Weight: 158g/Lengths: 90, 100, 110, 120, 130mm/6-degree rise/Clamp size: 31.8mm/Two-year warranty, £25 off retail crash replacement
Contact: Windwave 023922

One of the holes in the faceplate of our sample wasn’t square, which caused the fixing bolt to bind when installed. It’s not usually a big deal when you’re spending £50, but it is here because the faceplate is made from carbon-fibre. We spoke to FSA about this and it would replace this stem under warranty. Although it doesn’t look like it this stem is forged from 6061 series aluminium, but it goes through a substantial machining process to pare away the excess weight. It is of medium stiffness but it’s on the heavy side — the bolts on our sample are also showing signs of corrosion but they do thread into alloy inserts in the steerer clamp. Comes with a good warranty and FSA is one of a few offering a crash replacement deal.

MBR RATING: 7/10