Advantages of a "nicer" stem
09-19-10 | 02:02 PM
#26
Banned.
Joined: Aug 2010
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Why? Why would Trek have any better quality control? You clearly don't know much about manufacturing processes. The reality is that most of the generic ebay stuff is being produced in the same factories with the same materials to the same specs. It's a very lucrative business for them to product good quality product. It probably costs them a couple dollars to make these stems. Ihave the postage stamp on it, I should do the conversion on the yen to dollars and see if they are also making additional profit on the shipping costs. ebay is free to use with a small percentage being taken for fees but otherwise they don't have a lot of expenses.
09-19-10 | 02:05 PM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: NYC - where bicycles go to die
Why not? Is money less valuable to him? If anything, I'd be more worried since I'm just some schmoe selling crap on the internet so clearly I'm not too well off. I'm just playing devil's advocate though. In this case, I'd just not get a carbon stem. I usually get what matches my bars.
09-19-10 | 02:06 PM
#28
Still can't climb
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,024
Likes: 6
From: Limey in Taiwan
seems odd that the carbon stems are not the lightest. if they aren't lighter and more expensive, what is their advantage?
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09-19-10 | 02:10 PM
#29
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Joined: Jul 2008
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Why? Why would Trek have any better quality control? You clearly don't know much about manufacturing processes. The reality is that most of the generic ebay stuff is being produced in the same factories with the same materials to the same specs. It's a very lucrative business for them to product good quality product. It probably costs them a couple dollars to make these stems. Ihave the postage stamp on it, I should do the conversion on the yen to dollars and see if they are also making additional profit on the shipping costs. ebay is free to use with a small percentage being taken for fees but otherwise they don't have a lot of expenses.
Ebay stem break, rider gets hurt, who does the rider sue??
And IIRC, the ebay carbon products use "open molds" that are no longer being used by the company they were designed for (in this case trek), but often times with lower quality carbon.
ZOMG LOOK AT MY BIKE I CAN HAS CARBON STEM SOOO SHINY.
09-19-10 | 02:40 PM
#32
CAADdict
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,756
Likes: 5
From: BF Heaven
Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9-?
Trek stem breaks, rider gets hurt, rider sues trek, trek potentially looses lots of money.
Ebay stem break, rider gets hurt, who does the rider sue??
And IIRC, the ebay carbon products use "open molds" that are no longer being used by the company they were designed for (in this case trek), but often times with lower quality carbon.
ZOMG LOOK AT MY BIKE I CAN HAS CARBON STEM SOOO SHINY.
Ebay stem break, rider gets hurt, who does the rider sue??
And IIRC, the ebay carbon products use "open molds" that are no longer being used by the company they were designed for (in this case trek), but often times with lower quality carbon.
ZOMG LOOK AT MY BIKE I CAN HAS CARBON STEM SOOO SHINY.
You beat me to it on both counts! NICE!
09-19-10 | 02:59 PM
#33
Jet Jockey
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,941
Likes: 30
From: St. Paul, MN
Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Nashbar X-frame bike, Bike Friday Haul-a-Day, Surly Pugsley.
I have one of the Forte Stems, $20-$30 (it's been a while), it's aluminum, it weighs 135gms, all the sizes you could want, I have never seen anything 10gms lighter that wasn't 3-5X the price. Come in gloss or matte, really, anything more is because you like the looks better.
What more can you even ask from a stem. Let's see: Holds handlebars? Check. Decent weight? Check. Strong? Check.
Winner.
Same for the Dimension stems that QBP sells. Nice stuff.
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09-19-10 | 03:13 PM
#34
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
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From: Madison, WI
09-19-10 | 04:00 PM
#39
Gimme back my gears!
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,327
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From: San Jose
Bikes: Cannondale Caad9-5 2009, Scattante XLR TT 2009, Trek Y-Foil 77 1998
Raw carbon seems to have a good texture to it that grips itself better that other metals. Could be BS on my part, but seems to hold true with the amount of torque I don't have to apply to get them to be safely held together.
09-19-10 | 04:26 PM
#40
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09-19-10 | 04:38 PM
#42
Gimme back my gears!
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,327
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From: San Jose
Bikes: Cannondale Caad9-5 2009, Scattante XLR TT 2009, Trek Y-Foil 77 1998
I have carbon paste with the little silica beads... doesn't seem to be needed though. My sentence stated, "....amount of torque I don't have to apply...."
09-19-10 | 09:04 PM
#48
CAADdict
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,756
Likes: 5
From: BF Heaven
Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9-?
09-20-10 | 04:56 AM
#49
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,704
Likes: 355
From: NWNJ
Bikes: Road bike is a Carbon Bianchi C2C & Grandis (1980's), Gary Fisher Mt Bike, Trek Tandem & Mongoose SS MTB circa 1992.
IMO....there is no bigger waste of $$$ than upgrading to $100 stem.....The $20 price point stem is just as effective. But they look nice.........get the old one, as long as it fits and buy a nice bottle of wine and new shorts. Far more bang for the buck
09-20-10 | 06:19 AM
#50