I too am a fan of Thomson stems and seatpost. I'm very picky about stems because I notice when the flex of a super light stem. there are lightweight stems out there, but depending on the length, you might notice them flexing when you stand on them. Thomson is one of those that just won't flex. I have the older elite model and I like the design where there are no screws at the back of the stem...my knews brush on the swrews if I'm not careful when standing. I agree that carbon bars help with road vib, but there is not much weight savings and there is the danger of the bike falling and cracking the bar. if your LBS will let you try some stems before purchase, all the better.