Pop top stems work just fine with the smaller bars, because they dont close 100% even over 26.0. I have a few of them in quilled form...ITM, etc.




Fits perfectly, and I've climbed the crap out of them. 195lbs mostly muscle. No experience with the Nitto shim, but I've ripped the bars right out of a soda can shimmed stem, and that's with me seriously cranking the tightness.

I know i'm the master of tightness, because I've blown up cogs and lockrings by overtightening them by hand.

26.0 Pop-top quilled stems + 25.4 risers = TEH WIN.