The XStem Project is a build-in-public effort to create a modern stem for vintage Cannondale HeadShok bikes and modern setups alike. Subscriber feedback directly influences what gets designed, tested, and produced next, with small-batch parts supporting continued development.
XStem Pre-Order Is Open. 25 Units.
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XStem Project
The XStem Project is a build-in-public effort to create a modern stem for vintage Cannondale HeadShok bikes and modern setups alike. Subscriber feedback directly influences what gets designed, tested, and produced next, with small-batch parts supporting continued development.
May 2026 XStem Project Update Where Things Landed The pre-order window for the first XStem production run closes this weekend. The 25-unit minimum wasn't reached. No deposits were collected, so there's nothing to refund and no commitments to unwind. I want to be direct about what this means and what it doesn't. What it means: The retail price of $499, driven by the economics of small-batch domestic CNC at 25 units, is above what this market will support. That's a clear signal and I'm not...
April 2026 XStem Project Update Where Things Stand The last update covered ISO validation and the fork in the road between a small-batch US run and a larger production effort at a lower price point. Since then, I've been deep in sourcing conversations. CNC shops in Oklahoma, New Hampshire, the UK, and Taiwan. Anodizing, laser etching, hardware, packaging. Every conversation taught me something, and several of those relationships will matter down the road. But here's what it comes down to....
March 2026 XStem Project Update ISO Results Are In The XStem has completed ISO 4210 mountain bike stem validation. Testing included: • Full MTB fatigue cycles (in-phase and out-of-phase)• 1600N and 2600N forward bending stages• 1000N lateral bending• 50Nm torsional security All tests were completed successfully. This wasn’t a parking-lot test ride. These were measured load cases under controlled conditions. Structurally, the XStem meets modern ISO mountain bike stem validation requirements....