Roadeo! Stem: Ugly. Or is it? What would you do?

[Patrick Moore]

I’ve been playing around with spacers and all 25 mm of them have ended up (“landed out”) on top of the stem, which is a 90* Ritchey WCS that so positioned puts the bar just about exactly where I want it — slightly more relaxed than with my road fixed gears with bar about the same distance from saddle but about 1 cm or so higher, for longer distances. It’s positioned much as that on the Matthews dirt road bike.

I used the 90/20 Ritchey because it was in my parts box but the chimney of spaces bugs me. (Man.) What do you think? Is it worth messing around with Jim’s stem calculator and finding one with less rise to sit on top of the spacers?

The closest I can get to this position would have an 80 mm stem with 0* rise that would put the bar 3 mm closer and 6 mm lower; 3 mm is not noticeable, I think, but 6 mm lower might be just noticeable a bit too low.

Even that would require paying $120+ for a new Ritchey WCS stem (I like those stems) for essentially a more conventional, “old fashioned road bike” look.

What would you do?

Patrick Moore, who also has to retape the bar (because he tore the tape when messing with it) and who dislikes retaping bars.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Ben Miller]

Patrick, the Roadeo is 1" threadless steerer, correct. If so, something like this Crust stem might look really nice. I like threadless stem with the spacers integrated 😁

https://crustbikes.com/collections/stems/products/nitto-x-crust-1-threadless-stem?variant=32943512977498

[Mike Godwin]

Can't fix threadless ugly. Can only put on lipstick.

Mike SLO CA 

[Mike Rossi]

What would you do?

I’d flip the stem.
Mike

> On Nov 10, 2025, at 3:45 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> What would you do?

[esoterica etc]

On Nov 10, 2025, at 12:45 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



I’ve been playing around with spacers and all 25 mm of them have ended up (“landed out”) on top of the stem, which is a 90* Ritchey WCS that so positioned puts the bar just about exactly where I want it —

What would you do?

Patrick,

You mentioned that the Ritchey stem is right now "just about exactly" where you want it....

Since you are a perfectionist and someone who has dialed in their perfect fit over decades of riding, and you asked what would I do- I would take another few weeks of riding and determine exactly where I want the bars and cut the steerer to get rid of that unsightly stack. Just my two cents. 

~Mark

Kailua, HI

(currently in Oak Harbor, WA)

[Patrick Moore]

On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 3:57 PM Mike Rossi <mwill...@gmail.com> wrote:

What would you do?

I’d flip the stem.
Mike

> On Nov 10, 2025, at 3:45 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> What would you do?

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[Patrick Moore]

And the prize goes to Mark.

That was the thought that dared not speak its name. I’d leave a single spacer above the stem — I think, tho’ that would annoy my sense of perfection.

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[Eric Daume]

 I would definitely look at a flatter stem and moving some spacers under it before cutting. Your current stem… could be more beautiful. 

Eric

On Monday, November 10, 2025, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

And the prize goes to Mark.

That was the thought that dared not speak its name. I’d leave a single spacer above the stem — I think, tho’ that would annoy my sense of perfection.

On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM esoterica etc <esoter...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Nov 10, 2025, at 12:45 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



I’ve been playing around with spacers and all 25 mm of them have ended up (“landed out”) on top of the stem, which is a 90* Ritchey WCS that so positioned puts the bar just about exactly where I want it —

What would you do?

Patrick,

You mentioned that the Ritchey stem is right now "just about exactly" where you want it....

Since you are a perfectionist and someone who has dialed in their perfect fit over decades of riding, and you asked what would I do- I would take another few weeks of riding and determine exactly where I want the bars and cut the steerer to get rid of that unsightly stack. Just my two cents. 

~Mark

Kailua, HI

(currently in Oak Harbor, WA)

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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But wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish,

I endowed thy purposes with words that made them known.

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[Patrick Moore]

Thanks. Per Jim’s stem chart I’ve found flatter stems that come close, but nothing exact.

I can replace this 9 cm 20* stem with another one, or even a 25* or 30  * stem should I need to raise the bar, but the closest more level stem will put the bar ~6 mm lower than the present one.

On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM Eric Daume <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:

 I would definitely look at a flatter stem and moving some spacers under it before cutting. Your current stem… could be more beautiful. 

Eric

On Monday, November 10, 2025, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

And the prize goes to Mark.

That was the thought that dared not speak its name. I’d leave a single spacer above the stem — I think, tho’ that would annoy my sense of perfection.

On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM esoterica etc <esoter...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Nov 10, 2025, at 12:45 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



I’ve been playing around with spacers and all 25 mm of them have ended up (“landed out”) on top of the stem, which is a 90* Ritchey WCS that so positioned puts the bar just about exactly where I want it —

What would you do?

Patrick,

You mentioned that the Ritchey stem is right now "just about exactly" where you want it....

Since you are a perfectionist and someone who has dialed in their perfect fit over decades of riding, and you asked what would I do- I would take another few weeks of riding and determine exactly where I want the bars and cut the steerer to get rid of that unsightly stack. Just my two cents. 

~Mark

Kailua, HI

(currently in Oak Harbor, WA)

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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When thou didst not, savage, know thine own meaning,

But wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish,

I endowed thy purposes with words that made them known.

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[Austin L]

Nitto mt-31 stems come in 1" threadless, black and silver. Just as nice looking as any quil stem, imo.

On Monday, November 10, 2025 at 5:31:52 PM UTC-8 Eric Daume wrote:

 I would definitely look at a flatter stem and moving some spacers under it before cutting. Your current stem… could be more beautiful. 

Eric

On Monday, November 10, 2025, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

And the prize goes to Mark.

That was the thought that dared not speak its name. I’d leave a single spacer above the stem — I think, tho’ that would annoy my sense of perfection.

On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM esoterica etc <esoter...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Nov 10, 2025, at 12:45 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



I’ve been playing around with spacers and all 25 mm of them have ended up (“landed out”) on top of the stem, which is a 90* Ritchey WCS that so positioned puts the bar just about exactly where I want it —

What would you do?

Patrick,

You mentioned that the Ritchey stem is right now "just about exactly" where you want it....

Since you are a perfectionist and someone who has dialed in their perfect fit over decades of riding, and you asked what would I do- I would take another few weeks of riding and determine exactly where I want the bars and cut the steerer to get rid of that unsightly stack. Just my two cents. 

~Mark

Kailua, HI

(currently in Oak Harbor, WA)

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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When thou didst not, savage, know thine own meaning,

But wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish,

I endowed thy purposes with words that made them known.

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[Garth]

Patrick, From what I see on your bike all you'd need is a 80mm  6d or 7d rise stem and flip the spacers vertically. I love me some geometry ;-) 

1-1/8" reducting shims work just fine. Eastom stems way back when used to come with them. 

Let me know what color you want for both, and 6d or 6d stem and I'll give you some links. Right now Dimension/MSW/Salsa stems are best buys and they look nice. They're all QBP house brands. 

[Will Boericke]

For such a lovely bike, I'd get a nice silver fillet brazed 1" stem: Simworks, Nitto, etc. And then cut off excess steerer.

Will near Boston

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. 

If this bike becomes a “regular” rider instead of a “1-2 X/month group ride backup,” I might well rebuild it with parts I like, and at that point I’d certainly consider a nice, custom, silver stem to exactly fit my riding position. But right now, I want (1) a comfortable riding position that is perhaps just a bit more relaxed than that of my (short distance rides) road fixed gears, and the 9 cm 20* upjutter puts the bar just about where the 8 cm Nitto “gooseneck” stems put their bars on the other bikes, as the 9/20 Ritchey gives an effective 8 cm horizontal extension and the right height. Those 2 bikes and the Roadeo all have 56.5 or 57 cm c-c level equivalent top tubes off 73* seatposts and 73/72.5* head tubes. 

Then, (2), I was looking for perhaps less unsightly options with stock stems that I could implement without the expense of a custom.

Garth: Thanks for those calculations. Can one find 6* or 7* rise in stock stems? I guess such a stem would have to be custom. Also, I do understand that your figure of 40 mm for height above headset includes shank of stem in addition to spacers.

[Garth]

Yes, that's right Patrick. Spacers come in heights of 10, 5, 3, 2 and 1mm, generally. Your appears to the two 10's and a 5, plus the stem stack height which is typically 38-42mm.

The stems are flip-able. +/-7d for example. That's what's awesome about threadless stems.

Here's a Ritchey if you want to stick to the brand. The RL1 is their lowest price point option. Then the Comp, then WCS.  Matte black 80mm +/-6d. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/115973709300?

The Comps are available all over for around $64ish. I never bought any Ritchey parts until the last few years and I like the quality control that goes into them. I suggest getting a Ritchey as they are all 42mm tall stack height and most others are 38mm. This way it's a direct replacement fit with no overhang. 

Plus the shim , a Ritchey one of course !

https://www.ebay.com/itm/375136091375?

Here's a glossy black one, 38mm stack height though. Listed as Dimension, but may be branded as MSW when you get it. I think QBP may be doing a running change from Dimension to MSW branding, at least on some items.

https://www.treefortbikes.com/Dimension-Threadless-Stem318-Clamp-83-97-Degree

If by chance you wanted silver I found this on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/286909492664?

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Garth. I’ve flipped stems; my Matthews dirt road bike has a 20 or 30 flipped downward to get the drop bar slightly below saddle with the very high stack on that frame.

It’s good to know that 8 cm stems with 31.8 mm clamps are available with +/- 7* angles; I’ll have to play around with the stem chart and the Tree Fort options available.

Do you know what the angle is on that RL-1 stem is? It looks like +/- 7* but the page doesn’t list it. (Stupid: ebay pages list package dimensions but not critical information like stem angles.)

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[Will Boericke]

I have a 1” x 25.4 Simworks something or other stem I bought from a Bob and never used if you’re interested.  I can’t quickly put my hands on it but will search more thoroughly if you want.  100ish mm

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[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Will, but I need an 80 mm-equivalent (in horizontal measurement) with a 31.8 mm bar clamp.

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[Garth]

It's a +/-6d Patrick. 

https://ritcheylogic.com/bike/stems/rl1-4-axis-84d-stem

I think Ritchey does 6,17,25,30 and 35d in their stems.

The comparison images I posted above shows the difference between a 6d and 7d stem and your current stem. (Not much of course). That's assuming you have 65mm or so of exposed steerer. Since your current +17d setup has the spacers(I count about 25mm worth) above the stem, I mentioned placing the spacers below a +6d or +7d stem and that's how the two setups came out very close in height to your current stem. About 5mm less reach. No one makes a 85mm stem these days.

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Garth; this is what I need to know.

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