Most stems on modern bikes are threadless. A threadless stem is any stem that attaches to the outside of a steer-tube via one or more bolts. The other main subset of stems are quill stems. A quill stem uses an integrated bolt to expand inside a steer-tube to secure itself in place. Quill stems are found on many older bikes and in-expensive modern bikes. Threadless stems are a much stronger and more secure way to attach your handlebars to the rest of the bike. Here at JensonUSA, we have a wide selection of threadless bike stems for you to choose from.

There are two dimensions that you must know to find a threadless stem that will work with your current setup. These two dimensions are the steer-tube diameter and the handlebar clamp diameter. The steer-tube diameter is almost always 1 1/8” now-a-days. Some bikes still use an oversized 1.5” steer-tube but they are very rare. Nearly all modern bikes either use a tapered steer-tube or a standard straight steer-tube, both of which use a 1 1/8” stem. The other dimension is the handlebar clamp diameter. This measurement can range anywhere from 22.2mm to 35.0mm. Most modern handlebars either have a 31.8mm or 35mm handlebar clamp.

The dimension of the stem that is more up to person preference than compatibility is the length. A longer stem will make the reach of your bike longer and give the front end a steeper and snappier feel. A shorter stem will make the reach of the bike shorter and give it a slacker and more aggressive feel in the front. In the world of modern mountain bikes, stems have become shorter and shorter. The shortest stem on the market comes in at 31mm in length. Most modern mountain bikes have stems in the 40mm to 70mm range. Most standard sized road bikes have stems in the 90mm to 120mm range.

If you have any questions about threadless bike stems, hop on a call or a chat with one of our expert Gear Advisors today at 888-880-3811. They are always happy to help you with any questions you may have.