I picked up an XR or whatever stem to replace the engraved TTT stem on my Colnago Master that was too long for me. I thought it seemed too large a diameter for the standard Cinelli 66 bar I installed in it. The rubber spacer squished out in a way that cannot be correct. I have since picked up a black 1A in the same length and will change it out. In light of Chuck's comment about the XR being out of the CR timeline, that swap can come none too soon! I did ride the XR a bit and did not notice any creaking or undue flex, though I don't like the idea of clamping a stem on a smaller diameter bar than for which it was designed. Anyone know if there was a change in the diameters of Cinelli bars around the time of the introduction of the XR? My '73 Raleigh Pro Track came with a TTT stem and a significantly undersized GB bar. The pinch bolt was actually bent due to the extra amount that the flanges of the stem had to pull together. That setup is still on that bike, all these years and thousands of miles later.
Steve Barner, getting set to go for a quick ski in Bolton, Vermont
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 12:07:47 -0800 (PST)
> From: brad stockwell <brdstockwell@yahoo.com>
> Subject: [CR]Cinelli Stems 1A=>1R=>XR=>XA
> To: Paul Williams <castell5@sympatico.ca>,
> classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>
> so what is the date of the X/A? --Paul
>
> After the 1R (I think someone mentioned that the 1R appeared in 1975 and
coexisted with the 1A) the next new Cinelli stem was the XR -- which was
advertised during 1986 and apparently failed in the marketplace.
>
> The XR had the same outer shape as the 1R. The difference is that the
XR had no sliding internal clamp; instead its forward extension was
partially cut in half through the middle (separating it into top and bottom
halves) and the fixing bolt (which is located just like the 1R bolt,
vertically upward on the underside of the extension) squeezed the halves
together to retain the bar. In order to make the stem look less empty, the
slot was filled with a rubber slab which came in different colors.
>
> I don't know why the XR stem was discontinued -- but I would expect the
horizontal slot to reduce the vertical stiffness of the extension. I have
an XR in a box somewhere, but I've never ridden on it. Anybody have any
experience with one?
>
> The XA was a cross between the XR and the 1A. From scanning through the
Merckx "Fabulous World of Cycling" series I see that it appeared in the
pelloton in 1988. There were still plenty of riders using the 1A and 1R,
however.
>
> Also of note in 1988: at the Nissan Classic on Sep 27 of that year, Phil
Anderson showed up with (gasp!) Shimano combined brake/shift controls.
>
> On the topic of bolts: the 1R expander bolt is aluminum. In 1982 I was
riding my bike on a training stand and the bolt head popped off and hit me
in the chin. Thereafter, I always replaced the 1R expander bolt with a
steel one.
>
> Brad Stockwell
> Palo alto