Originally Posted by dutret
Decreasing your leverage to prevent flex that's getting your priorities backwards. Keep the stem deep in the steerer tube and if the flex is still annoying you get a new stem.
Since clearance isn't as issue for you go with the wider bars. It will give you alot more leverage to make up for only having one gear. You will also be able to breath better.
Both of those are my default thoughts on the matter as well - glad to have them confirmed. Thanks for the response.
To boot, the Zoom stem is probably designed for mountain bikes (130mm extension, right-angle rise, 25.4mm clamp) and will do fine with the leverage of wider drops.