I'm looking into getting one of these adapters to get a lighter stem and handlebars on my Cannondale.
I'm taking suggestions from you guys that might have experience with them.
Looking at silver alloy to be light and match the rest of the silver on the bike. I'm not sure about the bar clamp size though. I'd also like to get a new alloy sets of bars in 44 width because the ones I have now are too narrow. So taking suggestions on those too. Kinda doing a minor WW thing here if you couldn't tell..

If the bike is as pictured, you should consider starting with the tires if saving weight is your thing. For the cost, hassle and marginal benefit of removing, replacing and retaping your bars and stem, I'd make that one of your last moves.

Match the clamp diameter of the bars to the stem. Look for 26.0mm clamp diameters. To to velo orange.


Seriously though, I bet you'd save comparable weight as a new stem and bars by dumping the metal dork disc.

Insofar as wider handlebars go, I would spring for Nitto Noodles. They're readily available in wider widths, and IMO they will look great on your 'dale.

Those wheels have been replaced by Shimano R561s with a 9s Dura-ace cassette so the wheels are as taken care of as they are going to get for now.

I'll look those up thanks. From my research the Cinelli D'Italia that's on there now is just a little over 300g.


The other scenario is to find a lighter quill stem. The current one is a Nitto(?) Technomic and I believe it's around 427g (!) from my googling. Is there a lighter quill stem I could look at too?

Perhaps I am wrong, but adding an adapter and a threadless stem is going to garner a weight savings.

I think that's his point- there is some weight to be saved. My point was that it wasn't enough to justify the hassle as a first step.

Most of the newer quill adapters create a 1 1/8" steerer. Some of the old ones create a 1" steerer, and for some stems, a shim is needed.

Using a quill adapter looks good, unless you want to create some height, in which case, maybe not so good. Spacing can be an issue, with varying diameters of both the quill's body and the spacers you want to use. A quill adapter set up high from the headset can look fairly awful.

If you go that route, first pick the quill adapter you want to use. It will be either 1" in steerer clamp or 1 1/8"

After that, the fun begins.
The stem can have a steerer clamp size of 1" (older) or 1 1/8" (newer).
Then, there is the reach/length of the stem.
Then, there is the angle of the stem, which can be inverted, also.
Then, there is the bar clamp size, 25.4/26.0 or 31.8.

As you see, you have to coordinate it all.
Most often, it comes together with just the 2nd bar/stem combo or so.
It's not confusing, just tedious, and can work quite well.
The wide range of adjustment allows you to tune the fit.

The quill adapter/stem/bar combo looks pretty good on Cannondales.
Now, given the picture of the Cannondale, if that's anywhere close to your fit, no so much.
You need too much rise for it to look all that great. PM me and I'll show you what I mean.

If you do put one on there you threadless spacers also it will look far more integrated.

Thanks guys. Robbie I updated the pic to my current setup, the other pic was as found from the PO. I'm definitely partial to the silver bits on red, I think it looks awesome.

I know I need a 1" to 1 1/8" adapter, silver stem, and silver compact bars. The problem is finding those (and how much they weigh).
I almost feel like I need to work backwards and start with the bars. I'd really like a compact (short drop to the drops) set, then find a stem that works, then the adapter.

So I guess I need help finding the bars and the other issue is how to determine what degree stem I need for it to be level like it currently is??

Hit all the LBS and try out all the bars on the floor models until you find one that you like and work backwards from there.

My apologies, what I meant to say was that it would -not- save any weight. My excuse is I was tired and it was late. I agree, if any weight was saved, it seems like it would not be enough to justify the expense and effort.

This Cannondale looks like the one I foolishly let go to someone else. Aluminum Canndales are already so light, fast and agile.

Adaptor + stem = no weight savings, in my experience.
Instead, weigh your seatpost and compare it to one made of crabon. Unless what you've got is something like an Easton, be prepared to raise your eyebrows at the difference.
You'll lose another pound or more by going to a crabon fork. Go threadless 1" steerer and you can then use the threadless stem and a set of crabon bars for more simplicity & more weight savings.
Those forged crank arms weigh much more than later Hollowtech stuff- another pound, perhaps, and rotating weight at that.

"There is no bicycle problem that cannot be solved with cubic dollars."

Fast and awesome yes but not exactly light. But I plan on fixing that. I love the short top tube and it's the sole reason I'm putting money into this bike.

I'm beginning to think this is not a good place to spend money. Might as well save the money and get the carbon fork, even though I don't think it will look good unless it's a perfect match red (unlikely).
On with the DA 7700 stuff..

For weight savings that would be significant enough to possible be worth while a modern crank and or carbon fork are about the only things that might make since. Yet I doubt the difference would be big enough to be noticable when riding.

Sometimes this just doesn't matter when it comes to hobbies... By my calculations adding a carbon fork would take off around a pound and the 7700 DA crankset with BB would be almost another pound. I just want it sub 20lb, they're can't be too many of these rolling around at that weight. But it's gonna cost big time unfortunately..

You want a VO adapter, these are by far the most attractive. They have very nice threadless stems as well. The stack height on the adapter is 40mm so keep that in mind when you buy the stem.

Is 40mm a lot or a little? And 272g..ouch. it is the best looking one though you're right about that

I recently tried to get a steel frame under 20 lbs and found that quill to thread less adapters would weigh more or the same as the original quill setup.

To really save weight, I went with a Columbus Minimal full carbon 1" fork that provided a threadless solution. The fork was about 350g compared to 725g fork and I dropped another 100g with lighter headset and lost another 200g with the stem.

If I remember correctly, a TA crankset is a cheap(er) and cheerful weight saving, never mind it's classic good looks.

Gotta be DA. I'm vain like that

So.. is it normal for quill stems to come loose cause mine did in the middle of a 30 mile ride today. Luckily I was standing still but I gotta know if this is normal and I just need to check more often for tightness or do I have an issue here?

How tight was it before the ride? Mine don't move. Was it the stem itself, or the bars in the stem?

Well I thought it was tight. I haven't touched it for quite a while, and it was just the stem.

I've done the combo stem adaptor and threadless stem. Compared to your current stem, from a weight stand point you're probably better off with your current stem. Therefore all of your weight savings needs to be in the bars. If it were me, I'd ditch those non-aero levers and work on some light weigh aero levers with the new bars. It sure will look cleaner with that conversion.

I'm working on 7700 Dura-Ace brifters so that should clean it up a little too

7700 DA, .......Nice!