Road Cycling - What stem to buy?

I am having a hard time deciding on a stem to buy. I bought a used giant carbon frame with 105 and open pros, but the stem is VERY long. It is a quill, and there is not much selection out there. Is the adapter from Nashbar a good option. If so, what stem would ya'll recommend for a modest budget?

I would not use an adapter. Here are several stems to chose from.
I like the Nitto Technomic
http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/handlebars_stems_tape/

Cambria Bicycle Outfitters have a lot of quill stems available and some of them are quite cheap! I should know, I have a box of stems in my basementfrom the grand stem experiment of '03.

Check them out at www.cambriabike.com

definitely use the quill-to-threadless stem adapter.

i don't know what late based his advice on, but i see them on lots of bikes and rode with one myself for a few years with zero issues.

tracking down quill stems with your desired rise and length is getting harder and harder, not to mention expensive. threadless stems go fo $10-20 in many places.

Ritchey PRO. Make sure you know what length you need, a good bike shop can take the measurement of your current stem and compare it to a graph they have for stems. I switched from threaded to threadless and got to use the same length, but if you change the angle of the rise, the height, the length invariably changes... Also make sure you know the diameter of you handlebar, 26.0 is the usual, although many people are switching over to a 31.8 "oversized".

It shouldn't be too hard to find a quill-style stem on ebay, I've seen a ton of Cinelli's for sale there. How old is your frame? I'm surprised a carbon fiber frame would come with a threaded fork… Perhaps you should consider saving up and doing the swap-over to threadless; new headset, fork, and stem--DONE! I got my Kestrel EMS 1" threadless fork for $99 down from $299 from Bike Nashbar. Good luck.

I am also in the same situation as you. Its hard and expensive to find the right quill stem. I see nashbar has a quill to threadless adapter. But a few people have said stay away...can anyone give a good reason? this seems to be the easiest and cheapest way.

Found a used Chromo Ritchey quill stem. Beautiful, and tough as nails.
To replace the headset? adaptor?? Wont you need a fork with an uncut steerer?

To adapt the headset from thread, to non is fine, but it usually done IF you already have a non-threaded fork. Why toss the fork? Unless your a downhiller, the quills hold up fine.

Or maybe I don't understand what type of adapter you are talking about.

Ritchey headset and stems are supa-nice. I have a working Logic headset 14 years old.

>jef.

he's talking about one of these (http://www.nashbar.com/profile_moreimages.cfm?category=119&subcategory=1185&sku=9755&brand=) adapters.

it attaches like a standard quill stem, but has just a length of exposed 1 1/8" tube on top which acts like the exposed portion of a threadless fork and allows you to use any standard 1 1/8" threadless stem.

if anyone can offer a reason not to use these, i'd like to hear it.

as i stated above, i see them on the road frequently and i used one for several years on my serotta with a threaded 1" F1 carbon fork, which i've subsequently swapped for a threadless full carbon ouzo pro.

i used it for everything from training to commuting to racing. i bought it from a highly respected nyc bike shop (conrad's) and asked at the time if there were any issues. they said there were absolutely no problems associated with them and that they sell tons.

I am with brunning. Does anyone have a reason NOT to use it? If not i'll be ordering mine sometime next week :D

[QUOTE=HammerTheHill]I am with brunning. Does anyone have a reason NOT to use it? If not i'll be ordering mine sometime next week :D[/QUOTE)

What! No headset change, keep your threaded fork??? I'm not seeing a single downside.

Wish I'd known earlier, naw...I like my Chromo quill.

Looks like the perfect solution.

>jef.

Hi,
sorry, I could have been clearer. Why get an adapter and a stem when you can just get a stem? You can pick up used quill stems real cheap, and I like the look of a traditional stem. Nothing against the new fangled stuff, I have an aheadset on my good bike. But if I were to get get a custom steel frame I may well get a quilled stem to go with it. Do you think a lugged stem is too ostentatious for a retro-grouch? I really like the way it looks, but on a lugged bike I wonder if it would be style overkill like fins on a car from the Fifties.

Hi,
Maybe it would be a bit over the top to have a lugged stem as well as a lugged frame. On my oldest bike (lugged steel Bianchi 1979) I've got a Cinelli 'Grammo Strada' titanium quill stem - its the best looking quill stem I ever saw! Hard lines, austere simplicity and beautiful welding.
Somebody somewhere still has some of these stems, but they are getting tougher to find.

Cinelli Frog - beautiful quill stem. $42 off ebay 4 months ago. Or...

http://store.bicyclerevolution.com/cinfrogstem.html

55/Rad

Ha Ha! I also went through the "grand stem experiment" a few years ago!! I have a box of them!

I would not use an adapter. Here are several stems to chose from.
I like the Nitto Technomic
http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/handlebars_stems_tape/
There is no good reason NOT to use an adapter.

[QUOTE=HammerTheHill] I see nashbar has a quill to threadless adapter. But a few people have said stay away...can anyone give a good reason? this seems to be the easiest and cheapest way.[/QUOTEThere is no GOOD reason.

.... adaptor?? Wont you need a fork with an uncut steerer?



>jef.No............

there's an obvious reason not to use an adapter. the quill stem fits in perfectly. it doesn't need to "adapt". a threadless stem was made for threadless forks. that's why you need an adapter. in other words, get the stem that was made for your fork. at the cambria site above such a stem is $15-$20. the performancebike.com website also has a really nice looking quill stem in all the sizes for cheap.

and finally, quill stems look better.

sd

Hi again,
Please ignore my suggesting the Cinelli Grammo Strada, I seemed to have missed what you said about budget.
The 3T Synthesis stem is still in production and costs about $30 in the USA I believe. I got one last year and they are a fine looking stem.

Cliff