# Venge VIAS Stem: Other angles?



## flafonta (Sep 15, 2008)

Anyone knows if Specialized will come up with different stem angles for the VIAS Stem? And when?

I am considering a VIAS, but I am put off by the negative 17deg stem with the raiser bars.

Many other people seem to have the same issue.

I know they say it is more aero this way. And that they now offer a standard stem option with externally routed cabling but I wanted internal cabling.

I heard rumors that Specialized is considering other stem angles, but no confirmation. I just called their 800 number, and was told by the nice lady that she does not have any information on this.

Thanks!


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

No.

If they did so it would invalidate their marketing claims.


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## masont (Feb 6, 2010)

flafonta said:


> Anyone knows if Specialized will come up with different stem angles for the VIAS Stem? And when?
> 
> I am considering a VIAS, but I am put off by the negative 17deg stem with the raiser bars.
> 
> ...


No. You achieve the proper front end height on a VIAS by cutting the steer tube (or not) and choosing between their handlebar options. They say the riser bar tests faster, and faster is the point of the bike.


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## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

masont said:


> No. You achieve the proper front end height on a VIAS by cutting the steer tube (or not) and choosing between their handlebar options. They say the riser bar tests faster, and faster is the point of the bike.


Will caveat or at least supplement the assertion that the riser bar is faster.
To get more into the details:

Scenario no. 1: No riser bar + more spacer stack (or stem rise with conventional stem)

vs.

Scenario no. 2: Riser bar + reduced stem spacer stack


Both 1 and 2 have same bar height.

No. 2 is faster for simple reason that frontal drag is reduced by reduced spacer stack. Spacer stack matters more than the kick up in handlebar to make it a riser bar. This is the premise behind a shorter head tube bike being more aero with one notable exception. 80% of bike drag is the rider. How a rider comports his torso position is even independent of how high his/her handlebar position is.

Now my personal take:
The whole ugly @$$ bird beak VIAS stem + riser bar thing is expensive nonsense. It is marketing BS that may mean a watt at 30mph.

The proprietary ugly stem with internal cable routing is more meaningless than a riser handlebar. A riser handlebar all in all makes technical sense because it is a low drag way to achieve a higher handlebar.


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## masont (Feb 6, 2010)

11spd said:


> Will caveat or at least supplement the assertion that the riser bar is faster.
> To get more into the details:
> 
> Scenario no. 1: No riser bar + more spacer stack (or stem rise with conventional stem)
> ...


Technically, #2 is faster because it tests faster, over and over again in the wind tunnel.

And the internally routed cables is absolutely not nonsense. You would be shocked if you were in the wind tunnel and got to see how much difference things like housing on the front end matter (or a loose fitting jersey/jacket, as another example.) I got to spend a full day in the wind tunnel testing a bunch of different things a couple years ago with some other bike fitters, and it was a blast.


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## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

masont said:


> Technically, #2 is faster because it tests faster, over and over again in the wind tunnel.
> 
> And the internally routed cables is absolutely not nonsense. You would be shocked if you were in the wind tunnel and got to see how much difference things like housing on the front end matter (or a loose fitting jersey/jacket, as another example.) I got to spend a full day in the wind tunnel testing a bunch of different things a couple years ago with some other bike fitters, and it was a blast.


 Um...I was explaining 'why' no. 2 is faster. You may not be technical therefore here is a bit of nuance you may or may not understand but others may appreciate.

a. A riser handlebar has greater frontal surface area than a non riser handlebar.

b. A riser handlebar is SLOWER than a non riser handlebar. It has greater frontal surface area and a higher CD for the same wing shape and is also fractionally heavier.

So why is no.2 faster if a non riser handlebar aka no.1 handlebar is faster?

Ans: Because it’s the ‘ratio’ of CD of riser handlebar to lower stack of proprietary stem that makes no. 2 faster. That stem shape aka boundary layer aero effect + reduced frontal area of stack height overcomes the deficit in aerodynamics that makes a riser handlebar slower than a conventional winged handlebar.
 
 Take away is, stem shape + stem stack height due to frontal surface area is a much greater contributor to aerodynamics than handlebar shape provided handlebars considered are both wing shaped.

Lastly, I find your comments comparing a loose jersey to external cables to be rather obtuse. A loose jersey will have much greater drag than cables and the contribution to drag of cables is relatively modest. In fact, many pros run the VIAS with a conventional stem + externally routed cables because this is known in pro ranks and bike fit and changing cables is much easier with conventional stem + external cables. A final note. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of a riser handlebar (worse in drag) in combination with a reduced stack height conventional stem. This will be a net positive for aerodynamics. The column of air displaced by the steerer and stem stack is >>> smaller deficit of air drag due to the kick up in handlebar bar shape that constitutes a riser handlebar.


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