Here's a New Standard We Should Get Behind - Taipei Cycle Show 2018

Nov 1, 2018
by Mike Levy  
Taipei Cycle Show


I think we're all pretty tired of new, so-called standards popping up every other year, especially when it comes to hub spacing and bottom bracket dimensions that seem to provide about 0.3-percent improvement that may or may not be noticeable. But mostly not. I get it - things do move forward and bikes (hopefully) get better - but I'd be pretty damn happy to stick to the same hub sizes for a few years if it meant we got some much more practical updates to our gear.

You know, like a clever way to ensure that our stems are bang-on straight.

If you're a Motocross or Supercross fan, or just like dirt bikes, you might have heard of Tag Metals. They've been in the moto biz for twenty years, and now they have a range of mountain bike goods that includes a long-stroke dropper post, platform pedals, handlebars, carbon fiber wheels, and a stem called... The Stem. Okay, boring name but this little guy might be my favorite thing I've seen at the Taipei Cycle Show thanks to its 'Speed Align System.'


photo
Why didn't I think of this? Oh yeah, I'm not that clever.


This is about as straightforward as it gets. Two small vertical slots are machined into the back of the stem, one on each side of the steerer tube. The idea is to have Fox, RockShox, and maybe everyone else anodize two vertical white lines onto their steerer tubes that, you guessed it, align with the slots on the back of the stem. So if you see the white lines through the slots, you know that your stem is centered perfectly.

The Speed Align System isn't world-changing like Boost was* and I realize that we're all capable of getting our stems straight enough without two witness marks on the steerer tube to help us, but it is a nice touch that will make our lives easier. That's precisely what we need more of: Functional refinements.
*Sarcasm, of course.


Taipei Cycle Show
Taipei Cycle Show
The Stem can be had in 33, 35, and 45mm lengths, and with either a 31.8mm or 35mm handlebar clamp.


Tag Metals are talking to the major fork brands about getting those white lines anodized onto steerer tubes, and they have no plans to patent or keep the idea for themselves. That means that anyone is free to incorporate it into their own products. So, do you think this simple yet clever idea has some legs, or is it not needed?

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Stems Taipei Cycle Show


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196 Comments
  • 519 6
 They’ve been busy doing some stem sell research.
  • 107 7
 It’s good to see people finally torquing about it
  • 123 5
 Great ideas always stem from a bar.
  • 25 66
flag Theguyfromthealps (Nov 1, 2018 at 0:01) (Below Threshold)
 @sewer-rat: I know it might not be the best idea but it’s still stempting
  • 60 4
 @Boardlife69: just wait until the industry tries to clamp down on it
  • 27 6
 Once this catches on it will be hard to stem the tide
  • 32 5
 They'll never beat the sy-stem.
  • 18 4
 I write (headline) puns for a living and that is a beauty @Chewbiker
  • 13 3
 You’ll need to fork over some extra cash to get Fox and RS to add those lines.
  • 7 5
 They think that all fork manufacturers will align on those slots? Sounds like they were doing two white lines....
  • 6 1
 @nyhc00: Only on Factory level
  • 2 7
flag High-Life (Nov 1, 2018 at 7:25) (Below Threshold)
 You've been waiting all summer for a new stem release to say that
  • 8 2
 @rcrocha: those lines better be Kashima then.
  • 17 1
 People will be lining up for this!
  • 8 1
 @Chewbiker

I briefly lowered my head to my screen out of respect for your comment.
  • 8 0
 @Chewbiker That's possibly the best pun Ive seen on PB
  • 5 0
 There is a slot of possibility here.
  • 1 1
 that is funny
  • 2 1
 Good one bro Smile )))))
  • 1 0
 Can you handle another standard ?
  • 4 0
 So, let me get this straight...
  • 1 1
 Also help you tell if your bars are bent?
  • 1 0
 Straighten up and fly right.
  • 1 0
 @Cosmeau: barly...
  • 170 2
 Nice concept, easy to make simpler: Have Fox and RS and the rest anodize a single line facing straight back, and be able to align the majority of stems currently on the market.
  • 3 1
 Didn't DVO start marking their steerer tubes last year?
  • 31 6
 Nice to see things being steered in the right direction
  • 33 1
 If only there was a helpful little gap in the middle of the - oh there is. On nearly all stems. Including this one.
  • 43 1
 All well and good until, say, a premier Swedish suspension manufacturer - just as an example- does a batch of forks with the anodized mark off center...
  • 1 3
 This
  • 5 1
 Flashiest name for two white lines ever... "Speed Align System".... does it make you go faster errrrr?
  • 22 0
 Bike industry, you are the best at inventing problems and then solving them. Don't ever change.
  • 7 0
 Even simpler, use this thing called ‘The Eye’......
  • 1 0
 Why can I only give props to this once?
  • 1 0
 Precisely! I have thought of this before, and also thought of doing it myself. There is even a laser device being sold that attaches to the handlebar only for this purpose. Much simpler to just draw a line on the steerer tube.
  • 100 5
 I like too turn my stem a hair to the left on purpose. That way i don't second guess myself about it being perfectly in line, cause i know for sure it isn't. Life is better with slight imperfections.
  • 32 1
 I have a real problem with turning right. Like zoolander I naturally can only turn left. Doing what you said slightly to the right helps me out loads and helps me steer really really good
  • 78 1
 I hope you realize you're making thousands of people on the internet feel the urge to find you and come to your house and fix your stem.
  • 25 1
 @Bluefire: I don't want to fix it, want to surreptitiously turn it slightly to the right slightly and then wait for the crash.
  • 19 0
 You disgust me.
  • 27 0
 I bet the valves don’t line up with the logo on your tires as well.
  • 29 0
 @jamesdippy spends £80 on an angle headset, fits it sideways Smile
  • 30 0
 @nyhc00: Thats a real nightmare for me! There are two patches, one with the logo, one with the name of the tire. Which one? If it is the MAXXIS it is not the center of either X nor between the XX because the font has optical kerning. They should change it to monospace. Even worse if for general bike layout reasons you chose to allign to the name patch. There is the name and the other info, size, carcass etc. But they have different optical weight. So if you center it to the whole patch it looks out of center but also if you center it to the name. There is just no way to allign the valve stem to anything on the tire so ether i am blacking out my tires like a pro or on bad days i want to trim my stem but that is a dangerous road.
  • 2 0
 @jamesdippy: aaaggh me too!!! I've done this for years as I always used to struggle more turning right, so many people have told me my stem isn't straight and I'm like.... oh really!? I'll have to fix that later :-@
  • 2 1
 @jamesdippy: Except he can’t turn left lol
  • 5 0
 @Sontator: That shit drives me crazy. There's a new standard; make the freakin logos on tires so they line up with the stem right on both sides!
  • 7 0
 @Abacall: that's it, I'm quitting this sport.
  • 2 0
 @jamesdippy:
When in doubt, NASCAR out!
  • 1 0
 @sideshowb: that would be a brilliant April fools Day prank.

Now I just gotta figure out how to get access to one of my riding buddies bikes the day before to do the mod before the ride.....
  • 3 0
 @jamesdippy: "I'm not an ambiturner. It's a problem I had since I was a baby. I can't turn left."
  • 4 0
 @Sontator: Align the valve stem with the first X in Maxxis. It's symmetrically weighted around the first X. Can't help with the tire name and tech stamps, those are all over the place.
  • 1 0
 @GTscoob: Seriously, thank you for your help. Now I can be a bit more relaxed when changing tires.
  • 1 0
 @onemind123: Please film results for the rest of us if you manage it!
  • 3 0
 @Sontator: the xx is in a different place on either side
  • 2 0
 @pigman65: I know, there is the show side and the dark side which I rather not think of. I'll get my meds.
  • 1 0
 @Sontator: i've lined the wrong sides up a few times, and the oem logos are in white lol
  • 1 0
 @Bluefire: I love this place...
  • 1 0
 @pigman65: And WTF can't I get white logo Maxxis tires??? C'mon, that yellow is furking annoying as shit.
  • 1 0
 @Abacall: this
  • 1 0
 @underhawk: My theory.. I struggle with RH turns as someone else just mentioned from UK. We would both drive from the right side of the car meaning that field of view to the right is affected by the A pillar meaning having to crane the neck to look around it. Results in less relaxed RH turns on 2 wheels.
Youre saying cant turn left, same reason. The A pillar.. Except for the bit about having the problem since being a baby. That kinda holes my theory ..
  • 1 0
 Even better, tell someone that their bar looks just slightly misaligned to the front wheel and then watch them go nuts over it thinking that it matters ...
  • 1 0
 @Geearmo: Which turn you're better at depends on which foot you have forwards when riding. Right foot forward = better turning left I think, though could be wrong
  • 37 1
 They sole my naming for my proprietary SAS system "Sh@t Alignment System" - that's where you install your new stem in a cold garage with crap lighting from the side after having 7 beer at 3 in the morning with your baby crying and your dog scratching to get out. The new stem was 5 grams lighter than the previous one though!
  • 22 0
 It was the same stem, you just missed a 5g bolt.
  • 6 0
 I should have stopped at the 6 pack of beer you are correct.
  • 41 2
 Did my stem and fork just become obsolete?
  • 9 2
 It's ok, have a deep breathe.
  • 13 1
 (Bike industry) “Yeah, sorry.”
  • 10 0
 (Bike industry) “...not sorry."
  • 1 0
 That question will constantly be relevant...said the bike industry.
  • 41 2
 *Laser etch, not anodize.
  • 10 1
 +++ There's even no white anodizing. Also anodizing doesn't allow to make a line, it only "paints" the whole part. Quite strange to see this type of mistake from PB
  • 8 2
 Not to mention, any anodizing on the steer tube would be done before assembly, making it difficult to accurately align when pressing into the crown. Laser etching after assembly would definitely be the quickest and most accurate method.
  • 18 0
 The slots should not be vertical. They should be angled slightly off vertical. Referenced against vertical laser etched lines or against opposing slanted lines, the visible bit of line would move up/down in each slot and be very accurate by the time you height match the visible bit. You can even do it with scribing your own lines: flip the stem to scribe, then right way up to align.

The slots are very wide for a scribe line and appear to be totally vertical. If not slanted, you don't need two slots.

Just sayin'.
  • 10 0
 This guy engineers.
  • 3 0
 And he didn't even tell us in his comment!
  • 19 3
 Just lay a plastic ruler against your stanchions, you then have a long straight edge to line your bars up with. Oh, hang on, this solution may be way too simple and inexpensive.
  • 5 2
 That is a great idea. I normally look down the back of the crown and front of the bars. Your way is better.
  • 26 0
 Next product: Enduro plastic ruler to carry on the trails for realigning your bars after a stack
  • 8 0
 @sideshowb: Please, not plastic. Will never be straight. Brass. And controlled environment: temperature in particular.
  • 2 0
 Nice idea, will definitely give it a try. Might not work with a road bike.
  • 1 0
 @jaame: I do it your way, need no extra tools to hold, I say that is better.
  • 1 0
 That's a great solution. But it isn't like these guys are trying to reinvent the wheel. It's a pretty simple modification to forks and stems that could make shop life a little bit easier without adding significant cost to either part. Most importantly, everything would still be backwards-compatible and interchangeable with parts that don't have these marks/slots.
  • 4 0
 @big-red: Oh, no. If this gets adopted, we'll have to change the stem diameter to account for the potential cracking the lazer etching might promote. We'll have to go with 1 5/16 to compensate
  • 2 0
 Crap. I only have a wooden yard stick and a metal 18 inch ruler. Now I have to get plastic. I bet it has to be metric too.
  • 2 0
 @vapidoscar: Definitely, and shatterproof of course.
  • 19 3
 Great idea stemming from a real-world need. I’m in favor of it.
  • 1 2
 100%
  • 13 0
 Make steerer tubes and stems square. Boom. Somebody hire me.
  • 2 0
 Oh wait, there are still 3 ways to misalign a square tube.
  • 7 0
 The only thing the white line will do for me is cause me to close one eye, balance over the bike, and obsess endlessly over whether the stripe is in the middle of the alignment slot or not; the same way I do it with the fork crown and the handlebars today.
  • 1 0
 agreed
  • 8 0
 You can still use this stem. Buy it, align it with a straight edge like previously said. Then take a scribe and lightly scratch reference marks on your steerer.
  • 10 0
 Is there a dual crown stem option?
  • 6 1
 I don’t see that coming, because of more difficulties in the production of fork manufacturers. A steerer is a rotational symmetrical part and is not aligned during press in process nowadays. It would be quite a task for the forky people to make sure the steerer is always aligned (rotational alignment) to tight tolerances during assembly. Surely it would cost something to implement and control and as we all know: forks are way too cheap anyways, so go ahead. I will by a marker pen in the meantime...
  • 6 0
 Or... Those lines could be added AFTER assembly...
  • 2 0
 @muyguapa: exactly. Take the fork and lay it in a moulded jig that holds it perfectly flat, then add an etch mark from a fixed-position tool and be on your way.
  • 1 0
 Can’t see why a fork manufacturer would add an extra process to negate a problem that only exists among the more ocd members of our tribe
  • 3 0
 @randybadger: Because the marketing departments keep harping on about "precision" with their arbitrary 0.003% increments and what nots. Jokes aside, these are tiny little things I'm surprised has taken the industry so long to implement. Even sag gradients on stanchions, are pretty much done by one(?) company, when it seems like a nice touch that should be found on all suspension bits?
  • 5 0
 Aligning a line and a slot by eye is hardly an accurate system. that slot looks huge compared to the width of a line. add to this the fact that when you tighten the stem you move the slots closer together. Ugh, disaster.
  • 6 3
 Tag has always had quality Moto parts. I’m excited to check out the new mtb products. The alignment system will help those very sensitive to bar position. I’m also excited about their other products in the pipeline, carbon wheels, carbon bars, dropper, and pedals.
  • 1 1
 Prop you back up to remove the hate.
  • 4 1
 This would add a fair bit to the cost of a fork (other than one piece crown types where it would only add a small amount to an already costly process). Right now they take a round steerer tube and suage it into a round hole in the crown. They don't need to put any machine time or human expertise into alignment and once it is in that is the end of the process.

They could laser etch the lines into the part once the two are mated but that means a whole large jig system into the laser etch machine to get everything correctly aligned.

Its a cool idea but its a lot less costly for the person assembling the bike to just line it up with the wheel by eye.
  • 1 0
 It would obviously have to be laser etched after assembly.
  • 6 1
 I love it. My stem got knocked loose a few rides ago and now my it will never be straight again
  • 4 0
 But what if you are not sure if you aligned the line 100% precisely. If you are obsessed with details like having your bars 100% straight this will not help you.
  • 4 2
 Here's a tip - when you're standing on your bike with the stem bolts loosened slightly look down over the headtube and align the bottom edge of the handlebar against the crown. You can get it near perfect without having to worry about a new standard.
  • 1 0
 don't particularly think this would work as when they assemble the forks I presume the steerers don't need to be aligned in any way as they are uniform all around and are just pressed into the crown. to do this they would have to align every steerer creating more work surely?
  • 5 1
 Cool, but you can still align you bars with your fork crown by using your eyes.
  • 5 3
 I predict Trust Performance will be the first manufacturers to start marking their steerers. It'll be a great way of allowing them to charge a little more for their product, as at the moment it's way too cheap.
  • 4 1
 It'd be even nicer if the alignment was mechanical, but this is still great and I fully agree with PB that we need more of these sort of things.
  • 1 0
 When I raced motocross Tag was one of my sponsors. They make awesome products and they did a great job with the aesthetics of the stem. I don't care so much about the alignment aspect of the stem, but I love their products, so I will be buying one.
  • 1 0
 @mrleach: and if you know anything about quality control, that is even a nightmare jig to create and have be perfectly precise.

A line on a steerer tube that is at the center of a cast crown, 2 machined stanchions sliding inside a set of oiled, machined bushings, etc. The mark would be misaligned more than it would be straight in a production setting.

Just sounds like an engineer's worst nightmare to nail that mark on the steerer.

Only way to successfully implement this into a fork is to have a center notch in the crown that lines up with a centering notch in the steerer tube that have to key together when pressed in.
That way you could pre-groove the steerer tube (which would be better served to have a groove on the front or back of it that the stem collar slots into.

Have never understood why we haven't made a keyed interface between steerer/crown & stem? All it takes is a fork manufacturer making their own single crown stem that key together. The key slot on the fork would have to be so many millimeters above the upper bearing and you're done. Heck, you can even do a "spline" interface between a stem and steerer tube the same as a crankset if the fork manufacturers really wanted to fix the issue.
  • 2 0
 I think that the stem should be free to rotate under big impacts, for your own safety and to preserve brake levers, shifter trigger and all the things hanging from the bar
  • 1 0
 Meh...
  • 1 0
 Just to condense my statement: Simplest solution is a keyed slot interface where the steerer tube presses into the crown that has either a spline just like a crankset or another keyed slot above the headset interface on the steerer tube.

Stupid chisel line and your stem still spins when you least expect it. Steerer tube with a spline or key slot that mates to a key slot on a stem. Done!
  • 1 0
 All the good lines were taken so I'm going to pass on my lame attempt at humor. I like the idea on this product and would buy one. However, I wouldn't go buy new forks just for matching lines. The funny thing is that I keep struggling to get my alignment just right and was afraid to ask anyone and look stupid. Then last weekend at a local trail network, 3 guys near me were talking about struggling to get their handlebars aligned. I guess I'm not the only stupid rider out there after all. I recently saw a tip on YouTube that said to lay a ruler on the front tire butted against the stanchion tubes to help with this alignment. I told those guys about it, but I haven't actually tried it myself yet.
  • 1 0
 Great idea but you're asking companies to spend their own time and money to put the etching on their product. Everything for 2019 and huge portions of product for 2020 are already in production. So at the earliest your'e talking 2021.

Now... you're also asking them to do this for a niche product. How many people are going to run that stem and how many current companies are going to alter their products to include these holes?

Great ideas but this shit will not happen.

They'd be better off providing a template for people to use to spray paint or Sharpe lines on their products themselves before installation. This is a huge change for a minor issue. Not gonna happen. But hey.... they got a crap ton of free press letting people know they're coming in heavy to the MTB world.... sooo... win win for them. LOL!
  • 3 0
 How am I supposed to make people feel self conscious on the trail about their bars being a minuscule amount off-center with standards like this?
  • 2 0
 One *(no)-color* line (maybe in the middle) is enough! Why 2? Even with no line at all it was possible till now... Might help in wintertime when you have to setup all those new bikes in the shop fast for the next season...
  • 1 0
 "This is about as straightforward as it gets. Two small vertical slots are machined into the back of the stem, one on each side of the steerer tube. The idea is to have Fox, RockShox, and maybe everyone else anodize two vertical white lines onto their steerer tubes that, you guessed it, align with the slots on the back of the stem."

No. As straightforward as it gets would be to anodize a single line on the back of the steerer tube, which you can see through the existing stem bolt clamp slot.

Or you could just line the back of the bars up with the front face of the Dropouts like a normal person
  • 3 0
 As a mechanic, this would make my job much easier, but some of the kooks wouldnt come in anymore
  • 2 0
 Right? So many comments here saying it's not that hard now. But for folks like you, that extra minute or two saved a couple times a day could really add up. I just like the idea for my own bike because aligning bars is not fun, even if it's not particularly hard.
  • 1 1
 @big-red: I dunno. I've always liked that part of maintenance. Means I'm on the last step!
  • 3 1
 No matter whether RockShox & Fox will follow. These huge bolts at the back made me forget about my bar alignment... and start worrying about my knees instead.
  • 2 0
 I score a reference line on all my steerers and stems? This seems pretty unnecessary, a keyed steerer tube would be another story.
  • 3 1
 Much to do about nothing, Maybe they can add an arrow so we can tell which way is supposed to point to the front of the bike.
  • 2 0
 Not worth the cost. It requires both more time in the CNC machine for the stem, and significant extra fabrication steps for the steerer tube.
  • 3 0
 Dont stem already have a gap? around the back of stem.... u know fork can put line down on back of thier steerer tube...
  • 4 1
 @mikelevy hasn't had to review a flexy 29er wheel since boost came out yet is still complaining about it :p
  • 1 0
 Ya, he should have published that comment without the sarcasm footnote. Everyone likes throwing red meat to the pack of wolves now and then.
  • 2 1
 @pinhead907: Hahaha true, but that hits a little too close to home with Nov 6 looming
  • 2 0
 wasn't it Tune that made a laser guide that you bolted through the faceplate of the stem to align with the center of the tire?
  • 3 1
 "Here's a new standard we should get behind..." Followed by 130+ comments about why we won't get behind this standard. You people are the reason we can't have world peace.
  • 1 1
 Great idea, but without the center line on the steerer tube, this SAS is just STUP*D *SS SH*T? I'm betting the suspension manufacturers will eventually add that center mark on their steerer tubes, but not without additional cost!! Popcorn ready!
  • 2 2
 This isn't a new standard, it's a bonus on a current standard. You guys really need to stop with this clickbait ass title shit you've been doing the last couple of weeks. Lowering the quality of your content does not speak well to people that have been here for years...
  • 4 1
 I was worried for a second incase i needed to go buy a new bike
  • 1 0
 You already have a built-in alignment gauge...sight your handlebars with the leading edges of your fork dropouts. Simple, effective, and free.
  • 2 1
 Yes, all we need are useful standards. boost spacing works well enough and how much longer can bikes get. we need new standards to help make things easier and less expensive.
  • 4 1
 31.8 aint dead - hopefully...
  • 2 2
 Hope did a much smarter thing with their AM35 Stem,but you have to be at least a little clever to get it,heres a hint:laseredged lines on the frontplate and a Bridge of Fork Lowers,i´ll leave the rest for the clever.
  • 2 0
 Great idea, would buy. Have probably wasted hours over my life trying to align stems!
  • 2 1
 pretty cool, if a little unnecessary. I've been eyeballing like the rest of you for 15 years and I can't say I've ever had an issue getting a stem straight ever
  • 3 0
 can we do this for seat posts too please
  • 1 0
 Or just have them oval. Or just have a notch in them.
  • 2 0
 Totally agree. But I'm sure they have thought of this years ago and just decided we don't deserve such simplicity.
  • 1 0
 I would prefer if the steerer had a vertical groove machined into it then the groove painted (only needs to be 0.5mil) rather than just the surface of the steerer.
  • 2 0
 Fork manufacturers would put their white lines 1.37mm out & have a new standard
  • 2 0
 My stem has a built in lazer. After I'm done dazzling the cats perhaps I'll use it to align my stem.
  • 1 0
 Can't they just put (1) vertical line at the back.....then it will work with 95% of stems already out there? WTF am I missing?
  • 1 0
 Nice but all the options are too short for me. Longer stems let me weight the front tire more and make the bike more stable so I never bought into the very short stem hype.
  • 1 0
 Why don't they just use a hexagonal steerer and have a corresponding crown race and upper locating collar so you can have a perfect matching steerer and stem. *Sarcasm btw*
  • 2 0
 I'd like to see a stem standard for attaching lights.
  • 1 1
 I don't know 33mm might be too short but 35mm seems too long. wish it would be available in a 34mm length. Why not do 35,40,45??
  • 1 0
 Why not just etch a small line with a knife??? I doubt they will ever make this into a standard
  • 5 3
 Is this Reeealy that much of a problem.....?
  • 2 1
 IKR....Exactly!
  • 6 6
 Why not tackle several problems at once?:
Make a splined steerer tube and hey presto; no allignment isseus ore a stem which rotates around the steerer tube any more.......
  • 11 1
 Is'nt it good that the current stems can rotate a little in a crash though without breaking anything? Splined might be too strong a fixing maybe, and parts would be more likely to break in a crash?
  • 4 1
 What if your steer tube twists a little when you crash, it will be hard to align it again.
  • 3 6
 @frichelie: you can always make a brake away feature in the spline. So that in case of a hard impact this will shear of but still be functional?
  • 3 1
 But a splined system would prevent the use of a pipe slice to reduce steerer tube length which gives a far nicer finish than a hacksaw and vice which always go off camber. Just a small practicality...
  • 5 2
 Absolute nonsense, it would be very heavy to get the same strength as a round tube and the machining would be expensive.
  • 1 3
 @IluvRIDING: and whats your solution then?
  • 1 1
 @wittereus Exactly what I was thinking! A standard mechanical interface that makes it impossible to misalign. Like a freehub. Oh wait, then someone will come up with something like XD that also makes sure your headset is properly adjusted. And MIPS handlebars.
  • 1 0
 @TenBeers: thanks man!
  • 4 2
 Or, just ask yer missus, 'am l a bit on the left, or a bit on the right?
  • 1 1
 I foresee many MTB riders steering into trees shortly after this standard is adopted. Except for me... even if it is inevitable...
  • 1 0
 It'd certainly be nice, but taking a valve paint marker to my existing stem & steer tube might work just as well...
  • 2 0
 I can never get my bars straight. NEVER. I love this idea.
  • 1 0
 standing over bike, look down and sight alignment of bars with the top of each stanchion. it's that easy
  • 1 0
 Have a groove cut in the outside of the steerer. Have a protruding bit on the inside of the stem. Done.
  • 1 0
 Cool idea. Would have been great if it came out 10 years ago though !!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 That seems like a clever idea, cannot wait to see it implemented to direct mount stems!
  • 1 0
 Just spray paint over tyre logo now no need line up vales, problem solved?
  • 1 0
 The photographer missed the one photo that would show us how it works...
  • 4 3
 Lol....because stem/bar alignment is sooo hard!
  • 3 1
 mcdonalization of mtb
  • 2 1
 Can't believe how long its taken for this to happen. Crazy
  • 1 0
 another reason for OCDs to stop mid-ride to check and realign
  • 1 0
 Another solution looking for a problem...
  • 1 0
 I love it. I hate when my bars aren't perfectly straight.
  • 2 3
 Just ride the frickin' bike! This is just a goofy waste of time that is justifying the paycheck of some engineer
  • 1 1
 IKR....the bike industry sees all these idiot suckers from a mile away,lol.
Like is this is really a problem for you!?!?
  • 1 1
 but only useful if your bars are perfectly made/straight
  • 2 1
 I thought of it.
  • 1 0
 Nice stem!
  • 1 0
 Terrible jokes. Really.
  • 2 1
 Great idea, long overdue
  • 1 1
 I just eyeball it . Never let me down yet .
  • 1 0
 yeah and I would assume that 999 out of 1000 would eyeball the bar to the front wheel after eyeballing the line to the slot anyway...
  • 1 0
 waste of money... haha
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