Easton EA90 Stem
We all want stems that are strong and light. We want them to be durable, and we want them to minimize stress on the handlebar and fork clamped on either end of the stem. Easton addresses all points in their EA90 stem. The most unique feature of the EA90 is the DST technology faceplate. Distributed Stress Technology is simple, but works wonders. It appears to be just a flourish; notice how the "E" icon spreads past the four bolts on both sides. This increases the contact area between the face plate and the handlebars. Essentially, the clamp itself creates edge stress, and tightening the bolts creates clamp stress. The way the faceplate is wider than the bolts means those stresses are distributed over a wider area and those aren't as concentrated on the handlebar. The stem also has what Easton called Top Lock technology. This means that you should tighten the top of the clamp first so the faceplate is directly contacting the stem. This creates a stronger force against the bars and increases the stem bolts fatigue life. This aluminum stem comes in two different rises 0-degrees (sometimes called a 90-degrees) because it is perpendicular to the steerer tube; the second is +/- 10-degrees (sometimes known as 80/100-degrees). The height of the steerer tube clamp is 40mm; it is secured by two opposing bolts to minimize stresses on the steerer tube. The stem is available in 31. 8mm handlebar clamp and 1 1/8th inch steerer clamp only. Lengths available are 90-130mm in 10mm increments. All bolts are made of steel and accept 4mm Allen keys and a max torque of 8Nm. The stem can be used with any handlebar and fork combination that has the matching diameters. There is a limited five-year warranty on the stem. The stem is available in Black. The claimed weight of the Easton EA90 stem is 130g (in the 120mm size).