In a message dated 3/18/02 6:32:13 PM Pacific Standard Time, tr4play@cox.net writes:
<< What purpose and use were adjustable stems for? I see track and road angles, I see them on ebay, I see them listed for sale on our CR list once in a while, I even own one sitting in my project bin. I've never seen a bike brochure listing one as a standard component or even an option. Nor on a bike on a shop floor that came standard with one. I've never seen one in actual use - really! When did they become available, why were they made, when were they used and why are they no longer available? >>
I had a TTT in my collection that was stamped "VELO SPORT 2". I took it to
Peter Rich's 40th anniversary party to ask him what the deal with this one
was, and he said they used to have two of them that they would put on a
customers new bike for a week or two, to figure out the correct length. They
would then change it out to a fixed length stem. They had never intended on
selling them but this one obviously got away. So I gave it back to him.
Someone else mentioned that a few bikes came with them stock. Steel
adjustable track stems have been around for a long time, to allow geting a
proper position.
Stevan Thomas
Alameda, CA