TTT Stem Questions

"Bob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OK... I'm still stuck in vintage gear, I need some info on this
"newer" TTT Stem:

What are the funky grooves in the clamp area seen here:
http://users.rcn.com/uctraing/100_1362.JPG

What is this little screw hole for, seen here:
http://users.rcn.com/uctraing/100_1364.JPG

Thanks,

Bob,
I also use the TTT stem. Looking at jpg 1362 it looks like you have an
insert.
Mine doesn't have that insert. Are you using bars that are smaller than
clamp dia. of 26.0mm?

I don't know what that pin hole is in jpg 1364.
-tom

Tom Nakashima said:

Bob,
I also use the TTT stem. Looking at jpg 1362 it looks like you have an
insert.
Mine doesn't have that insert. Are you using bars that are smaller than
clamp dia. of 26.0mm?

There's no insert in there and the grooves are factory since they have
the original blacking in there.

Quoted message said:

I don't know what that pin hole is in jpg 1364.

The small hole is also threaded and appears to be factory...

Bob

"Bob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Nakashima said:

Bob,
I also use the TTT stem. Looking at jpg 1362 it looks like you have an
insert.
Mine doesn't have that insert. Are you using bars that are smaller than
clamp dia. of 26.0mm?

There's no insert in there and the grooves are factory since they have
the original blacking in there.

Quoted message said:

I don't know what that pin hole is in jpg 1364.

The small hole is also threaded and appears to be factory...

Bob

Interesting, factory for what purpose?
-tom

Bob said:

The small hole is also threaded and appears to be factory...

A fancy logo plate maybe? Sort of a head-tube badge for your stem?

It does look like there's an insert in there though. It seems that near
the clamp bolt the insert is thinner than on the opposite side.
--
My bike blog:
http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/

Diablo Scott said:

It does look like there's an insert in there though. It seems that near
the clamp bolt the insert is thinner than on the opposite side.

I think someone filed the inside of the clamp to gain clearance. The
surface in there is not factory smooth. That's probably what you are
seeing. The "clamp hole" is not round when the clamp bolt is fully
tightened down but it does appear round at a larger clamp size.

I think this did take some kind of insert and the grooves have
something to do with that but it's odd. I found an address for
3ttt - I'll see if they can enlighten me.

Bob

Bob said:

OK... I'm still stuck in vintage gear, I need some info on this
"newer" TTT Stem:

What are the funky grooves in the clamp area seen here:
http://users.rcn.com/uctraing/100_1362.JPG

What is this little screw hole for, seen here:
http://users.rcn.com/uctraing/100_1364.JPG

Okay, I have no clue whatsoever about this stem, but if I were
brainstorming about what this looked like, I'd say: the clamp appears to
be single bolt, and cut across the face. Removing the bolt will let all of
the bottom part of the clamp drop, yes/no? Compared to a standard stem of
that shape, there's a cut across the front, and those machined bits next
to it, and a threaded hole there. I think there might have been an insert
that fitted in those grooves, and that would complete the clamp. And I
think the threaded hole would have been used for a small bolt to hold the
insert in. Whether factory or not, it looks like a standard stem that is
modified to have the bars removed without doing the whole dance with the
bar tape and the cables and the levers.

Possibly custom modded for a traveling bike intended to fold up small into
a suitcase? Possibly factory modded for same?

Jasper

"Jasper Janssen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bob said:

OK... I'm still stuck in vintage gear, I need some info on this
"newer" TTT Stem:

What are the funky grooves in the clamp area seen here:
http://users.rcn.com/uctraing/100_1362.JPG

What is this little screw hole for, seen here:
http://users.rcn.com/uctraing/100_1364.JPG

Okay, I have no clue whatsoever about this stem, but if I were
brainstorming about what this looked like, I'd say: the clamp appears to
be single bolt, and cut across the face. Removing the bolt will let all of
the bottom part of the clamp drop, yes/no? Compared to a standard stem of
that shape, there's a cut across the front, and those machined bits next
to it, and a threaded hole there. I think there might have been an insert
that fitted in those grooves, and that would complete the clamp. And I
think the threaded hole would have been used for a small bolt to hold the
insert in. Whether factory or not, it looks like a standard stem that is
modified to have the bars removed without doing the whole dance with the
bar tape and the cables and the levers.

Possibly custom modded for a traveling bike intended to fold up small into
a suitcase? Possibly factory modded for same?

Jasper

The small hole is to hold the TTT logo tag that was on the early stems.
Later they went with a rub-off type lettering as in my stem, I guess to save
on cost.
-tom

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 20:40:09 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

it looks like a standard stem that is
modified to have the bars removed without doing the whole dance with the
bar tape and the cables and the levers.

Possibly custom modded for a traveling bike intended to fold up small into
a suitcase? Possibly factory modded for same?

Thanks Jasper... that is an interesting point Whether or not it was a
folding bike, I don;t know - but this design does let you change the
stem without re-doing the tape and removing a brake lever.

Bob

Tom Nakashima said:

The small hole is to hold the TTT logo tag that was on the early stems.
Later they went with a rub-off type lettering as in my stem, I guess to save
on cost.
-tom

Thanks. That's one mystery out of the way.

Bob said:

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 20:40:09 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

it looks like a standard stem that is
modified to have the bars removed without doing the whole dance with the
bar tape and the cables and the levers.

Possibly custom modded for a traveling bike intended to fold up small into
a suitcase? Possibly factory modded for same?

Thanks Jasper... that is an interesting point Whether or not it was a
folding bike, I don;t know - but this design does let you change the
stem without re-doing the tape and removing a brake lever.

I'd expect that it might not be safe without the seemingly necessary
insert, by the way, that would hold the face bits together when the bolt
clamps the whole thing over a pipe. Otherwise you're putting bending
forces into that single bolt with every bit of weight applied to the bars,
and that can't be good. It might not clamp well enough to keep the bars
from rotating either. But I don't think it needs to be terribly precisely
fitting on either side, so you should be able to fabricate a new one from
alu stock with some patience, a dremel, and some sandpaper.

Jasper

On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 22:07:17 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

But I don't think it needs to be terribly precisely
fitting on either side, so you should be able to fabricate a new one from
alu stock with some patience, a dremel, and some sandpaper.

I think you are right Jasper. However, I think those grooves need
to secure the insert to make it secure. The bottom half does flop
about quite a bit, I see it getting loose if only the bolt
pressure holds it in horizontally. A sleeve that went into the
grooves top and bottom would prevent any side to side pressure
issues. With that in ming, it has to be machined from something
fairly thick at the front end, and thin around the bar... could
be moderately difficult.

Bob