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Aero Design Swiss debuts with adjustable carbon Aero Stem

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Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem working prototype

From the minds that founded the carbon Oval Concepts brand way back in 2002, comes a new aerodynamics focused component company – Aero Design Swiss. With decades of experience in the bike industry, carbon component production & aerodynamics, the team is jumping back in with a unique aero carbon stem that allows riders to adjust handlebar position. Under the tagline Get Fit to Fly, the stem lets riders fine tune fit and their aero position on the bike. Aero Design is Kickstarting their Aero Stem to get it off the ground, and make it easier for cyclists to affordably experiment with the different bar positions for an optimal balance of power output and speed in real world riding…


After selling the Oval brand to the parent company of Fuji, Kestrel & Breezer back in 2009, Morgan Nicol and wife Simona Brauns-Nicol have for the most part been seen on the tire development & production side of Challenge. But Nicol is a triathlete at heart and so getting back to aero focused components was probably only a matter of time, and now with the growth of aero road bikes the market continues to expand.

This crowdfunding campaign for the one-size-fits-all Aero Stem is the starting point he hopes will lay the ground work for continuing to develop speed & comfort optimized components for the cyclist.

The Aero Stem offers adjustment from effective 50mm-150mm lengths through the use of an interlocking set of internal spacers sandwiched between the carbon main body and the carbon top of the clamshell stem design. It can be combined with an integrated set of fairly conventional steerer tube spacers to increase bar height from 20-100mm from the top of the headset cap to the center of the bar.

Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem spacers

The Aero Stem itself is a -17° stem, designed perfectly flat and out of the wind on bikes with a typical 73° headtube. Its long carbon body is 255mm in length overall and is slated to weigh in at just 149g. The stem itself is made of molded carbon fiber, while the adjustment blocks/spacers will be constructed of an injection molded 3M Glass Bubble material that balances lightweight & rigidity.

Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem exploded

The stem will clamp handlebars with a standard 31.8mm round clamping area. It will work on bikes with tapered or straight steerer tubes with the standard 1 1/8″ clamping area, requiring 40mm of steerer stack for clamping.

Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem dimensions

The Aero Stem is available now on Kickstarter to backers that pledge their support from 150 Swiss Francs (~$155 or 132€) as Early Birds. There’s a second level that takes that up to 200 Fr. including a measuring tape to dial your fit once the first 100 are gone (down from the final expected retail price of 250 Fr., or $260/220€.)

Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem prototypes

Future add ons & accessories aren’t set in stone yet, but the stem has a removable nose cone designed for adaptability. There is talk of a nose with integrated lights, an attachment for your power meter’s head unit, even of a mobile phone mount and aero bar extensions. We’ll have to wait and see what all pans out after the crowdfunding runs its course over the next month.

Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem prototype aero frame and fork Aero Design Swiss Aero Stem adjustable length aerodynamic carbon road TT bike stem prototype aero frame and handlebar

It seems that the stem is the first of any projects to come from Aero Design Swiss, and this Kickstarter is only the first evidence of moving towards production. We’ve already seen teases of the next products in the pipeline – aero handlebars, plus aero TT, road & adventure framesets including new aero forks. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.

The Kickstarter runs through September 4, with stems set to get to backers just over eight months from now in March 2018.

AeroDesign-Swiss.ch

 

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mudrock
mudrock
6 years ago

Funny that in his Kickstarter video he has the handlebar piece backwards

ShtTlkr
ShtTlkr
6 years ago

Questionable aesthetics aside.

If you’re going to pitch an aero product and want to be taken seriously, make sure the airfoil of your concept model is facing the right direction….

ShtTlkr
ShtTlkr
6 years ago
Reply to  ShtTlkr

And, if I look through my FEA goggles, this thing is going to be a flexy, creaky nightmare.

Tom
Tom
6 years ago
Reply to  ShtTlkr

nah, they’ll build the thing out of nylon so it doesn’t creak, then claim that the flex is actually a design feature for greater comfort.

alvis
alvis
6 years ago
Reply to  ShtTlkr

Worse me thinks! 5mm thick carbon plate at max length with 30kg + leaning on it……..not sure it even needs FE to scare me.
Pointy is not aero.
And in that picture there’s 100mm of stem dick I really don’t want sticking out in front of my bike.
For now I’ll let others contribute, if anybody is still taken in by Kickstarter that is.

Argh
Argh
6 years ago

Why? Just take approprate stem

JCTr
JCTr
6 years ago

How is this stem going to provide adequate clamping force to prevent bar rotation in the middle positions?

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
6 years ago
Reply to  JCTr

The bar isn’t round…
That limits you to their bars and you may not like the angle of the bar but it won’t turn

alvis
alvis
6 years ago
Reply to  Veganpotter

from the article; The stem will clamp handlebars with a standard 31.8mm round clamping area.

carlo
carlo
6 years ago

good fitting offers! but if I can suggets the distance between the clamping bolts , from where i can assume the most of the pleaple will set the handlebar, will cause some loads “problem” in clamping proprely, just i immagine.

fred
fred
6 years ago

Curious if US8661935B2 is a concern?

jasonmiles31
6 years ago

Interesting that a SLS print is enough of a prototype to meet Kickstarters working prototype requirement. I also think it is interesting that the stem is clearly designed around a non circular handlebar but no handlebar is provided. Take a look at the 3D model here.
https://sketchfab.com/models/12feb86850cc4c72be39082fe55ecfb0

RCSpeed
RCSpeed
6 years ago

I sure hope they have done the patent research on this…I know of a few earlier designs that could hold precedent over this.
Also as said above…no way is something that thin with a top-bottom clamp system going to hold up.

Jörg Hippo Thomsen
6 years ago

Best thing is, that they plan on mounting a freaking smart phone on the tip of the thing, instead of utilizing the ridiculous amounts of FALT STEAM real estate for that.

WHO needs a peice of crap like this?

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
6 years ago

This would only pass the style sniff test if you need a 130 or more. I’d be willing to rock this if it’s not flexy.

Another David
Another David
6 years ago

Why?

Gerz
Gerz
6 years ago

Ok, you have 150mm of a totally plain stem, a great surface to put a Torpedo bottle or a garmin 1000 or two, and you put the gps in the top front? Somewere over the horizon… you can see a number…

KazioS
KazioS
5 years ago

It looks like from LEGO kit 🙂

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