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review

Pro Vibe Di2 Stem

8
£99.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Super-stiff peloton-proven performance with added neat aero tweaks for Di2 users
Weight: 
144g

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This incarnation of the Pro Vibe Di Stem focuses on aerodynamics and the latest technology used in electronic gear systems to turn your bike into a smooth-looking, wind-cheating work of art. Form is backed up by function, with a component that excels in stiffness without carrying any extra weight.

We took a look at the Pro Vibe 7S stem last year and were mightily impressed, so it's great to see that the engineers at Pro haven't meddled with its performance at all.

> Find your nearest dealer here

This new Vibe is unbelievably solid in use but without giving any feeling of harshness over rough surfaces. The differences in comfort levels and reduced road buzz are pretty marginal compared with most other aluminium alloy stems, but still noticeable.

The front end has some bulk to it, to resist those forces transferred from the handlebar when you are really going for it in a sprint, for instance, or heavy braking and steering on a steep technical descent. The rest of it is reasonably svelte though, and I especially like the octagonal style shape with its black-on-black logos.

The front clamp has gone back to a four-bolt design, although the holes have been moved to the rear to keep them out of the airflow. The benefits will be minimal, it's not something you're going to notice in the real world, but it does look smart.

Pro Vibe Stem - bolts.jpg

To make setup and adjustment easier, the bolt holes are threaded into the faceplate at an angle. The trouble is, the hex keys on most multi-tools won't be long enough to prevent you fouling the stem body. This can make roadside tweaks a pain.

The Vibe is designed to be paired with the carbon fibre aero handlebar of the same name, which I've also reviewed, with both being aimed predominantly at the Shimano Di2 electronic shifting market. Pro being Shimano's component arm, it's no surprise that there's collaboration between the two.

The Vibe handlebar has an exit hole at the rear which allows the battery cable to travel from the bar, through the stem body, and out of the hole you see above the steerer clamp in the photo. This means that if you use a fork steerer-mounted Di2 battery, everything is hidden from view.

Pro Vibe Stem - detail.jpg

A quirky shaped top cap (not shown) keeps the lines smooth over the top of the cable but this obviously means that it'll only work if your steerer is cut short. There is the option of leaving the steerer longer, poking out above the stem, but you will require a special spacer.

Weight-wise it's not in the same league as Deda's more expensive Superleggero at 124g or the Superlight from Aerozine at less than half the price and 40g lighter, but the Vibe certainly feels hefty and I'd rather have the stiffness anyway.

> Tour Tech 2017: The stems the pros are using

For £99.99 the Pro is at the more expensive end of the alloy stem market, but I wouldn't really say it's overpriced. It's a very good piece of kit and you'll find it adorning plenty of pro bikes in the peloton so it can't be bad.

With or without the matching Vibe bar, this stem is a good choice for those riders who want a reasonably light but very stiff stem.

Verdict

Super-stiff peloton-proven performance with added neat aero tweaks for Di2 users

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Pro Vibe Di2 Stem

Size tested: 110mm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Pro says: "The Pro Vibe Stem is designed to align your cockpit perfectly with your bike for an optimal riding position. Supreme stiffness offers you more control during those high-speed descents or manoeuvres. It's constructed of a 3D forged 7075-T6 alloy that is incredibly strong whilst also keeping the weight down. A gapless head lock clamp design makes side movement under load impossible where traditional top bolts would be under high stress. Wide bolt spacing and the forged alloy faceplate further secures and stiffens the clamp interface. The triangular design also gives an optimal stiffness to weight ratio. An oversized 31.8 mm clamp diameter further reduces unwanted flex under high load by increasing strength and stiffness. The Vibe Stem has been developed for ultimate integration with Di2 to give you maximum aerodynamic performance and ultra-clean styling. With the specially positioned cable ports you can internally route the Shimano Di2 cables. No visible cables, all of its features. The innovative angled reverse bolts remain easy to access whilst drastically reducing drag. The Pro Vibe Stem is a high performance lightweight stem as used by top professional riders."

The Vibe is a top quality race stem with plenty of design highlights and impressive stiffness.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

3D Forged Anodized 7075-T6 Alloy Construction

Gapless Head Lock Clamp Design

Forged Alloy Faceplate

Integrated Topcap

31.8mm Clamp Diameter

Internal Routing for Di2 Cables

Wide Bolt Spacing

Lightweight, Angled Reverse Titanium Bolts

Angle: -10 or -17 degrees

Length: 80mm to 140mm in 10mm increments

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

At its most basic job of 'being a stem', the Vibe offers brilliant performance. Add in the aero details and cable routing tweaks and the Vibe is pretty darn good.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Brilliantly stiff for full-on efforts.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I haven't got Di2 to take advantage of that cable hole.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

The Vibe is a fantastic stem for those riders who are really looking for stiffness; when paired with the Vibe bar it's hard to beat.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithein

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
matthewn5 | 6 years ago
0 likes

You could have added that it is one of the very few stems available in 10 degrees. If the faceplate didn't have that minging "V" on it I'd use it myself. Settled for an Easton EA90.

Avatar
pedalpowerDC | 6 years ago
1 like

Those reverse facing faceplate bolts are a total pain. Had (come to think of it, have) that on an Oval stem years ago and it makes it tough to get torque wrenches in, use 3-way wrenches, use multi-tools, etc. I would never willingly mess with that again.

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 6 years ago
1 like

What a load of baloney, all stems are super stiff.  Some are much much cheaper

Avatar
Chris Hayes replied to CXR94Di2 | 6 years ago
0 likes
CXR94Di2 wrote:

What a load of baloney, all stems are super stiff.  Some are much much cheaper

This is far from the case, especially for longer stems.  I upgraded the (cheapish ITM) stem on my Litespeed to a Thomson and it transformed the front end.  Encouraged,  I then added the Thomson carbon handlebars too and what a difference. 

Avatar
dannycarr2k | 6 years ago
0 likes

You can use a special spacer. It won't look as neat, but will allow some fine tuning leeway until you're ready to cut the steerer to the correct length. 

 

No different to my Zipp Sprint. There are other stems if you are still dialling in your position. 

Avatar
ridebeast | 6 years ago
1 like

Shame it uses a propritery stem cap and you have to cut the steerer to suit without having the flexibilty of using a spacer on top when adjusting stack height. Plus a traditonal shaped spacer wont fit under the stem ahead cap to compress and preload the bearings evenly.

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