Designed for enduro, the Ether is light and strong enough for everything from XC to DH.

>>> The best mountain bike stems

With a weight of 121g for a 50mm reach and 35mm clamp, the Ether is competitive, but most enduro racers will want a stubbier stem to match modern frame geometry, so KS arguably needs to offer a shorter 35mm length.

The smooth, glossy finish feels high quality and you also get full titanium hardware included.

Besides the bling factor, these Ti bolts are lightweight, rust-resistant and use a rounded conical shaping underneath to reduce the chance of tightening them incorrectly.

KS has opted for a more unusual steerer clamp, with the one-sided wraparound design putting bolts out of harm’s way to prevent knees from knocking against sharp edges.

We’ve had mixed experiences in the past with similar offset designs, but this one worked fine.

The Ether’s ride feel is great, with good stiffness and connection to the bars, without being jarring and transferring too many vibrations.

For a first effort this stem is very good, and if 50mm is short enough, also offers fantastic value for money.