eyemkeith

Hi all.


Apologies if this post isn't in the right category, first off. I'm sure it'll move if necessary.


That said, I've got a 1992 Bridgestone XO-2, which I love. The former owner had some straight mountain bike bars on it, which I immediately changed to some sexy, sexy mustache bars. It's my first time with those type of bars and I have to say, I do not hate them.


Anyway, to go along with them, I've got a Nitto Technomic 50mm stem, to keep the reach short and thus accommodating the bars. It's good, but my ptaradactyl arms could use a nudge more. I started looking around for a, say, 30mm stem, which I think would do me nicely and found out I was looking for a freaking unicorn. There is one I found that would help me out, from Analogue Cycles --a 30mm stem they call a w(Right) stem for $195 (ouch).https://www.analogcycles.com/product...g-wright-stem/


So, yeah, there has got to be a cheaper alternative that I'm just not thinking of. I'm hoping some of you fine people might know.


Thanks in advance,


Keith.

thumpism

Something like a steel stem on an old Raleigh Sports might be 30mm. I'll have to measure mine. They're plentiful if you know where to look, probably very cheap, and strong but not very pretty.

Feldman

I'd get a quill adaptor from $20-$50 depending on brand and height (Velo Orange makes a good one at the low end of that range) and a 35mm threadless stem, your LBS can easily get the Origin8 brand. Problem solved on the short side of $100. Quill adaptors--I know they don't look "vintage" or "classic," but they make it possible to fit a bike accurately, relatively inexpensively, and changing a threadless stem with a removable front plate is so easy...........................

tricky 

Yes and then if you still don't like the look of the adapter once you dial in the fit and, you can get a quill stem that matches the height and length of the threadless setup.

thumpism

If you can find one, which is the whole problem to begin with. I measured the Sports stem and it's 35mm, probably as short a reach on a tallish 22.2 quill stem as you're likely to find. Good luck!

cudak888 

Keep in mind the Sports stem only accepts 15/16" handlebars, which locks you down to the factory North Roads and a few other obscure Raleigh handlebars.

A Chinese clone of the Sports stem in 25.4 was available from J&B Importers about 10 years ago. I can't bring it up in a Google search right now, but it may still be listed in their catalog.

If you can make do with 40mm, this might work:
https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Pisto.../dp/B003CO9E94

Kalin also makes a much more elegant 40mm stem - they're also available in all-aluminum, but usually used:
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000039748716.html

Pretty sure you can't get any shorter than this though!
https://www.dutchbikebits.com/tradit...handlebar-stem

-Kurt

verktyg 

SR made some shorties in the early 70's. I may have one. I'll have to dig through my junk box.

verktyg

francophile 

Shortest "normal" I've ever seen is a French-sized (22.0) quill Belleri I have in the shop that's a 45mm reach with the pinch bolt at the bottom of the bar clamp. It has the classic fail-point, though, no roundout drilled at the top of the quill split.

With that ste,, there's only 8-10ish mm behind the back of the nut and the quill itself, so I can't imagine anyone making something much shorter than 40mm. If you went with a rear-mount (upward threaded) pinch bolt, I think you could potentially get down to 20mm?

JaccoW

All from this list:

• Ergotec Cat Niro stem
• Stainless steel with an aluminum clamp by HBS
• Nameless chrome steel model
• Humpert 40mm extension
• Humpert chrome 20mm extension
• Cortina Soul stem with internal cable routing

eyemkeith

Wow. Thanks! I knew I was missing something. That Sunlilte, the first one you listed, looks good to me. My Origin 8 bars, though, are 26.0. That stem says it has a 25.4 clamp. Does that mean I'd have to replace my bars as well?

kingsting

How about a BMX stem? Some of these are pretty short.

USAZorro

Here.

You're welcome

ThermionicScott 

I had a 40mm quill stem once:

eyemkeith

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'm still trying to hit the mark, though. While some of the suggestions are good in terms of reach, they're so tall (300mm) my bars would be even with my teeth, which, I'm told, is not a good look for me. And the stem adapters -" to 1 1/8", while a good idea, are also either too short or too tall (again, 300mm). If I could find a solution that was in the 225mm range, I would go with that.

Ideally, I'd like a 225mm tall quill stem with 26.0 clamp (my origin8 mustache bars are 26.0, as are the SOMA Portolo bars I'd like to try) and a 40mm, or less, reach. The stem i currently have -- a Nitto Technomic Road Quill Stem: 50mm; 72 Deg 225mm Quill; 1"; 26.0 -- is nearly perfect, if it was a cenimeter shorter or so.

Am I looking for a unicorn? Feels like I'm looking for a unicorn.

Or should I just get an adjustable stem? Would that even work for what I'm trying to accomplish?

thumpism

Go adjustable to see if you can get into the riding position you like, then look for the fixed stem that gives you that. I have a couple of adjustables in my fleet. They might look clunky but they work.

cudak888 

Finding this combo with a 26.0mm clamp may be the biggest difficulty - shortening the stem isn't.

If you have access to an angle grinder and tabletop belt sander, you can cut down most stems and fine-tune the angle of the cut until it is perfectly parallel with the angle of the wedge.

At worst, you'll probably have to get a shorter binder bolt from McMaster Carr (which, if properly chosen, will be equally as strong as the stock bolt provided with the stem - if not better).

-Kurt

bwilli88 

I can get these all day, any day. 2 piece aluminum clamp, SS stem. I will be in the States in May.

eyemkeith

Thanks, Kurt. I appreciate the confidence in my mechanical ability, unwarranted as it may be. If I pick up a tool, there’s a 50 percent chance it’s going to end up in my eye.

bwilli88 

Here is another one.

smallpox champ

Crust bikes has some quill stems made by Nitto, not cheap, but less than the Analog w(Right):

https://crustbikes.com/products/nitto-26-0-bj-stem/

cudak888 

Definitely looks like the OP's best plug-and-play option for a 26.0 clamp diameter.

-Kurt

tricky 

eyemkeith Something to consider: a lot of mustache bars have a lot of forward sweep that force you into odd stem lengths. That was exactly the reason why I took one off my bike almost immediately after installing it. Stuff like the Soma Sparrow has a similar look but might have less reach compared to your bar. I agree old school mustache bars look cool, but I don't find them very practical!

eyemkeith

that is a good point, actually. I’ve been infatuated with the bars since I got the bike a year ago. possibly other bars wouldn’t require so much commitment.

on another bike some time ago I had some on-one midge bars I also liked a lot and I had been considering the Soma Portola bars https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/portola-bar which are quite similar.

tricky 

I don't want to take the wind out of your mustache bar sail! You might be able to make the bar work with that short stem. Let us know how it goes.

bwilli88 

I can get these for $5 anytime.