Stem - differing costs

[GetFatty]

So yesterday I broke the stem on my good road bike (8 year old titanium Planet X) and so had to look for a stem. CRC wanted roughly £50 but going up to well over a £100 whereas PX (who provided the bike) wanted £15, the question is would I get £35 extra value by going to CRC?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

More importantly, how on earth did you break a stem?

Do tell, pictures welcomed!

 

[vickster]

So yesterday I broke the stem on my good road bike (8 year old titanium Planet X) and so had to look for a stem. CRC wanted roughly £50 but going up to well over a £100 whereas PX (who provided the bike) wanted £15, the question is would I get £35 extra value by going to CRC?

It'll probably be down to weight and brand - are you looking at alu or carbon?
(or better Ti eg https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s88p3902/ORA-Titanium-Stem)

 

[GetFatty]

More importantly, how on earth did you break a stem?

Do tell, pictures welcomed!

I was pulling away from some lights (at Keston Mark if you know it) and there was a loud snap and the bars went forward. At first I thought it was one of the bolts but when I tightened them it didn't affect the bars moving around. I rode home 9 miles (very. very carefully) and took the bolts out. I then noticed that the part of the face plate (?) where the bottom two bolts go through had snapped clean off. Bike is in the shed currently will attach pic later

 

[GetFatty]

It'll probably be down to weight and brand - are you looking at alu or carbon?
(or better Ti eg https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s88p3902/ORA-Titanium-Stem)

Didn't give it that much thought. Just wanted 130mm by 31.8mm. I was just stunned by the difference in cost. I can understand the top end ones but the £50 ones don't look special

 

[fossyant]

It's weight, better materials yadda yadda - just like groupsets. Pick the one you like best.

 

[vickster]

Didn't give it that much thought. Just wanted 130mm by 31.8mm. I was just stunned by the difference in cost. I can understand the top end ones but the £50 ones don't look special

Spa put one of these on my Ti
£15 https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s88p2900/FSA-Omega-OS-168

Assuming that's the right angle for you

 

[GetFatty]

Spa put one of these on my Ti
£15 https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s88p2900/FSA-Omega-OS-168

Assuming that's the right angle for you

That looks good. Thanks and 6 deg is perfect

 

[vickster]

Cool, they do charge £4 for postage under £50 (as do PX) so may be worth looking if you need other stuff

 

[rogerzilla]

Faceplates usually break because the bolts were overtightened. The torque for these is quite low - usually 5Nm.

 

[si_c]

Just as an aside, Wiggle have their Brand-X stems which are about £8, not sure they go up to 130mm though. I bought one to test a stem length change and it's great, never ended up buying the stem I was originally looking at just kept the Brand X one.

 

[Drago]

Fancy names and, to some degree, weight, I always go for 4 bolt face plates and ensure that the clamp has a chamfered edge so it doesn't place undue stress on the bars. Other than that, i don't think I've ever paid more than 30 snifters for a forged stem.

 

[ianrauk]

So yesterday I broke the stem on my good road bike (8 year old titanium Planet X) and so had to look for a stem. CRC wanted roughly £50 but going up to well over a £100 whereas PX (who provided the bike) wanted £15, the question is would I get £35 extra value by going to CRC?

I got a few spare if you want to pop round.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I was pulling away from some lights (at Keston Mark if you know it) and there was a loud snap and the bars went forward. At first I thought it was one of the bolts but when I tightened them it didn't affect the bars moving around. I rode home 9 miles (very. very carefully) and took the bolts out. I then noticed that the part of the face plate (?) where the bottom two bolts go through had snapped clean off. Bike is in the shed currently will attach pic later

Yikes. Potentially deadly that.

 

[GetFatty]

Yikes. Potentially deadly that.

Believe I kind of noticed