Anyone recognize this Nitto stem?

[track]

I was given this by someone who worked at Raleigh SPD who was probably given it as a sample. I have had it since the early '90s.

I have always really liked this stem, and even got a frame painted the same colour to match.

I cannot find anything similar online. Anyone got any ideas.

 

[Senri]

Wow! Fantastic! I really looks neat. Could the seperate tophalf mean it was ment for a handlebar that would not fit a normal stem (tight corners)?

 

[Old Ned]

That's a Nitto 'Crystemblue' stem, available in lengths of 70, 80, 90 or 100mm. Weight 330 gm for an 80mm, priced at £19.03 in 1984/85. Only available with a blue section.

Designed to take standard (ie round) 'bars or, by using the fully detachable clamp, the then new Nitto 'aero' shaped bars which were factory drilled for concealed brake cables and tear-drop shaped along the top.

At times I am a veritable mine of relatively useful information

 

[track]

Cheers Ned.

You say it was only available in blue, but the guy that gave me this actually had another with a black top. Was this a different type of stem?

 

[Old Ned]

Well, all I can say is that blue is the only colour offered in the 1984 Ron Kitching catalogue which is where I got the info from. It's possible that other colours were available later or from other importers. I can't remember having actually seen one in the flesh.

 

[makhno68]

Check out this page, half way down:
http://www.43bikes.com/araya.html

 

[Old Ned]

Check out this page, half way down:
http://www.43bikes.com/araya.html

That looks like a good website, I've bookmarked it for later. Many thanks.

I like the Araya bike, is it the same company as the rims?