Silver Stem w/ Black Bars
#1
Silver Stem w/ Black Bars
It's common to see a black quill stem with silver bars but is it verboten to use a silver stem with black bars? I don't recall seeing this combo on a nice racing build.
I'm building up my Davidson Impulse and have decided to use a silver stem. The bars I prefer are black but I have silver Nitto Noodle bars I could use too. Looking solely from aesthetics, what say you?
I'm building up my Davidson Impulse and have decided to use a silver stem. The bars I prefer are black but I have silver Nitto Noodle bars I could use too. Looking solely from aesthetics, what say you?
#2
So it goes...


Joined: Apr 2014
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From: W. Tennessee
Bikes: A few. Quite a few.
I had that setup on my Colnago (which I recently sold), I thought it looked fine and so did my friend who purchased the bike. Bar tape hid most of it anyway.
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Pohl's law: Nothing is so good that somebody, somewhere, will not hate it.
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#3
Edumacator




Joined: Jan 2018
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From: Goose Creek, SC
Bikes: More than the people who ride them...oy.
It's common to see a black quill stem with silver bars but is it verboten to use a silver stem with black bars? I don't recall seeing this combo on a nice racing build.
I'm building up my Davidson Impulse and have decided to use a silver stem. The bars I prefer are black but I have silver Nitto Noodle bars I could use too. Looking solely from aesthetics, what say you?
I'm building up my Davidson Impulse and have decided to use a silver stem. The bars I prefer are black but I have silver Nitto Noodle bars I could use too. Looking solely from aesthetics, what say you?
1” of bars shows. And I have been known to wrap to the stem when not collared and the bars are meh.
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1987 Crest C'dale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin EL, 1990 Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Isoard, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 C'dale M500, 1984 Mercian Pro, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi ?, 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super, 1971 Raleigh Internat'l, 1998 Corratec U+D, 1991 Peugeot Slimestone, 1987 Bianchi Volpe, 1995 Trek 750
1987 Crest C'dale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin EL, 1990 Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Isoard, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 C'dale M500, 1984 Mercian Pro, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi ?, 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super, 1971 Raleigh Internat'l, 1998 Corratec U+D, 1991 Peugeot Slimestone, 1987 Bianchi Volpe, 1995 Trek 750
#4
Junior Member

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 168
Likes: 155
I think keeping seatpost and stem same is more attractive to me.
For example, silver seatpost looks better with silver stem (even with black bars). I have two bikes setup like this (picture below).


Black seatpost, black stem, silver bars also looks cool to me.
I have one with silver seatpost, black stem, silver bars (factory stock), which is OK but slightly awkward in my opinion.
For example, silver seatpost looks better with silver stem (even with black bars). I have two bikes setup like this (picture below).


Black seatpost, black stem, silver bars also looks cool to me.
I have one with silver seatpost, black stem, silver bars (factory stock), which is OK but slightly awkward in my opinion.
#6
Senior Member


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From: Fredericksburg, Va
Bikes: ? Proteous, '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, 'Litespeed Catalyst'94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster
I did the opposite, black stem, silver bar. I think it works on my bike because there is a lot of mixture in silver and black, i.e. black brakes, silver/black drive train.


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#7
I don't know.

Joined: May 2003
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From: South Meriden, CT
Bikes: '90 B'stone RB-1, '92 B'stone RB-2, '89 SuperGo Access Comp, '03 Access 69er, '23 Trek 520, '14 Ritchey Road Logic, '09 Kestrel Evoke, '08 Windsor Tourist, '17 Surly Wednesday, '89 Centurion Accordo, '15 CruX, '17 Ridley X-Night, '89 Marinoni
Grant Petersen is a fan of mixing black and silver components, so it must be ok.
#8
On my Look bike:

Like the others said- the exposed portion is too small to become a visual problem. In any event, a black 26.0mm drop bar is far less of an eyesore than, say, a threadless adapter, or a 31.8mm bar on one of those oversized quill stems.

Like the others said- the exposed portion is too small to become a visual problem. In any event, a black 26.0mm drop bar is far less of an eyesore than, say, a threadless adapter, or a 31.8mm bar on one of those oversized quill stems.
#9
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2017
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From: Concord, NC
Bikes: 1984 Bianchi Tipo Corsa, 1985 Cannondale SM600 (24/26)
If this makes any sense: mismatched stem and bars look (to me) like bodged together,; used whatever I had. That's fine functionally, but if you're asking about esthetics, matched, to me looks more " original" and elegant. Silver v black? Silver, for me wins.
Like dressing yourself.... match your metals when possible! 😀
Like dressing yourself.... match your metals when possible! 😀
#10
Overdoing projects

Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Rotterdam, former republic of the Netherlands
Bikes: Batavus Randonneur GL, Gazelle Orange Excellent, Gazelle Super Licht, Gazelle Grand Tourist, Gazelle Lausanne, Gazelle Tandem, Koga-Miyata SilverAce, Koga-Miyata WorldTraveller
I've been running Silver/Silver on most of my bikes so far but my long-distance tourer has a silver adaper, black ahead stem and blue handlebars... so I might not be the most critical person when it comes to matching. XD
I am not entirely sure if I want to replace the black headset with a silver one or if I should just paint it black when it gets warm enough in here to do some painting outside.


I am not entirely sure if I want to replace the black headset with a silver one or if I should just paint it black when it gets warm enough in here to do some painting outside.






