Color? Material? Both are correct.
For those who noticed the shape, you’re also correct! If you look closely, you can see that the spacer on the left is tapered, right?
This is the item I’m introducing today.
Based in Richmond, California, PARAGON MACHINE WORKS manufactures small parts and associated tools essential for bicycle frames, including head tubes, BB shells, dropouts, derailleur hangers, and cable stops. With a wide range of materials from titanium to steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, they are an absolute necessity for the bicycle industry, including frame builders.
The spacer in the photo is a hidden gem from Paragon. It is a tapered headset spacer machined from 6061 aluminum and anodized, designed to create a smooth, beautiful transition between the stem clamp area of the titanium or steel stems they make and headsets like those from Chris King.
In other words, it’s a rather niche item that perfectly evens out the transition from the base of the headset to the stem without any ridges—and I’ve just realized something.
That's right, it also pairs perfectly with SimWorks stems and spacers!
With an outer diameter of 34.5mm at the bottom and 31.8mm at the top, it is perfectly compatible with SimWorks' Ahead stems and WithMe headset spacers.
It is compatible with 28.6mm steerers, otherwise known as "oversize." It comes in 10mm, 15mm, and 20mm heights. Since it's silver or black anodized aluminum, the texture is different from SimWorks stems and spacers, but it’s perfect for those who are meticulous about the small, often overlooked details. This is the item for you!
