the nitto stems? i am after the deep njs pro aa - £40 on hubjub, how much at brixton?

will this fit with my chirs king 1/18 headset and surly steamroller frame?

many thanks

I thought they were quill stems? How about the System Ex 40 degree flipped stem - that frame used to have one when Joss had it ....

[url]http://jlw.freeshell.org/fixie/photos/images.html[url]

Nitto NJS Pro AAs are only available as 1" quill stems.

I'm guessing your Chris King is threadless and so is your fork so it ain't going to work. If you've got a 1 1/8" threaded set-up then you're pretty much SOL on any decent stem.

What you need is a threadless stem like the Deda Pista or CKT.

all stems are ugly unless they are horizontal or have a drop on them. i think it spoils the look of bikes when they have rise on the stem. looks are far more important than fit :-)

How about one of these?

Steves I thought they were quill stems? How about the System Ex 40 degree flipped stem - that frame used to have one when Joss had it ....

[url]http://jlw.freeshell.org/fixie/photos/images.html[url]

ah yes that one is perfect steve. does anyone know where they are available and how much?

TheBrick(Tommy)

That's SuzyJ's! :)

Yep they sell the kits at ceeway Eirith, just get a frame builder to braze one up to what ever length (it's only two joints it won't be expensive) and vola!

[url]http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=9024[url]

cheers steve. tommy where do you get that beauty?

jv cheers steve. tommy where do you get that beauty?

Custom made by an Aussie lass..
http://www.littlefishbicycles.com/