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COMFORT + EFFICIENCY = PERFORMANCE

Last Updated on December 19, 2012 by stevehoggbikefitting.com

Am I the only one that is pissed off with manufacturers of expensive ‘high’ quality stems using cheap, nasty, low quality, generally shitty,chrome plated bolts that look like the picture below a few months after purchase?

This is on an $16,000 dollar bike. And no, I didn’t sell it. It belongs to a fit client.

If anyone from the manufacturing industry is reading this, just damned well charge the world the couple of dollars that you will need to charge per stem to use decent quality, marine grade stainless steel bolts. Nothing looks worse from a marketing perspective than pictures like the one above.

And Deda are by no means the only culprit. I’m trying to think of a major stem manufacturer who doesn’t do the same.

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This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Your’re definitely not alone. My Pro PLT (Shimano) stem bolts are holding up fine, pretty happy in that regard.

    1. G’day Wayne,
      I’m glad your Pro bolts are okay. I’ve had problems with
      them rusting badly in the past but maybe they’ve improved the quality of the
      bolts. All said and done it is a minor issue but it is so simple to fix that
      it mystifies me as to why stem manufacturers don’t take it more seriously.

  2. I agree. I have attempted to replace bolts with quality stainless but there is not enough room to use standard washers under the bolts.

    1. G’day Lawrence,
      Yes, hard or impossible to get 4mm centre washers with
      as small an external diameter as the standard item. I end up replacing most
      of the screws with M4 x 15mm stainless bolts without washers which seems to
      work okay.

  3. I’m relieved to see that I’m not the only one who is annoyed with this. I’m presently looking to replace the screws on a Deda. Replacements are offerred in titanium but I would prefer SS.

    1. G’day Doucemaniac,
      Go to your local fasteners and buy some M4
      stainless steel allen bolts in the appropriate length and you will be fine,
      even without washers.

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