the watcher

I'm just curious why there are like no ahead cro-mo stems on the market? I understand that some people who have the need to zip around or commute 50 miles a day worry about weight and perhaps this tiny 3inch part would mess up their setup if it was cro-mo. However surely at least a few major companies would include a version in their line? Even bmx companies for whatever reason are happy to use cro-mo for the forks, frame and handlebars (which are MUCH larger and therefore heavier than a stem) but they always resort to an CNC Aluminum stem instead.

I've found some quill cro-mo (or more likely hi-ten) stems and a 110mm 0 degree rise unbranded chrome coloured cro-mo stem but that's about it. No choice in a riser stem, or a short stem like your typical bmx stem or for a standard black colour.

Anyway, I guess this is kind of a rant but I was wondering if there's some sort of mechanical reason no-one seems to offer these on the entire internet (UK searches in my case). Cro-mo handlebars are touted for how strong and reliable/'bomb-proof' they are. However surely when someone is pulling up aggressively on their bars for whatever reason, a massive amount of pressure is also been exerted on the stem which would therefore benefit from being made of the same material?

Cheers

p.s. I've had to type cromolly in so many ways because even the various manufacturers can't seem to decide how to refer to it which makes searching for those parts especially tricky.

LesterOfPuppets

Salsa used to be the goto for crmo stems but the recalls put the kibosh on that action.

rekmeyata

Nitto, Tioga, UBI, Salsa only recalled some of their cromo stems not all, Sinz Pro, Sunlite, just to name a few.

the watcher

Nitto was the chrome coloured 0 degree 110mm (or was it 120mm?) stem which I'd seen, although they hadn't even deigned to say whether is was 1 1/8th threadless ahead or not. I'll look into the others although the UK distributor linked from Salsa's site doesn't sell any crmo stems now.
Thanks


edit: Sinz Racing haven't even bothered saying what material they use on their (admittedly) nicely designed site:
The comparison to CNC machining implies an Aluminum Alloy though.

Nothing coming up with a search in google for: cr-mo tioga stem (unless you meant all of those use cr-mo BOLTS. I meant the actual material for the stem should be crmo)

Sunlite: couple of chrome coloured steel (hi ten?) stems available if I order from the USA. Most results seem to be quill. Couple of threadless models. Suitable one is 22.2mm which is quite a difference from my current 31.8mm handlebars. I don't mind going down to 25.4mm bars if necessary but 22 is too much since my gear and brake shifters/leavers would end up needing shims (or shim for the bars).

Ubi: Similar result to Sunlite. Like i said, there's a gap in the market here with no-one proviing a decent range (with various options for colour, size, steering diameter) with cr-mo materials for stem AND hardware, not just the hardware (bolts).

So far the best solution is a bar and stem combo where it's welded into one body. However these again are very limited in the choices for dimensions, colours etc.

rekmeyata

[QUOTE=the watcher;12288964edit: Sinz Racing haven't even bothered saying what material they use on their (admittedly) nicely designed site:


The comparison to CNC machining implies an Aluminum Alloy though[/QUOTE]

Or they could be implying that steel is stronger and more reliable then CNC machining on aluminum is.

LesterOfPuppets

This is true, however they seem to have stopped selling them after the recall last year. Fingers crossed they can get things sorted and offer them again. I really like my Salsa stem.

the watcher

Fair enough. I'll send an email to Sinz and get back to you. Hopefully it will be good news

Here's one online review of it though:
Everytime I've seen "Alloy" in the description of a stem it referred to 6061 Aluminum

fietsbob

You can hire custom made Tig welded stems from many frame builders .

cheaper cost mass produced ones seem to be replaced by aluminum ,
as it scales up to automated production better.

tsl

Or lugged...

the watcher

Thanks for the info. Does anyone know of any reputable custom builders in UK who won't charge the Earth? Otherwise I quite like the look of the Nitto CT-80 100mm (Cromolly) or the Nitto Lugged Stem. Leaning towards the latter since I wanted an upright ride and since I don't seem to have any choice in a mass produced riser stem, I'll have to get the shortest stem possible and hope the riser bars help.

Just out of interest, should it be fairly easy to paint the chrome stem so it looks like my bike:
https://www.marin.co.uk/2011/bikepage.php?ModNo=11M29

Compared to previous models of the Muirwoods 29er, this year's model seems to have a more metallic black colour, hence the question. I remember spray painting our bikes as kids, however it was always a dull non glossy (or is it matte?) paint we used.

Thanks for the help people.

Oh and Fietsbob, thanks for providing a practical reason for why none of the main players like race face etc seem to offer cr-mo stems.

So far the price I'm seeing for a Nitto threadless Cr-Mo stem is £110.00 (domestic supplier). For that amount I could probably get a titanium stem! Or at the very least a carbon stem.