Their carbon stems are a thing of beauty, but the new ENVE Alloy Mountain Stems get the composite look and attention to detail, just as a much lower price. Retailing for less than half what their carbon M6 stems sell for, they’ve been in development longer than expected. Here’s the story…
Delayed, but not dropped
Originally planned to launch at the beginning of 2020, ENVE says their first batch didn’t live up to their standards for finish quality. In particular, here’s what they changed from the first batch (per ENVE):
- Inconsistent and distracting machining lines have been eliminated and custom form cutters were produced for the stem body and face plate to ensure perfectly smooth, blemish free, high-end aesthetics.
- “No Gap” indicator is found on only the non-drive side of the stem and is laser etched post-anodization (aka black on black) to minimize any disruption to the stem’s aesthetics.
- Tech copy fonts have been reduced to absolute minimum.
- M6 and M7 designators have been removed, replaced with simple 31.8 & 35.0 designators etched in the clamping surface.
ENVE Alloy MTB Stem Tech & Specs
At $125 each, they’re still not cheap, so what makes them special? For starters, they’re cold-forged, then machined to remove extra material from the sides and give them an open-air appearance. Unlike some blocky stems that have big holes cut out, these maintain a sleek appearance, accentuated by a deep gloss black finish and near absence of visible marks or logos.
That sleek appearance extends to the rear, which rounds off the design and tucks the steerer clamp bolts into the shape. This should prevent cuts and scrapes from raking your knee across it.
Up front, the faceplate is machined to mate precisely to the body, giving you a no-gap appearance. And, the edges are beveled to prevent scoring or scratching of your carbon handlebars. Stainless hardware should keep it looking just as polished for years to come.
ENVE Alloy Stem Sizes & Weights
The stems will come in 35, 50 and 65mm lengths, for 31.8mm and 35mm handlebars. Weights are:
- 31.8mm – 115g (35mm) / 139g (50mm) / 160g 65mm)
- 35mm – 118g (35mm) / 139g (50mm) / 168g (65mm)
ENVE says they’re rated for everything from XC to trail to all-mountain to enduro to gravity and DH use. All sizes should be shipping by November 30, 2020.
Learn more at ENVE.com
