Ritchey Superlogic C260 stem - likely fitting issues for wing bars?

daniel_b

Morning all,

I have, and love, a set of Ritchey WCS Streem bars - as below:

And I am just about to order one of these superlogic C260 stems:


Would I be correct in assuming I have less than no hope of getting them fitted without scratching the hell out of them?
I only have bar tape up to around the corners of the bars, and the large flat section is left bare.

I do have one of these 3T bars I could bring into action, but I'm not convinced that will be any easier, and of course then it also won't match - not that that really bothers me tbh, but at the mo I have a Ritchey seatpost as well, and I can't see that changing anytime soon.


Anyone fitted a stem of this type to wing type bars before and had success?

All my googling proves inconclusive at the mo, with some people saying it can't be done and others saying it can!
The only way I can see it being a possibility, is probably with a microfibre cloth to cover the top of the bar area, and then trying to utilise the cut outs where the cables run to gain a bit more leeway.

ryanshattered

Surely some electrical tape would do the job?

daniel_b

ryanshattered wrote:

Surely some electrical tape would do the job?

I would like to think so, but the issue might be caused by the fact it's a 260 degree coverage, so needs to slide onto the bar where it is narrow, and then migrate it's way across - I'm thinking with a wide wing bar, it might not have the room to do this as there is not very many areas on my bar where it is narrow, and or not followed immediately by a wide bit.

the videos I have found online, show it going onto a comparitively norrmal bar design, ie it is narrow on the tops, pop it on, and slide it along.
ie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAmXnDdgCo0

JesseD

I would have though it should work as the wing section of the bar whilst wider is also not as tall as the round section, so would the longer wing part fit into the open section of the stem until it hits the round part (not sure if that makes sense but I know what I am on about)

daniel_b

JesseD wrote:

I would have though it should work as the wing section of the bar whilst wider is also not as tall as the round section, so would the longer wing part fit into the open section of the stem until it hits the round part (not sure if that makes sense but I know what I am on about)

Yep I hear what you are saying - should get it later in the week, so it will soon be apparent whether it is a goer or not, can soon get some callipers on it and the bars to see what I have to play with.
I will update for any future searchers.

fuel2000

My friend bought this stem along with some Zipp aero bars sl70's, did they fit each other?

No is the answer.

daniel_b

fuel2000 wrote:

My friend bought this stem along with some Zipp aero bars sl70's, did they fit each other?

No is the answer.

Hmmm, yeh they look quite similar.

Even though the flat part of the bar is likely to be 'shorter' it is also deeper of course, and that might be the part that stops them meshing.

Well it's free returns in case it fits with neither bar.

keef66

I can see lots of disadvantages, but what are the supposed benefits of that odd clamping arrangement on the Ritchey stem??

I thought I'd seen the last of trying to jiggle drop bars through a clamp with the demise of the quill stem...

thegreatdivide

There's a trick to getting it onto other Ritchey bar shapes - I used this video (second set of bars) to get the 260 onto my Evo Curve which have flat slightly swept back tops so it might work for the Streem. I also managed to make it fit my FSA K-Force Compact bars with no damage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAmXnDdgCo0

Alternatively get the 220 which is the newer and more adaptable model.

daniel_b

So gave this a go tonight, sadly close, but no cigar on both sets of bars - potentially could have forced it on, but it would have gouged the finish of the bars something rotten.

As it is I now have too scratched set of bars :-(

Back to Wiggle it goes then - £135 saved though :-)

JesseD

Seems like a silly design for a stem clamp then?

Are the bars really badly scratched then or can you tape over them, pain in the arse though really.

daniel_b

JesseD wrote:

Seems like a silly design for a stem clamp then?

Are the bars really badly scratched then or can you tape over them, pain in the ars* though really.

I think it is basically designed for predominantly narrow bars - or at least not big chunky wing bars, which are my preference.
As mentioned above they do make a C220, but that doesn't come in yellow, the whole reason I wanted this!

In other news my, I believe, sub 100g Zipp stem has arrived :-)

The scratching is not too bad, and it is a minor irritant, but there we go, I don't think it will require taping over.

I think the fact it did not fit decides me on the 3T bars going on the Synapse, either mated with the new Zipp stem or the 3T one, which I have the option to return to CRC.
To match, or not to match.

fenix

What's the benefit of that stem? A stem is pretty much a stem?

daniel_b

Fenix wrote:

What's the benefit of that stem? A stem is pretty much a stem?

Over to Tom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1B-58LKNS4