Video of the stem from Dealer Camp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlgINDciiKI

Check out the other Dealer Camp videos from Roadbikereview.com after that, some good stuff including other Ritchey items, BH Ultralight, new GT GTR, Ridley Noah FB, etc...

Too heavy: my 26.0 mm Extralite is lighter. But this is clearly a better stem otherwise. I'd definitely pick it if I was contemplating 31.8.

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http://djconnel.blogspot.com/
Fuji SL/1
Send your data to Weight Weenie listings!

Folks complaining about having to unwrap tape or the pita or the pita to maintain it... How often do you guys change your bar or stem?

Okay, maybe if you just got a new bike and are dialing in your fit. But once its set, why? I haven't touched my bar/stem in over a year.

I'm willing to trade off a bit of inconvenience in the installation process if its going to mean a lighter and/or stronger product.

Different story if you are a pro mechanic or work in a bike shop. But like one poster said, this is no more painful than the days of quill stems w/ non-removable face plates.

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'07 Cervelo R3, '10 Lapierre Xelius

The quoted weights are with steel bolts. I'm willing to put up with some hassle in that case.

I really like this design - it seems like it has some creative solutions in it. I'm having a hard time visualizing why he went with the three bolts in the back, but I'm sure they have analysis behind it.

The front clamp seems very smart. The way I build bikes, the wrap around clamp doesn't seem like a big deal.

It's 3 bolts, but you can all try skipping the middle bolt if you think you know better than Ritchey.

Nice link. That new GT could be an amazing value for money.

Good point, get some Ti bolts in there and this is a pretty affordable sub 100g (or 100g for those of us that actually need a stem of reasonable length).

I see no problem with it other than the ugly graphics. Hope those are removable.

Surprisingly, nobody commented on how much it resembled the Syncros Fric stem, which is basically Ritchey except with another name. They must've thought to test the it on the DH crowd first before serving the roadies.

With current 180 degree stems as you tighten the face plate bolts they thread into the faceplace at a perfect angle for the threads - always. The new Ritchey design would create ever changing face plate to bolt thread angles as the face place is drawn closer. Not sure I see that as any form of improvement but rather a compromise in an attempt to offer something different........

^^^ You would just hold the face plate in place while screwing in a top and bottom bolt. Then finish it.

It looks like a nice product to me.

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r o y g b i v

its 4 friggin bolts and everyone is acting like you have to solve a rubik's cube to put your damn bars on. its really not that hard people.

What other stem with full-size bolts matches that mass number? Ritchey's always been honest on mass.

_________________
http://djconnel.blogspot.com/
Fuji SL/1
Send your data to Weight Weenie listings!

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-Deacon Doctor Colorado Slim