Stem angles

On an older QUILL stem, the angle is measured relative to the HORIZONTAL == 0º ...

The actual angle relative to the Horizon varies with the frame's headtube angle.

On a stem that fits on a threadless steerer, it usually represents the angle relative to the steerer.

I don't know what that '97 degree' number represents.

Colavita/ACT10 said:

Hey everyone,

I am so confused about stem angles. Currently I have +/-7 degree stem. It is for 26.0 bars and I need one for 31.8. I am looking at different stems and I see some stems that have an angle of 97 degrees. Is this the same thing +/- 7 degrees?

Thanks.

Angles are sometimes expressed simply and plainly: +/- 7 degrees or 0 degrees for instance. Maybe not so simply or plainly because those degrees are actually relative to a right angle (90 degrees).

Othertimes, they're expressed as actual angles like "90", "96/84", "107/73". In those cases, the way to translate to the above is to simply subtract 90 from the numbers:

"90" = 0
"96/84" = +/- 6
"107/73" = +/- 17