This doohickimabob came in today. It’s a new handlebar stem, and while it may not seem like it would matter at all, it can change quite a bit about a bike. By moving the location of the handlebars relative to the seat, you can quicken or dampen the steering response, adjust the riding position to be more aggressive or comfortable, and change the stiffness of the front end.
I bought this one to replace my stock stem, mostly for the last purpose. The stock stem on my bike was a 2-bolt, which means that there are two bolts securing the faceplate and handlebars to the stem. This Easton stem features a 4-bolt faceplate, which results in higher lateral rigidity, giving a more positive feel from the front end. The Easton is also 1° lower and 10 mm longer than stock, meaning my riding position will be a touch lower and more forward, so just a bit more aggressive.
My next move will probably be to rearrange the spacer stack, making the position more aggressive still. It’s these small changes — a stem here, a spacer there, a tweak of the controls positions — that can make a bike truly your own, so that it fits you perfectly and you can operate it instinctively. Not so different from the small changes you make in your life that yield big differences, and make you the person you’ve always wanted to be.