Review: OneUp's EDC Stem & a New Way to Tighten Your Headset
Without threads on our steerer tubes like your dad's old 10-speed has, we need to tighten our headsets some other way. To do that, we usually start by pounding a jam nut, AKA the starnut, down into our steerer tubes before using it as an anchor to pull everything together. It all sounds a bit rudimentary, doesn't it? OneUp thinks so, and their new EDC Stem employs a clever, integrated preload system that does away with the need for a star nut. Of course, it isn't exactly a coincidence that getting rid of the star nut makes it possible to install OneUp's steerer tube-mounted EDC tool.
The EDC stem can be had with the preload system as shown here for $115 USD, or you can buy it without for $85 if you'd prefer to stick with the starnut.
The EDC stem can be had with the preload system as shown here for $115 USD, or you can buy it without for $85 if you'd prefer to stick with the starnut.
EDC Stem Details
• Intended use: DH / enduro / trail
• Material: Aluminum
• Integrated preload system w/o starnut
• Lengths: 35mm, 50mm (tested)
• Stack height: 38.5mm
• Weight: 189-grams (50mm, w/ preloader)
• MSRP: $115 USD
• More info: www.oneupcomponents.com
• Intended use: DH / enduro / trail
• Material: Aluminum
• Integrated preload system w/o starnut
• Lengths: 35mm, 50mm (tested)
• Stack height: 38.5mm
• Weight: 189-grams (50mm, w/ preloader)
• MSRP: $115 USD
• More info: www.oneupcomponents.com
From left: An O-ring for display purposes only, the cone that goes above your headset topcap, the preloading collar (hidden inside the stem when installed) that pushes it down when you tighten the 3mm bolt, the stem itself, and OneUp's EDC spacer and aluminum cap.
Reviewing a stem goes something like this: ''It sure feels stiff, it didn't creak, and it looks... Like a stem.'' Okay, so there's usually not much to say, but OneUp's new EDC Stem has another job besides holding onto your handlebar and steerer tube: It also tightens your headset while letting you skip the proven starnut routine.
In typical OneUp fashion, it's a clever little thing. There's a collar trapped under the bottom of the stem and hidden from view when it's all installed. A conical washer goes under that collar, but on top of your headset, and when you tighten a screw on the collar it pushes the conical washer down to take up extra room and preload your headset.
The system calls for an extra piece of hardware on the stem - the tiny preload screw that requires a 3mm hex key and the matching nut - but you ditch the starnut and big M5 bolt that threads into it. You'll also need the interlocking EDC headset spacers if your steerer tube sticks out above the stem (remember, there's no topcap anymore).
In typical OneUp fashion, it's a clever little thing. There's a collar trapped under the bottom of the stem and hidden from view when it's all installed. A conical washer goes under that collar, but on top of your headset, and when you tighten a screw on the collar it pushes the conical washer down to take up extra room and preload your headset.
The system calls for an extra piece of hardware on the stem - the tiny preload screw that requires a 3mm hex key and the matching nut - but you ditch the starnut and big M5 bolt that threads into it. You'll also need the interlocking EDC headset spacers if your steerer tube sticks out above the stem (remember, there's no topcap anymore).
Don't drop anything on the floor.
The cone is wedge-shaped, with the preloading collar sitting on top of it. Tightening the collar pushes the cone down to take up the slack and preload your headset bearings.
Installation
To install the stem, you'll first need to remove that ancient starnut as you won't be needing it anymore. You'll also have to get the preload collar and tiny preload nut into the bottom of the stem (facing the correct way), which requires using a 4mm hex key to compress it slightly while wedging into the groove. It seems a bit finicky for a guy like me who's all thumbs, but it's not difficult. After collar and the clamping bolts are in, you slide the greased-up black cone down onto your steerer before doing the same with the stem.
But don't tighten anything yet, please.
The cone goes above any headset spacers you're using and below the stem.
Before you tighten any bolts, is the top of the steerer sitting a few millimeters below the top of the stem when it's at your desired height? Normal, non-interlocking headset spacers can go below your stem to tweak handlebar height, but not on top of it. So, if the steerer is above the stem, you can add OneUp's interlocking spacers until you've got a bit of real estate on top. They snap into each other, and then the anodized aluminum top cap snaps on top of it all.
Now comes the part I'm gonna moan about.
This is when you need to push the stem down by hand to try and take most of the free-play out of the headset, but you'll also be busy trying to get your stem properly aligned while also needing to tighten at least one of the two clamping bolts to hold it in place, and hopefully all before you drop the hex key just out of reach. I'm not gonna lie: A starnut seems unrefined, sure, but a caveman could do it without much trouble. I suspect he'd struggle to install the OneUp stem with its preloading system, and depending on how you feel about working on your bike, that may or may not matter to you.
Once the stem is straight and the clamp bolts are tight, can you take up the remaining slack by tightening the small preload screw on the side of the stem. Doing so squeezes the collar, which then pushes the conical washer down to preload the headset bearings, but don't go past 3Nm of torque. If the headset has too much play in it for the preload system to take up, you'll have to repeat pushing it down by hand. When the play is completely gone but everything is still turning smoothly, you lock it in place by tightening the preload locknut on the opposite side with a 4mm hex key.
Bottom line: Installing the EDC stem isn't exactly difficult, even if it might take you a few tries to get the stem straight and the free-play out of your headset. That said, it's not nearly as foolproof as dealing with a traditional starnut.
I had mixed results with the EDC Stem and its preloading system.
Performance
I had my headset rattle loose a few times on the trail after I first installed the stem, and it turned out that I must not have gotten enough slack out of it when I first pushed the stem down by hand; there seemed to be too much for the preloader to take up. After standing on the side of the trail, trying to compress the headset by hand as much as possible while simultaneously trying to hold it straight four or five times, I began to really appreciate the primitive simplicity of the starnut.
Eventually, when I had to start testing a different bike, I moved the OneUp cockpit to it but used the already-installed starnut instead of the preloader and had zero issues.
If you use the EDC Stem, you have the option of storing your EDC tool in your steerer tube without needing to cut threads into its inner wall. Alternately, you can also store it in the handle of their impressive pump.
It deserved a second attempt, though. While the stem itself looks great, I didn't get along OneUp's headset preloading system until I recently installed it on the Norco Optic. Since then, the headset has come loose only once on the trail, and I was able to take up the slack without issue. That's great, but I guess my question is this: When did the starnut do you wrong?
I know, it seems a bit crude to be whaling on a component with a hammer, but starnuts sure do work well. You can use a cheap guide to make sure they go in straight, but you don't even need that; if you're careful, you can tap them in straight using just a hammer and the bolt itself. Expanding plugs do the job when it comes to carbon steerers, too, but when it comes to aluminum steerers, I'd rather deal with a hammer and big ol' bolt than a tiny screw and more little pieces.
Maybe I'm just closed-minded about this one, but put the damn EDC tool in the handle of OneUp's very good mini-pumps instead of down your steerer tube, and then combine the OneUp stem with a boring starnut. It just seems like a lot of trouble to put your tool somewhere it was never intended to be. As a bonus, the stem is $85 without it, saving you $30 USD.
Pros
+ Stem is solid, trouble-free on its own
+ Can ditch caveman-esque starnut
+ EDC or SWAT tools fit in steerer tube
Cons
- Headset preloader is finicky
- Need to hold stem straight while pushing down by hand
- The starnut did nothing wrong
Pinkbike's Take:
 | OneUp's stem looks great and is competitive with other high-end options when looking at weight and price, but I just don't see the need for a different way to preload my headset. Want to carry their EDC tool? Put it in the pump handle where it belongs. The cockpit marketplace is crowded with a bunch of options that all do the same job just as well, so I get why OneUp would want to approach it from their own angle. Thing is, the stem is nice on its own, without the so-called feature to make it stand out. |
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I think the actual goal for their designers was to create a uniform system to allow the use of their (very successful and awesome) edc multitool without their customers voiding fork manufacturers warranty.
I bet they had a ton of potential customers say something along these lines, “Oh that’s awesome! One less thing I’ve got to carry in my pack. Wait, what? I’ve got to thread my steerer tube? Naw, I’m good.”
There's better solutions to this contraption.
SKS has a new attachment for the water bottle cage that does the same job for less money and keeps the weight at the bottom of the bike.
The one thing I would love to try is what I've seen from Azonic, not sure what it was called. Instead of the star nut, the top cap just had a very long bolt that threaded into a small cap that rested against the bottom of the steerer, so at the bottom of the (lower) fork crown. As simple as can be, cheap and again you didn't need to have a star fangled nut jammed down the steerer. Not sure if they also have them for tapered steerer tubes but it wouldn't take much to adapt it.
Just looked it up. It is called the Azonic Head Lock. Can't find it on the Azonic website though.
The answer is simpler. OEM just need to laser etch a line all the way up the outside of the steerer tube that is dead front center. After you cut the steererr to your preferred length, you cut a small notch on the top of the steerer and have a nub in the top of the stem that drops into the groove you cut. Slap a spacer on top of the stem & tighten down the preload cap.
But that would be too logical.
Here...took me 3 seconds to find one new old stock on ebay...
www.ebay.com/itm/DIATECH-30mm-HEADSET-25-4mm-1-AHEAD-WITH-LOCKING-ADJUSTER-CLAMP-26-4-CROWN-RACE/202665817066
The OneUp system has a preload bolt and a unique off-center backup nut to hold that bolt tight. No one else has solved this problem (to our knowledge).
They're as sealed as most cartridge bearings actually are, and because they're NOT tiny little bearings, they last longer and can be easily serviced.
I'll take keeping a small extra wrench in my bag over the EDC stem any day.
no good for them to sell at increased profit you mean ?
Could be a real pain in the arse to sort out if trying to sort at a race / trail car park or similar too.
The less eloquent and featured SWAT insert does it better, though, by clamping at the bottom and top, then threading together. That way, the stem still acts as the main retaining force of the steerer and there is no risk of it coming loose.
Besides, no suspension manufacturer is going to turn you away for an issue in your damper because you threaded your steerer. And if they do, well that's what insurance is for.
I usually thought: Well, the Swat box seems gimmicky but its really nice to always have your tool, Pump and other things on the trail.
@OneUpComponents Guys really, we already know you can stash our tools high up there into a streer, but I am sure you have seen the idea of putting some tools into hollow axles of our cranks...are you going to react on this? It would make much more sense so I would maybe get rid off my ghetto corck plug with a needle and tire plug which is sitting there now.
I'll stick with the starnut.
However, it did take me a couple tries to get it installed properly. Five minutes I’ll never get back...
I have heard Fox voids for it, but again, I’d verify before doing anything
It's good that the stem steerer tube bolts are cinched down with 9 n-m, but it's hard to believe that the adjuster is going to stand up to the forces if ridden hard.
Having the tool in the steerer tube is a neat trick, and my buddies love asking me to borrow it for trail side adjustments. Interesting idea that OneUp have, think there is another evolution that'll make it even better. In the mean time it holds my bars just fine.
or maybe a desighn similar to the One up system that uses a 5mm allen an not a cassette tool. yeah I know there's a tool on the one up multi tool in an ECD but I dont want/need that since I'm not enduro enough to ride water bottle an still use a camel back, I know right SO unfashionable...
I just think after all these years of star nuts gouging soft ally steerers an BMX having a good system for years MTB needs to catch up. Yeah Head docs are good but..........
I wanna look down my steerer an see tyre ;D
It's crazy it's not an option for big wheel skiddy turny bikes.
Tree compression caps are the best in the biz; made out of 'Super douche lightweight' aluminum - perfect for MTB bikes. And enough colors to make insta glamers happy.
And they're 'engineered' enough that it doesn't need an web article explaining how to use it. Dunno, maybe SRAM or FOX will realize it's 2019 and add threads.
Prolly not
FSA Compressor = Win
Bottom line, echoing this review, is if you run an EDC tool in your steerer tube, this stem is awesome. (No need to cut a thread into your steerer tube and void the fork's warranty, as was the case for the old EDC installation method.)
If you don't have an EDC tool, or don't run it in your steerer tube, sticking with a star nut probably makes more sense.
However, its an absolute pain in the arse to preload the stem whilst tightening it and aligning it to the bars. Once its done, it works very well.
2nd however... if you crash, and knock the bars, theres a very very high chance that the preload will disappear and you will have to loosen the stem bolts and re-tighten. On the trail this is an absolute f**ker of a job, and even worse in a race!
I had the tapped steerer for the EDC tool previously, I'll be removing the preload mechanism and moving back to the original OneUp top cap.
I have an EDC and have cut threads into 3 forks. Being an engineer and having tinkered with bikes and cars for donkeys' years the process was a doddle, however I knows loads of riders who wouldn't want to go near their steerer despite the instructions with a tap so this solves that, albeit slightly niche, problem for them.
IMO the star fangled nut is, whilst simple and effective, brutal and archaic and I've seen plenty of cheap ones either collapase or rust apart failing trailside. Who carries a hammer and drift with them on a ride and an SFN fitting tool? Noone. Yes I'm being facetious but so are a lot of responses on here.
As a retrofit? Probably not, starting from scratch and don't want to cut a thread into a £1200 fork steerer and want to use a steerer mounted (and IMO excellent) EDC? Perfect.
Seems like a lot of effort and engineering to replace something that already works fine and is much more simple.
My 1999 Norco Rampage (steel XC hardtail) came with a Diacomp headset with the same style of preload adjuster. They were junk. It would not stay tight and was a pain to adjust. That is why Diacomp stopped making them.
*Ok, sort of a biggie because of these two, what I consider, other design flaws:
- top cap (metal) inserted into stem (metal) could not easily be removed. If you aren't using the plastic spacer (which has give), you are basically going to damage the finish of the stem as you try to pry out the top cap. No Bueno.
- the preloader system is extremely difficult to remove once installed - you are going to damage the edges of the stem (unless there is some act of sorcery of which I'm not aware which enables you to easily remove it).
But on one bike, it seems to be working fine...
I'll stick with threading the steer tube for the EDC tool, or pop it into my pump if necessary....
And, as I said, I can rave about the other stuff they make! those bars......
chainreactioncycles.scene7.com/is/image/ChainReactionCycles/prod48381_IMGSET?wid=586&hei=498
NASA spent millions to develop a pen that can write in Zero-Gravity. The Russians brought pencils with them into space instead.........
This new system is obviously well engineered and executed, but - come on, this is a bit ridiculous.
You can load the headset with just 1 Allen, but then to lock it in place, you need a second Allen to hold the loading bolt while you tighten the lock nut. (see items 10 and 11 in the exploded diagram in the article)
Kind of ironic.
I did have another incident where I twisted the bars a touch in a jump-case. I managed to just slightly loosen one of the clamp bolts a bit and twist the bars straight again without losing load on the headset bearings, but something to be mindful of trailside.
If your argument is that you physically need two seperate . You tighten the preload bolt and then the locking bolt-in sequence.
I carry a small multitool. The EDC tool is a tool of convenience and not necessity.
My clothing company invented a pocket for my multi tool, great thing is that I keep it in the car then put in my pocket.
I was going to try putting the OneUp, whilst fitted to my bike into my car front door pouch, but I couldnt figure out how to get the bike in there!!! (Dont react WAKster, avoid the keyboard.)
www.intend-bc.com/products/headset/stiffmaster
It is a bit more expensive, but promises to make a stiffer setup.
Are we still talking about bikes?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVHiQSnrq0o
As mentioned above MTB needs to adopt the BMX methood of head set tightening, either threaded tube or welded boss
Cons: heavy stem + heavy tools
Wailing: yelling/screaming/vigorously hitting