Editor’s Choice 2020

Read more: Best mountain bike stems – go shorter, stiffer or just plain cooler

This latest E*Thirteen stem is available in two versions: the Base here and a pricier Plus model with extra polishing and finishing detail. At £45, this would be good value for any bog-standard stem, but the Base 35 is actually a really great-looking and well thought out one too.

First, the 6061 alloy is cold forged for greater stiffness and steering response. Then extra details like opposing steerer tube bolts stay well out the way to prevent knocks to knees. The six tensioning bolts are Torx head, which resist rounding better than Allen heads in my experience, and these T25 bolts haven’t rusted either over months in the wet.

A broad face plate grips handlebars very securely and uses the easier-to-set-up, zero-gap design at the top, that also keeps the cockpit looking cleaner. At recommended torque settings, my bars and stem haven’t moved a jot over months of riding, and this Base model just feels solid and responsive when you load it, even at a 50mm length that’s a little longer than I usually ride.

For the cash, this is a fantastic stem that’s reasonably light and very stiff, so I wouldn’t bother with the slightly more CNC-d Plus version for £35 more and a 10g weight saving. Not much else out there looks and performs this well for this little money so it’s highly recommended; assuming the two lengths and 35mm bore suit your set-up.