Replace System Six 120mm Stem

Sftwengnr

Sftwengnr

Member
I have the original carbon Control Tech 120mm stem on my 2007 System Six and it is a bit long for me causing some neck and back pain. I would like to swap it for a 100mm stem or seek advice on how to put a totally different stem on it like a FSA Energy stem. I have an Energy stem on my Evo. That was an easy switch out. If there are no special issues or tricks I need to be aware of I can do the stem switch on the System Six. Thoughts?

Bob
 
black lightning 1987

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
I have some NOS Cannondale C3 stems that are in your length range but they are 26.0 clamp. I might have something that's 100 mm in another brand.
 
Brian

Brian

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, any 1 1/8th stem. I find shorter and more rise of the stem is better as the years get on. :)
 
black lightning 1987

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
I found three 100 mm stems here, had a lot more 110s and 105s. The FSA and the Orbea are new, the Specialized slightly used. The Specialized has an eccentric sleeve which allows for angle adjustment. $15 for it or the FSA, $5 for the Orbea, + shipping cost.
100 mm stems.jpg
 
Sftwengnr

Sftwengnr

Member
black lightning 1987 said:
I found three 100 mm stems here, had a lot more 110s and 105s. The FSA and the Orbea are new, the Specialized slightly used. The Specialized has an eccentric sleeve which allows for angle adjustment. $15 for it or the FSA, $5 for the Orbea, + shipping cost. View attachment 4381
Click to expand...

Well went to three local Cannondale dealers/shops looking for suggestions/ideas on what stem would be a good replacement for the ControlTech only in a 100mm length. Most of the shops had never seen a SystemSix before and were not aware of the spacer size. One shop was familiar and suggested the Zipp carbon stem largely because I was trying to make the transition from the spacers to the stem less abrupt. Other than the Zipp carbon stem no other ideas were forth coming. The zipp SL stem is a bit expensive. would be nice to find an alloy with similar dimensions or talk to someone who has actually done the conversion.

thanks

bob
 
black lightning 1987

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
I assumed that you could use conventional spacers that would look right with common AL stems. Is that not the case? Looks like the lower end 2007 System Six bikes had conventional stems and spacers.
 
Sftwengnr

Sftwengnr

Member
Six13.png SuperSixEvo.pngSystemSix.png
The Six13 and Evo use 35mm OD spacers. The SystemSix uses a 50mm OD spacer. I have attached photos from my 2007 black Six13, my silver 2015 Evo and my 2007 SystemSix showing the steering spacers and stem so you can see how large the section of the frame is where the steerer tube goes through on the SystemSix.

You are correct regular 35mm spaces would work it is just they would look really small sitting on top of the frame section where the steerer tube goes through but that may be my only choice. I was really hoping to keep the 50mm spacers on the SystemSix and find a stem with a 50mm width where it attaches to the steerer. They do exist. The Zipp SL carbon stem is like that but it is $265.

Bob
 
black lightning 1987

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
Could you change the headset top cap to one with a radius/taper like the Six13 has, so there's no step in the transition to the spacer(s)? Close up photo of your SystemSix top cap and spacer would help me understand the problem. I've never seen one of these bikes or even a decent photo of one.
 
Sftwengnr

Sftwengnr

Member
I am attaching some close ups of the stem and top cap along with the stem and top cap of my Evo for comparison.
IMG_6961.JPG IMG_6962.JPG IMG_6985.JPG IMG_6987.JPG
Hopefully you can see the difference in sizes.
I am still looking for a 100mm stem. There is one on PinkBike but I cannot get a response from the seller.

Bob
 
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CyclingScott

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