Twisted Syncros stem

[drcarlos]

Brought one of ebay last week and fitted it the other night. Something looked weird so I took it off last night and put a set of flat bars in it an placed it on a table, sure enough one end of the bars sits higher than the other by about 15mm! Anyone ever seen this before? It's a new one on me!
Seller says I can return it and it was fine on his bike :roll: and is probably not suitable for my bars (flat Prestige Steel ones) which I am sure is BS. I think I will call it this and send pictures as postage costs amount to about £10 both ways and I think I should be entitled to them back as the item obviously has damage.

Carl.

 

[drcarlos]

Think the stem actually dates from more like 1996 .

Carl.

 

[FMJ]

Brought one of ebay last week and fitted it the other night. Something looked weird so I took it off last night and put a set of flat bars in it an placed it on a table, sure enough one end of the bars sits higher than the other by about 15mm!

so the stem is twisted about 7mm, probably crash damage. If it's threadless, you could put it on an old fork mounted in a vise, clamp a piece of bar stock in it, and cold set it (bend it back). Quill, I wouldn't try. It will twist somewhere other than where it originally twisted. Will it be safe? Depends on what you're using the bike for. A queen/shops bike will probably be ok. If the guy is willing to refund, and you want it for a bike you will ride hard, go that route.

 

[drcarlos]

Brought one of ebay last week and fitted it the other night. Something looked weird so I took it off last night and put a set of flat bars in it an placed it on a table, sure enough one end of the bars sits higher than the other by about 15mm!

so the stem is twisted about 7mm, probably crash damage. If it's threadless, you could put it on an old fork mounted in a vise, clamp a piece of bar stock in it, and cold set it (bend it back). Quill, I wouldn't try. It will twist somewhere other than where it originally twisted. Will it be safe? Depends on what you're using the bike for. A queen/shops bike will probably be ok. If the guy is willing to refund, and you want it for a bike you will ride hard, go that route.

It is threadless and the thought of twisting it back did cross my mind but TBH it was sold as 100mm with 5deg rise and it's actually 0 degree and I do want a bit of rise.
I suppose it's the sepper saying 'It was fine in my bike, maybe it's not compatible with your bars' FFS my bars are a straight piece of tubing!

Carl.

 

[tiboltrider]

Do the return via Ebay (put in a Paypal claim) and have a moan at them, they sometimes decide to credit you the postage if you're a good customer. If not at least you'll only have to pay the return postage!

I've got a Control Tech stem that came on a bike that is twisted like that. There is no evidence of crash damage so I guess it was made like that.

 

[The Ken]

could you not just bend your bar up on one side to compensate?

 

[dyna-ti]

could you not just bend your bar up on one side to compensate?

I've had the same thing on a stem[might have been a kore :?] either way its been crashed where the bike has landed really hard on the bars
IMHO i wouldnt ride it and consign it to the dustbin sawn in half

 

[Piers]

I've a lovely Syncros Cattlehead (polished) that was skew from new.
I got it at big discount and didn't notice for a few (crash free) months, by which time I'd decided that 1" ahead stems didn't work and went back to quill stems.

 

[drcarlos]

This one has gone back, refunded and been replced by a far nicer ControlTech that I got from ebay for £16.

Carl.

 

[dyna-ti]

This one has gone back, refunded and been replced by a far nicer ControlTech that I got from ebay for £16.

Carl.

Damn

Good for you i mean