ENVE's new SES Aero Road Stem is adjustable for angle and length(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The contrasting matt/gloss black finish matches the handlebars seamlessly(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Disappointingly, a Di2 junction box mount has not been integrated into the stem and so a thickband of rubber is used to fix it in place (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Renshaw's stem is marked as 130mm, but it can be adjusted by 5mm(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The faceplate on the race bike's stem had a glossy black finish(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The faceplate on the race bike's stem had a glossy black finish(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The stem comes with an integrated mount (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The top cap accommodates the shim adjustment with its squarish shape(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Renshaw's stem has a fairly aggressive negative angle. The stem can be set for -7, -12 or -17 (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Two more traditional faceplate bolts are located on the underside of the stem(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
A single, larger than usual fastening bolt at the top of the face plate is positioned at appoximately 45 degrees(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The rear of the stem has a tear drop-like profile where the two bolts are located (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
A smooth frontal profile will reduce air turbulence from the stem - but the real story is inside the stem (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Mark Renshaw's Cervelo S5 at the 2018 Tour Down Under(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
At the WorldTour-opening Tour Down Under, Mark Renshaw of Team Dimension Data was spotted racing with a new, adjustable aero stem from ENVE. In addition to a new sleek shape, the ENVE SES Aero Road Stem can adjust its angle and effective length.
Externally, the most obvious design feature is a switch from the traditional four-bolt faceplate to a more streamlined design. Two bolts remain on the underside of the face plate but up top, a larger, single bolt at a 45-degree angle secures the handlebars.
An integrated computer mount also works with lights and action cameras.
In addition to the updates to the layout of the face plate bolts, the plate itself has been given a complete overhaul. Instead of a 180-degree vertical alignment of the plate, a curved plate with approximately 120-degrees of handlebar coverage creates a smooth surface at the most critical area of the stem in terms of aerodynamics. The stem body extends asymmetrically underneath the face plate to ensure the handlebars are secured.
To the rear of the stem, the body narrows to a teardrop profile and both tensioning bolts are on a single side rather than the alternate side design of the current ENVE road stem.
Shim adjustment
But it's what you can't see that is the real story.
"The shape of the stem itself is aero, but the real aero benefit is how the shim on the steerer tube allows for adjustment of the stem angle," ENVE's marketing director Jake Pantone told BikeRadar. "The idea is that you can eliminate spacers; spacers aren't aero."
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The shim can be rotated to effectively raise or lower the stem, from -7 to -17 angles. The shim design has been used by other brands, but usually not on high-end products like this.
A second 2.5mm shim adjusts for length, for a total of 5mm of fore/aft adjustment. This shim fixes the stem angle at -12.
Only one shim – either the angle adjust or the length adjust – can be used at a time.
While fork steerer top caps are traditionally circular, the new ENVE stem has an oval top cap to accommodate the shim adjustments.
Pantone said he didn't yet know the weight.
Click through the gallery above for a detailed look at the latest from ENVE on Renshaw’s machine.
