BMX STEMS EXPLAINED 2020 - SOURCE SPOTLIGHT

[@seancov3441]

After watching this whole video with interest I’ve realized how ridiculously in love with BMX I am. Never would I think to watch a 24 minute monotone video about the different weights of metal chunks

[@OurBMX]

Haha. Imagine how in love with it you have to be to make the damn video... thanks sean.

[@shrimshrimma1243]

Since "The Merged" went off line I've been looking for somewhere that does reviews/in depth spec info. Thanks a lot folks at Our BMX. I hope these videos can fill the void.

[@electronbeing5473]

Its Jeff z from RideBMX that runs this channel. I think.

[@Brant_Moore]

Gotcha covered for anything that isn't on this channel yet!

[@shrimshrimma1243]

@@electronbeing5473 yeah I think it's most of it not all of the guys from Ride BMX before it got shot down. The Merged was a web blog a few years back that showcased up and coming parts and did some reviews on parts. It was simple and good and seemed to be pretty unbiased user review.

[@shrimshrimma1243]

@@Brant_Moore I've see your stuff on reddit. I like it but it's not what I'm looking for I'm afraid.

[@Brant_Moore]

Sam Ward I literally have almost this exact same video...... Hahaha

[@bmxaf]

Great Ryan, much needed content for the industry.. Tedious for you to organize and film i'm sure but very useful guide indeed..!! Thx

[@electronbeing5473]

Is that Ryan fudger?

[@bmxaf]

@@electronbeing5473, yup.

[@electronbeing5473]

@@bmxaf man I grew up reading that shit! Still have a ton of Ride copies

[@OurBMX]

Thanks my dude...definitely a work in progress. I'll down some coffee and work on my youtube voice for the next one, haha.

[@roadrash9024]

I don't know what Odyssey does to manufacture their stems, but, the grip is insanely good. I don't even tighten them very much. I am guessing, but, I think their CNC machines are just more accurate at cutting a perfectly machined curve. I can run anyone's bars. They all clamp extremely well. Either way, it makes it difficult to look elsewhere and spend as much money.

[@codywhitehead]

Coming from mid school I'm used to small bars. So to go along with the new school stuff I switched to a front load with 9" bars and kids dont ask me why my bars are so small anymore lol. I think I'm like an inch higher than I used to be in 2002

[@jcobra09]

I started racing in 1990. Rode my bikes like that for a long time. Switched to that mid-school narrow bars/heavy bike thing, didn’t ride much the last 10 years, now I’m riding a custom Sunday EX. Love Our BMX.

[@j.bermudez3958]

Dig it. Definitely is a need and a place for this kind of video in BMX. Wish there was more like this when I was coming up, then I wouldn't have gone through so much trial and error, so many different parts to eventually learn all the aspects and dial in my feel.

[@OurBMX]

Thanks my dude!

[@Rxu844]

ive always hated the stem flipping too. Thanks for doing this, I think this would be cool to do with frames because there is a lot about a frames out there with a variety of geo and tube thickness, and other characteristics which make it look a lot different in person than in pictures and since there are not many bike shops around its nice to see videos of products.

[@electronbeing5473]

Nothing wrong with flipping a front load

[@OurBMX]

Frames may kill me, but it will happen at some point. Thanks Derrick!

[@younggotti8195]

Even when everyone ran front in the 90s...top load made more sense to me..your pulling up against a flat piece of metal rather than bolts holding 2 pieces of metal together

[@ChiTownGuerrilla]

Wow I remember back in 2010 NOBODY ran top load! Funny how the trends change. I'm still running a Premium Sub 9 front load stem, eventually going to try a top load!

[@ryankchiche6690]

Lol yeah exactly, came back after 10 years this week and all i was seeing was top load. Im still rocking that front load aswell. Gotta swap i guess

[@ChiTownGuerrilla]

@@ryankchiche6690 Haha yeah and all these pussies got a free coaster! 😁 I already have Standard 9.5" bars, I remember when 8" bars we're considered "big bars"lol so a top load would make them even higher lol ill keep my premium stem!

[@seaeff6428]

@@ChiTownGuerrilla Right I was so confused. At the beginning of the video he said bmx has always been top load stem. lol. Ive been riding since 2004ish and it wasn't till 2011-2012 that the majority of rider stated riding top loads. I still ride a profile acoustic stem along with a Thompson elite post and railed seat almost slammed brakes and only a 2.25 front tire and brakes with no gyro and no pegs. some call me old but then again people would rather: hop bar manual 180 fakie half cab manual 180 off curb fakie half cab up curb bar off curb than actually ride trails. Im sour. lol

[@AmazingChinaToday]

The Hope DH stem (for downhill mountain bikes) has a cool design innovation I'm surprised isn't used by all stems. The Hope stem is designed to tighten the top two bolts all the way, so the stem cap contacts the stem body. The result is a 100% perfect circle in the clamping area, and you then tighten the last two bolts evenly. This is a superior design approach, and is much better than trying to evenly tighten 4 bolts and keep the gap even with the top cap. It is probably stronger, also, because the clamping area is always 100% perfectly round and contacting the bars evenly.

[@3rdWorldNola]

2023, the return of the front loader.

[@VAustin89]

Have flipped my front load before when I was saving up to get top load to add a bit of height on my bars. I think Sean Burns his flip top load stem.

[@electronbeing5473]

Becuz studs like Burns know top loads are gay

[@N-B-MMA]

Flipped frontloads are fine

[@mikejoned7148]

@@electronbeing5473 I don't know your statement sounded a little gay but hey it's ok to be your own person

[@diegossotto]

Garret rides front load, Godwin rides frontload, Prangenberg rides a top load, Mat Ray's signature stem is front load, I ride front load. I dont know man check the stats for to me, some of the most tech-gnarly street dogs ride front load with a taller amount of space. Honestly the pop with a front load feels much better than with top loads at my regular spacing set up. Cheers good video.

[@OurBMX]

I edited out the part where I said, "but I'm old, so don't listen to me."

[@iLLuzion1st]

Thanks for making these videos! Always more to learn. I get buddies asking tech questions about bmx parts all the time. So these videos r great!

[@ericsanquist]

hey do not forget about flipping the front load stem to add even higher most people run it pointing down as it comes like you show in the video

[@ericsanquist]

not all front load stems can not be run flipped like in this video

[@electronbeing5473]

I'm amazed they didnt talk about that more

[@zombiehunter5923]

Its pretty cool that you say the price on each stem So we know what to pay when shopping around Or someone offers us bmx. Stuff Keep the great videos

[@ajanichin-asiong1456]

source runs their stuff kinda expensive tbh

[@jeremysmith9088]

easily got a grand worth of stems in this video lol nice, I definitely prefer a top load, im almost 6 feet tall so i like the room

[@electronbeing5473]

I'm over 6 foot, and I hate top loads. 10" bars and my 10 year old fly front loader feels perfect

[@jeremysmith9088]

Id probably be alright with a front load if i had 10s but i dont have 10in bars

[@electronbeing5473]

@@jeremysmith9088 they make more every day

[@tope.sosanya]

Thanks Ryan!! Super good info!!! Thanks for all the info- especially about CNC vs. cast mold 💯🔥 I really looked into stem reach before I bought my last stem because I recently am getting back into barspins. I found that having a shorter stem reach is a bit easier to do barspins because there is less travel for the bars around the axis of the forks, this the bars don’t hit my knees as easier- especially since bars have gotten larger over the years. Thanks again for the info - I love info videos like this please make more!

[@OurBMX]

Hope you're well, Tope!

[@Aljonone1]

Just to up date you on processes used in making a stem, quality stems are forged construction then cnc machined which is stronger than cnc stem from block of aluminium alloy!

[@j.fisher8369]

i really dug that brief period when customizers were flipping their top loads, counterboring the bottoms, and running them inverted! The Fly Central was a bit of a throw back to all that. Now as rare as hens teeth....

[@stewpeedindians]

One of my favorite components of a BMX bike

[@tylerdurden8849]

very well made and informative. thank you

[@thebmxfiles5147]

wish there where videos like this when i started, so sick!

[@NycZooYork]

I feel that when the clamping hole is higher from the stem base that it gives you better leverage for an easier pull up, regardless of the handlebar rise. Like pulling back on a wrench (🔧) at a higher angle.

[@badfourlife]

nah its the same as extra bar rise(which changes leverage massively)... going up 3/4" on my bars and my manual/hop just felt stupid.... had to put some smaller bars back on

[@NycZooYork]

@@badfourlife But we're talking stems. I got taller bars and had the same issue as you so I tried a front load and it was harder to manual with the bars still being higher. I've even messed with flipping a front load to make the clamp hole further from the top cap.

[@ahmetcemiloglu7213]

BMX specific stems are not measured from the center of the steerer clamp, but the bottom of it. The purple one at 3:30 would have a negative rise / drop if it was measured from the center of the steerer clamp, and the black would be about half of 34mm.

[@OlafThorbjorn]

That Profile stem has been around forever. It came standard with the Specialized P1 Dirt Jumper rigid forks. 👌

[@janeblogs324]

Dang, I've got a p1 and its got a truvativ stem

[@xpndblhero5170]

I remember when I was younger I used to drill big holes in my stems to save weight and sometimes we would flip the stem over to drop the bars lower.... LoL

[@hachi-rokuperformancegroup3987]

I always preferred front load because it helped with my monkey arms

[@jestonjump5647]

dope. we need more vids explaining all the numbers we see on the websites.

[@israelsantos3614]

I love bmx bro.

[@juliangaribay4711]

Front loads and mid loads for life

[@electronbeing5473]

This! I have always hated top loads

[@_Greasyzoku_]

I always wanted the SOLID engraved stem

[@sethallen4130]

i love this. thanks ryan

[@liljibi]

Source jams gonna be ordering some parts this year

[@Tlynch4130]

Top load for life!

[@dennisd4452]

They all still feel very heavy. I wounder if they could put dimples and a few more holes to lighten the weight. Though I suppose that weakens the strength of getting crazy doing bmx tricks.

[@kolevoelker5375]

great video fudge(:

[@OurBMX]

Haha, sorry you had to sit through that

[@ronh2889]

Kids ain't dumb. They know what they want!

[@iLLuzion1st]

ron h my buddy calls me about bmx parts all the time! U dont know what u dont know

[@randomchannel4886]

Idk man ive been riding the wrong geometry and spec on my bike for years id buy whatever was on clearance on danscomp, and always rode small bars and long chainstays and never really progressed. Now i have a dialed bike learning new tricks everyday thanks to the right geo

[@soots-stayingoutofthespotl5495]

@@randomchannel4886 I would be interested to know what geo you rode that you finally figured-out was wrong (TT length, CS length, fork offset, bar height, stem etc) compared to your height. I had a 20.5" TT and found the front-end twitchy at 5'7.5"/ 5'8" tall, but my inability to control it may have been down to my lack of skill tbh. I was thinking about going slightly longer to a 20.75" with 13.25" slammed CS this time, combined with 32mm forks, but your comment makes me think that might be the wrong move to effectively go longer.

[@nesterov_g]

how much people in 2020 rides FronLoad?. I'm ridding frontload stem, cause this makes my barspins fasters, just like Garrett Reynolds :)

[@sole__doubt]

Just bought a front load because I couldn't find a top load with 40mm reach. I love it and it looks great.

[@narutointel]

Thank you. This helped me a lot..

[@ScreamingEagleFTW]

great video, thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@JonoGuapo4]

I think we need more informative videos. Especially for people who are just starting out riding. When I learned It was through trial and error which can get expensive in BMX.

[@OurBMX]

More coming! Thanks for the comment my dude!

[@JonoGuapo4]

@@OurBMX a video on frame dimensions would be incredible for new riders.

[@OurBMX]

That will definitely happen. I have a huge list of videos to make, but they probably won't happen until march.

[@pauljames4510]

7:09 the kink high rise stem is out of stock on source bmx

[@N-B-MMA]

Get the shadow Odin

[@OurBMX]

@shred the gnar. What's Dan's Comp?

[@OurBMX]

Doh. Well, I just sent the one from the video back on Tuesday, so maybe they'll have one in shortly? Haha

[@ragingbull5883]

Are all the fork tube ends the same diameter? I have an older style DJ and I want to put BMX bars onto it...

[@juliangaribay4711]

Some top loads can be flipped for a lower bar position if youre running big bars and feel that the ride is too much

[@electronbeing5473]

Why are you informing people of a fact he clearly talked about in the video?

[@electronbeing5473]

@shred the gnar. that's what bolts are for is holding stuff. Torque to spec and use loctite, you won't need to hope.

[@OurBMX]

For sure...but it just doesn't look good, in my opinion.

[@prayarcher]

Odyssey Bang!

[@themuhaiminmzln]

Hello ryan , you’ve mistaken the volume staple stem with the beefy volume vlm stem . The staple stem is way cheaper and weaker whilst the vlm stem is super beefy and can take a beating since i’ve had one before .

[@OurBMX]

I don't want to watch the video to confirm, but I just looked at the source site and I definitely had the Staple stem...hopefully I didn't mix the specs around. Thanks for the heads up though!

[@shokurozu277]

Showing my age a little but you remember when 2Hip dip they stem that had to be used with these sleeve that had pin that had to be used with their specific bars that made your bars 1inch id. Its would have been cool if they didn't have to be used with their bars only.

[@OurBMX]

Yeah, but it was a pretty weird/bad design and I feel like your bars being able to slip can save you in some instances. Would be interesting to see if someone can pull it off these days, though.

[@nf4833]

I think it’s called Groovetech I just saw it on the 2hip site looks like the still sell it

[@JanoyCresva]

WOuldve liked to see a tree collet stem or something. That thing was unique.

[@N-B-MMA]

Awesome video..the fit high top stem is fairly weak I broke mine first month at the steerer bolts

[@dangerpea108]

Isn't rise measured from the bottom of the stem to the center of your bars?

[@Distracted_driving_kills]

Help me out here.. i have a new frame coming with a 75.5 degree headtube vs my current frame at 75 degree, if this feels too twitchy for me, do i want to get a shorter or longer stem to make it less twitchy?

[@soyotakounu887]

Wau is sou cool

[@electronbeing5473]

Ain't showin the odyssey elementary some love?!

[@N-B-MMA]

Do they make it still?

[@electronbeing5473]

@@N-B-MMA I kinda doubt it, the design was solid tho idunno why there's not a modern model

[@badfourlife]

ive been riding the v3 since it came out.... when was that like 08-09... and i rode a v1 for a couple years before that.... best stem!

[@bmorris5863]

Random fact one of the best parts ever. "The Odyssey Elementary Stem has been awarded with a “Design Distinction” prize in the Equipment Category of I.D. Magazine’s 2005 Annual Design Review issue. The stem was one of 150 winners that was recognized from a field of approximately 2000 submissions, and shares the pages with entries from Nike, Apple Computer, Adidas, BMW, Jet Blue, Burton Snowboards and more. The July/August 2005 issue of I.D. is on shelves at major book sellers now."

[@OurBMX]

Definitely changed the game for a while there, but BMX has gone back to the six bolt design. No more wedges.

[@GuiGuIXOx]

Front are cool when you have a 24 inch bmx just saying for some rider ! Eight like a mountain bike 😅

[@electronbeing5473]

Front loaders are stiffer feeling and stronger, and they look more badass. Top loads gross me out I hate them.

[@electronbeing5473]

@shred the gnar. lol I've rode both, for years. You couldn't be more cute ;)

[@electronbeing5473]

@Real Donald Trump front loads look better on every bike. But in my opinion more so on a pegless one brake dirt jumper. Weird how your perception is exactly opposite.

[@OurBMX]

Definitely a subjective topic...I've always preferred top loads (and not the high rise ones), but I feel like younger riders are leaning more towards front loads. To each their own, of course.

[@pm_bikes]

I had a primo frontload with SOLID bolts for about a year when I was 14 and weighed about 110 lbs (I was small) before both the top bolts snapped upon landing a pretty big skatepark gap, bars went down to the tire and ate shit. Figured that was because front load stems put a significant amount of downward force on the bolts, so I went and bought a top load Ecalt with HOLLOW bolts which is going 8 years strong. As an engineer now, It still seems much smarter to apply most of your downward force to the girth of a stem with a topload than to the bolts with a frontload. (But who thinks about those things right!)

[@hippiemark01]

Uurgh, 1 inch clamp points again... Didn't work 20 years ago why would it work now?

[@sergiochavez2400]

The one I wish you went over was cinema Martinez stem😪

[@hed1fsu]

Need to talk cast machining vs billet machining. Cast are ssme are most machined stems, which are poured, then cleaned up machine wise. Why we pay more, for the clean up of it. Billet is the super spendy stems.. that just look like cast machined.

[@joshuastauffer8434]

R.I.P. bottom load stems

[@joachims.8056]

Haha I ride the éclat Burns V2 top load stem. I flipped it in bottom load 8 monts ago and it is perfect since. This setup is super strong because I ride it almost every day and I do gaps, ride bowl and trails, and I've never had any problems !

[@prayarcher]

Redline🤨

[@cartracer64]

can i install a bmx style stem on my urban commuter haro beasley as long as the steerer tube is 1 1/8. are the top caps all universal fit? thanks

[@DrewtheShrew]

The only stem that matters is the purple Animal stem

[@fransschreuders8488]

They came up with Front Load to lower your bars because Top Load with a gyro is too high

[@soots-stayingoutofthespotl5495]

Interesting. Can anyone attest to this; that generally you don't want to combine a top loader with a gyro?

[@lynwoodvallejo8697]

I’m having a situation where I have my bolts from my front load stem and I’m trying to use it on my top load but my handlebars are still loose is there a difference in hardware compared to front load and top load hardware??

[@OurBMX]

There shouldn’t be. Are the bolts bottoming out on the stem?

[@badfourlife]

No elementary stem? The greatest stem of all time!

[@killamynd5825]

nah bro the old dk stem

[@pipecfh]

2021 and I'm still riding my elementary stem!

[@vl995]

So I can ride 10" bars on a frontload and I'd be the same as 9" on a topload?

[@griffenlawler5057]

make more maybe on freecoasters forks or bars

[@OurBMX]

Yup, we’ll have another next month. 🙌

[@karimdiab1338]

Best stem recommendations? Budget high, mid and low? Help a fellow rider out Top load pls

[@electronbeing5473]

@shred the gnar. no way you broke a front load. Cuz they're better

[@bmorris5863]

You're literally on 24 minute video about it....

[@ChiTownGuerrilla]

Sunday has a nice top load for like $30. I think its called the "freeze" stem.

[@pauljames4510]

9:20 1/4 bolts rust out and snap that's what happend to my push stem

[@N-B-MMA]

I don't like 1/4" because all my bike tools are metric

[@OurBMX]

The unit of measurement doesn't have any effect on strength.

[@ChiTownGuerrilla]

I'm guessing that's mostly your fault. If you let bolts get so rusty to the point where they snap, can't really blame the manufacturers... Never had a problem with cheap stock stems.

[@janeblogs324]

If the hole isn't chamfered they'll snap the heads off. If you don't have washers there is slightly more stress on the cap screws. In even tightening will bend all the cap screws. Look at the head of good caps, they'll say 12.9 (grade) most bmx cap screws are custom and smaller head diameter, I'm sure brands cheap out too

[@pauljames4510]

Just the bolts corroded out so bad when I went to move my bars I put the Allen key in and snapped the head clean off 😮😞

[@matiasnicolas7610]

front load for me

[@supernoobsmith5718]

Forging vs Casting. Not CNC vs Casting. CNC can be done and IS done on both forged and cast items. A cheaper cast stem might have some small detail that is CNC'd, then they use that in the literature to fool you into thinking it's forged.

[@supernoobsmith5718]

To get a solid block you must have the metal forged. The CNC used on some cast items is for final touches, not the actual construction. Casting can be strong though. It all depends on the process and the quality of metal, quality control, etc, etc. And just the opposite too, a poorly forged item can be garbage just the same.

[@CutThroat_Kid]

lol im running that volume stem

[@alexrolletta9833]

If a company made a stem that was at least 40mm rise and 52mm reach, I would be hyped! I was gonna get that odyssey summit stem, but the reach is too short for what I’d want

[@sole__doubt]

I would love to know why are bmx stems made of aluminum instead of just using steel?

[@bennyoropeza5665]

It's lighter

[@pauljames4510]

I've noticed stems reach's are getting shorter i want a 53mm reach stem but all i see is 45mm 48mm 50mm reach on new stems bmx company's NEED to make 53mm reach stem's again for us tall guys 👍

[@FirstLast-ph1hw]

Front load & 4 peice bars for life just sayin

[@rogerbravo5724]

Thats what I ride they look so sick!

[@JoeGCards]

40mm reach stem what is that love super twitchy bikes

[@juliangaribay4711]

Front loads and mid loads slip less than top loads and mid and make less noise than top loads and hard landings

[@johnreymontales921]

1st one 🤘

[@Ful-OGold]

Who else had a kink stem that was like the elementary stem?

[@scottbowen4681]

What it boils down 2 is if you cant ride any of them you probably cant ride any of them

[@OurBMX]

True, but nothing wrong with fine tuning your bike to your specific needs.

[@vl995]

9" bars with topload = 10"bars with frontload.

[@Alexandr_Silver]

It's all the same. Where are the innovations? Idk, a titanium pro series maybe? Or carbon fiber short stems like in flatland or smth cool. Or a model with rounded corners and silicone surface to decrease trauma when hit. P.S. If this shit succeeds, please share profit with me heh

[@berniejames6177]

Can i have one of your stem pls

[@renlafraise4359]

Fiend V1 is the worst stem I've ever ride because of the cheap 6061-t6 material so soft you will twist every bolts. Never bought this brand again.

[@christiantabangay3202]

Can i have one of your stems

[@TwistedSix85]

Hey let’s get in a dark shadowy room and show stems in mostly black or dark colors.

[@OurBMX]

Hey, this was the first one. It’s gotten better...maybe.

[@jultv2638]

Pls give me a handlebar stem plss 🥺

[@briannieto7085]

Talk alote 😂😂😂😂

[@michalgrunt4966]

Why are you saying that stems made by CNC machining are stronger than stem made by forging or casting? . When you do machinning you are removing material but when you are forging or casting you are just changing shape. CNC stems arent stronger, they just have better details and CNC production takes more time, so the stems costs more.

[@OurBMX]

Not sure if my other reply came through...youtube app on my phone is acting up. But, as I understand it, CNC stems are forged stems. And CNC machined stems are stronger than cast. Hopefully I didn't mix up my words and put forging in there. Thanks for the comment, Mike.

[@driedspaghetti2555]

Is this guy was a spice he would be flour

[@OurBMX]

Hahaha

[@twentytolife4401]

Flipping a top load upside down is as dumb as flipping a front load. GROSS.

[@MrZQn]

İs he high on something?

[@OurBMX]

I just don't have a youtuber voice.