Hey there Ray - Hopefully, I'm not making you worry too much. Stems always struck me as big, thick, obvious pieces of metal. I'm looking at it enough that I think I'd notice any cracks beginning to propagate, and the material is thick enough that it's going to take more than a single solid rap to really damage it. In my thought process, unless something strikes the stem directly, the bars are taking and dispersing most of the force.
Since bars are thinner and usually the surface is obscured under tape or covering, that's more what worries me. I've broken two crank arms, and in both cases, the crack had manifested itself in the classic manner - spreading for a while unnoticed before letting loose. I'll certainly admit that since the cranks are "downstairs", I didn't carefully go through them as much as I might. But, they didn't have anything wrapped around them. That being said, Nitto stuff is built well and designed to take significant stresses. Banged, dropped and clattered is all in the range of reasonable use. Wedged in enough so it has to be pried out would be right on the line for me. hope that helps, - Jim -- Jim Edgar [email protected] Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes Gallery updates now appear here - http://cyclofiend.blogspot.com "That which is overdesigned, too highly specific, anticipates outcome; the anticipation of outcome guarantees, if not failure, the absence of grace." William Gibson - "All Tomorrow's Parties" -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
