It’s already been nearly a year since MADE last summer. At the same time, this time next month, we’ll be heading into this year's edition of MADE, and the SimWorks team is currently working behind the scenes on our booth preparations.
In the midst of all that, this arrived. That delightful thing that shows up just when you’ve forgotten about it.
To get this out of the way first, I ordered these because I—the person in charge of purchasing—fell in love with them at first sight.
Fifteen years ago, Black Cat builder Todd created this Bullmoose stem for his own bike packing bike.
Back then, even when combining the stiffest stems and handlebars on the market, he couldn't shake the feeling of instability when handling a fully loaded bike packing rig. He built this to solve that. The beautiful style of the stem caught the attention of hardcore fans, and now it has been updated and returned for the modern era, where the gravel and bike packing categories have become much more refined.
He says he’s planning a trip to Taiwan this year with micro-panniers attached to the front just like this.
Yes, he’s already slyly gotten his hands on the stem.
The split-fork design increases the rigidity around the handlebars, which improves handling stability, especially on fully loaded bike packing rigs or during gravel rides with cargo attached.
When asked why he decided to build this stem, the points above were a big part of the reason, but Todd also had this to say:
"I think there are a lot of unanswered 'whys' in the bike industry, and in most cases, I think those questions are answered with dubious or vague performance metrics. In the case of this stem, it does increase stiffness, but if you put it on a rigid bike without any packing, the added stiffness might actually feel uncomfortable. But I think most answers to the question of why I built it just come down to 'because I think it's cool'."
Exactly. It would be foolish to even ask why.
Todd made it because he felt it was necessary for his own fun, and because if he was going to make it, he wanted it to be cool. Of course it’s good.
BLACKCAT BICYCLES Mini Moose Stem
Material: Steel
Handlebar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 28.6mm (1-1/8″)
Stack Height: 43mm
Weight: 243g (50mm) / 259g (70mm)
Price: 99,880 yen (tax included)
This stem is also attractive for its beautiful finish and the way the closed-clamp design keeps the front cockpit looking clean. Available in 50mm and 70mm, each one is powder-coated by Todd himself.
※Please note: due to its construction, it is only compatible with flat handlebars that have a clamp area at least 86mm wide and that fall within 15mm of rise and 15 degrees of sweep.
