Those of you who have this stem:

https://www.specialized.com/sv/en/bc/...jsp?spid=64478

Can you comment on its stiffness? Do the shims take away anything in terms of having a solid connection to the steerer? Seems like a good way to get some extra adjustablity without adding too much weight. I guess the top cap is a little funny since it has to sit at an angle.

I have them on three of my four bikes. No complaints whatsoever -- good stiff stems and no play at all from the shim. The top cap has an off-center bolt hole and +/- markings on it that your orient based on whether you have the stem flipped up or down.

When riding, I can't tell the difference. My only complaint is that you can't put any spacers above the stem because of the oval top cap. So I cut the steer tube way down and am happy.

Excellent stem.