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Stem graphics removed: before and after pix

Old 03-17-20, 08:57 AM
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BCDrums
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Stem graphics removed: before and after pix

I wanted to try a longer stem and bought one on sale. I didn't want the 3T logo or team graphics. It looked like this:




I used fingernail polish remover, which is mostly acetone, and rubbed off the graphics with cotton pads and then a paper towel. They came right off, took less than 10 minutes. I kept some of the smaller graphics (model and length), and covered them with electrical tape to protect them. The acetone cuts the adhesive on the tape, though, so I had to hold the tape down and use caution. The stem looks good to me:




I put this up in case it might be useful. I saw a demo of this on YouTube, and no doubt it has been discussed here at Bike Forums too.
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Old 03-17-20, 09:10 AM
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Looks good. On my mtn.bike, I replaced the stem with one that was a "take off" from a different brand. I just painted black over the brand on the stem. Doesn't look as good as yours, but it worked.
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Old 03-17-20, 09:16 AM
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How short was the stem that got replaced, because this one looks like it's maybe a 90?

Ritchey stems are fully painted, but are just plain black anno underneath. Water-based stripper will have one clean in 10 minutes.
Matte-finished Shimano PRO logo come off with acetone, like the 3T. Which is good, as the graphics usually start to fade pretty quickly.
FSA puts their logos in the clearcoat, so no-go there. Thomson are laser-etched.

I find logo removal to be most useful on alloy handlebars, as the graphics seem to get messed up/scuffed/worn more quickly than anywhere else.
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Old 03-17-20, 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
How short was the stem that got replaced, because this one looks like it's maybe a 90?
Good eye! It's an 80mm. I changed my cockpit in 2018, using a quill stem adapter so I could use shallower handlebars. I started out on a 60mm, went to 70mm, now am at 80mm.
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Old 03-17-20, 10:05 AM
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Acetone works well to remove painted or decal graphics and I've used it to do the same logo removal from stems, unpainted Ti frames, etc. It does not work for anodized or etched logos.
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