Having a strong and durable BMX stem is an important part of your BMX as they’re responsible for maintaining control from the rider’s upper body control of the handle bars to the frame of the BMX in order to propel and control the BMX.
The best BMX stem is the Eastern Topload Throttle as it offers the rider with 5 different color-ways with the comfort of being extremely lightweight at 0.6lbs and the BMX stem made from durable 6061 aluminum.
Buying a new BMX stem can be a demanding and difficult task as there are many factors to look over such as colors, weight, stack height and reach.
Table of Contents
Best Stems for BMXing
| BMX Stems | Weight (LBS) | Durability 5* Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Topload Throttle | 0.6LBS | 4.5 |
| Sunday Freeze Top Load | 0.8LBS | 4.5 |
| Black Ops Defend'R | 0.6LBS | 4 |
| SE Racing Narler | 0.8LBS | 4.5 |
| Wake | 0.3LBS | 3.5 |
| Origin8 Fix8 | 0.5LBS | 4 |
It is important to consider certain factors with BMX Stem’s such as the Steerer Clamp radius as this enables the BMX Stem to hold smaller or larger bars for certain types of riding and can make a huge difference.
Additionally its important to consider the reach and stack height because they can restrict the type of BMX handlebar you can fit as well, although most BMX stems will fit most BMX handlebars on the market.
Below is a list of all of the best BMX stems along with their features.
Eastern Topload Throttle
The Eastern Topload Throttle is the best BMX stem available for purchase on the market currently, as it is spectacularly durable and easy to install.
The Eastern Topload Throttle stem comes in a variety of five different color-ways with a 50mm reach and a 32mm stack height, along with a 22.2 mm Steerer Clamp meaning that it is a standard fit for a majority of BMX’s on the market today.
The Eastern Topload Throttle stem furthermore comes with chromoly bolts along with its durable 6061 aluminum finish enabling for it remain rust free for a long period of time, all coming in at a lightweight of 0.6lbs making it an ideal stem for any BMX rider whether they’re a beginner or an expert rider.
Check it OutSunday Freeze
The Sunday Freeze is the most premium BMX stem on our recommended list at its targeted towards a higher skilled level rider as its produced from a die-cast aluminum body with a forged 6061-T6 aluminum face-plate which enables it to retain a surprisingly low weight of only 0.6lbs.
Unlike the rest of the market the Sunday Freeze BMX stem only comes in one color-way, however it is a very fine finish in a matte black with a simple five bolt which is very user friendly, and an easy to setup clamp system.
More points to make are that the Sunday Freeze has a standard reach of 52m along with a stack height of 34mm, both are surprisingly impressive when compared to the rest of the market . Finally the Steerer Clamp radius is 22.2mm which makes it perfectly for street/freestyle BMX handlebars as they tend to have smaller radius tubes.
Check it OutBlack Ops Defend’R
The Black Ops Defend’R is probably one of the more durable and reliable BMX stems on the market as they’re produced from a notable BMX brand such as Black Ops, who create their stems from AL6061 Forged Alloy which is a hard-wearing material.
The Black Ops Defend’R is sold in two separate eye-catching colors, which are gloss red and black. It has a reach of 50mm along with stack height of 30mm which is at the same standard as the rest of the BMX stems in the market.
One difference is that the Steerer Clamp has a slightly larger than competitors diameter at 28.6mm which enables the rider to have thicker bars to be fitted which is ideal for dirt jump and racing BMX riders as they tend to need thicker BMX handlebars.
A final few points to make is that the Black Ops Defend’R comes with a simple/user friendly 4 bolt face clamp install and is at a competitive lightweight of only 0.6lbs.
Check it OutSE Racing Narler
The SE Racing Narler is a perfect BMX stem for most average riders alike with riders who are driven towards racing BMX’s as the Narler gets its retro design from the 1980’s BMX racing bikes as it’s named after the classic SoCal BMX race track.
The SE Racing Narler is produced in a variety of four desirable color-ways with a standard reach of 55mm along with a stack height of 30mm, which is ideal for nearly most BMX headsets on the market.
The Steerer Clamp comes in at 28mm which is also near enough standard to most handlebars diameter on the market so nearly all should fit suitably into this stem whether they’re street, dirt jump or racing BMX handlebars.
The SE Racing Narler is extremely durable as it is produced from the hard wearing metal CNC machined 6061 Aluminum meaning it should last longer than most parts on your BMX rust free and it comes in at a suitably lightweight of 0.86lbs making it more rigid perfect for new or casual BMX riders.
Check it OutWake
The Wake BMX stem is an amazing beginner/novice riders to start of with who are casually riding as it comes with a very universal, user-friendly easy to setup five bolt system which comes in over five different color-ways!
The Wake BMX stem comes with a near enough standard reach of 45mm along with a stack height of 31.8mm which is more than ideal for most BMX head sets and has been praised for its ability to be modified to fit the BMX.
The Steerer Clamp comes in at 28.6mm which is a slightly wider diameter than most BMX stems on the market which is good as it means more variations of handlebars can fit into the stem allowing the rider to have a greater choice such as for dirt jump or racing BMX handlebars for instance.
Final points to make would be that the Wake BMX stem is constructed from high-strength CNC machined 6061 T6 aluminum alloy which ensures it’s rust free and durable longevity, along with it being lightweight at only 0.3lbs which is far below the average BMX stem weight across the market.
Check it OutOrigin8 Fix8
The Origin8 Fix8 is a more than ideal BMX stem for most average/causal BMX riders as it comes with a user friendly, easy to setup four bolt face clamp system which is tough and reliable, as well as coming in over seven different color-ways which is more than most competitors in the market.
The Origin8 Fix8 has a suitably standard reach of 50mm with a surprisingly adaptable stack height of 33mm, which is again more than most of it’s competitors in the market.
The Origin8 Fix8 Steerer Clamp with a radius of 25.4mm which is more on the smaller side, however this does mean that the Origin8 Fix8 is more suited towards smaller BMX handlebars such as street or freestyle BMX handlebars.
Additional points to make are that it comes with forged alloy construction preventing it from rust whilst enabling its longevity for its future, all coming in at a lightweight of only 0.5lbs which makes it very lightweight amongst the market.
Check it OutBMX Stem Buying Guide
Purchasing a new BMX stem can be a challenging decision that any rider whether they’re new or experienced can struggle with, however in this guide we show key important factors you should keep an eye out for before your decision that will enable you to make the perfect purchase.
Stem Reach & Stack Height
It is important to research the BMX stem’s reach and stack height as this enables the rider to have a more suitable and comfortable ride as the greater the reach and stack height, the more suitable the stem will be for larger BMX handlebars which someone who is slighty taller above the average height may have to consider.
Furthermore dirt jump riders tend to have greater stem reach and stack heights as they prefer a larger set of BMX handlebars for their style of riding, likewise street and freestyle riders tend not to as it makes preform street related tricks easier to do.
Steerer Clamp
The Steerer Clamp is another very important consideration for any rider as the steerer clamp radius can determine what size BMX handlebars can fit onto your BMX.
Typically BMX stems with larger radius’ tend to be more suited towards dirt jump riders as their style requires larger bars, where as it’s again the opposite for street riders who’s riding style suits smaller handlebars which means they require a smaller steerer clamp.
Front Load Vs. Top Load BMX Stems
There is a big debate in the BMX community where there are many factors backing each side for which type of stem is better such as big factor against front loaded stems are that they’re not as durable and said to be more feeble as the main force contact dissipating force is pronounced onto, over the stem bolts which over a period of riding time can cause them to fail/break.
Other arguments include that the aesthetics are much different, however thats down to personal preference. Additionally riders make the argument that if you’re a dirt jump rider who has big, heavy landings then the top load stem may be the more preferred choice as that type of stem can take much more punishment in that style of riding.
Conclusion
Overall there are a number of BMX stems out there however not having the correct preferences can make your riding experience difficult and dangerous, furthermore its vital that you ensure the BMX stem has suitable tightness other wise the bars could give way and you could have an accident!
