{"id":177034,"date":"2026-05-22T16:17:48","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T07:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/?post_type=review-global&#038;p=177034"},"modified":"2026-05-22T16:17:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T07:17:48","slug":"0-is-the-key","status":"publish","type":"review-global","link":"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/review-global\/0-is-the-key\/","title":{"rendered":"0\u00b0 is the key"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/global.bluelug.live\/catalogsearch\/result\/?q=box+car+stem\">The Paul Box Car Stem<\/a> and the<a href=\"https:\/\/global.bluelug.live\/catalogsearch\/result\/?q=thomson+x4\"> Thomson x4 stem<\/a> are two iconic stems.<\/p>\n<p>The Paul Box Car is a machined aluminum stem that combines a bold, rugged, and undeniably tough look, typical of American brands with lightweight construction.<\/p>\n<p>The Thomson x4 is a classic staple that continues to be used in demanding conditions, despite being whittled down to the bare minimum in the pursuit of even greater lightness.<\/p>\n<p>It goes without saying that both models boast an exceptionally clean look.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* mod zero (47)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/bluelug\/54954810204\/in\/photolist-2rJb63p-2rJatgn-2rJatb2-2rJb69S-2rJ4Y9t-2rJaLqZ-2rJ9y4o-2rJat8w-2rJ4Ykq-2rJati6-2rJ9xY8-2rJ4Y86-2rJ9y17-2rJaLyz-2rJaLtE-2rJ4Yow-2rJ4YkF-2rJaLz1-2rJ4Yed-2rJaLGq-2rJb69g-2rJb67H-2rJat5F-2rJ4Yo6-2rJb6cT-2rJb5Xu-2rJ9xTD-2rJaLv8-2rJaLsh-2rJb65Z-2rJaLKG\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54954810204_d5932ef50f_4k.jpg\" alt=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* mod zero (47)\" width=\"2667\" height=\"4000\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* mod zero (47)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/bluelug\/54954872655\/in\/photolist-2rJb63p-2rJatgn-2rJatb2-2rJb69S-2rJ4Y9t-2rJaLqZ-2rJ9y4o-2rJat8w-2rJ4Ykq-2rJati6-2rJ9xY8-2rJ4Y86-2rJ9y17-2rJaLyz-2rJaLtE-2rJ4Yow-2rJ4YkF-2rJaLz1-2rJ4Yed-2rJaLGq-2rJb69g-2rJb67H-2rJat5F-2rJ4Yo6-2rJb6cT-2rJb5Xu-2rJ9xTD-2rJaLv8-2rJaLsh-2rJb65Z-2rJaLKG\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54954872655_54c4600d94_4k.jpg\" alt=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* mod zero (47)\" width=\"4096\" height=\"2730\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* monster cross (56)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/bluelug\/52841319572\/in\/photolist-2ovpzi5-2ovpzkz-2ovuMxr-2ovuMvc-2ovpzgB-2ovtujr-2ovpzgG-2ovuMwe-2ovpzjx-2ovpzm1-2ovsw61-2ovtueB-2ovpzif-2ovsw9x-2ovtugf-2ovuAjw-2ovtuiu-2ovpzg6-2ovpzjh-2ovsw8v-2ovsw66-2ovuAhN-2ovtuew\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52841319572_da86b54e28_k.jpg\" alt=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* monster cross (56)\" width=\"1365\" height=\"2048\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* monster cross (56)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/bluelug\/52841319402\/in\/photolist-2ovpzi5-2o6H1T4-2gs9now-2oeNX7g-2ohcK6r-2mLDoPb-2nvRVEp-2ngYxYK-2noaoLi-2nXLoVP-2nH353T-2hAsSn3-2oBkRkT-2cuDL2s-2nh9oLf-2mWshJf-2igxoFh-2mmYGLh-2kUqhaW-2gACwNW-2eVUa2E-2nwFXPd-HHqXtb-2mxxkib-2oFesTj-2emhm8R-2nySdhe-2o32B7j-2oeMT94-2oCJMHC-2rKy9QA-2mveJaF-2jH4fG1-2nadKuR-2kYBjAD-2m7z2bq-2oCKYvy-2kYBjFJ-2kURmjf-2msSgMG-2mzzrod-2fUCK84-2oeNCvk-2nD2sMg-2ohaBfm-2oDv9gw-2oBxjWN-2ogwkrP-2mZR4Sn-2n4WqPN\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52841319402_b3092ec7e2_k.jpg\" alt=\"*BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES* monster cross (56)\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>What I really like about those two stems is that they offer 0\u00b0 angles as an option. That means it mounts at a right angle to the fork steerer tube.<\/p>\n<p>I personally think that the look of 0\u00b0 stems are better than that of angled stems, especially for bikes that have a slanted headtubes that are often built with dirt tires, such as gravel bikes.<\/p>\n<p>This is just a weird fetish of mine at this point, but I really don&#8217;t like the look of the cockpit of bikes when the stem has too much of an angle.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-171085\" src=\"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-1280x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-1280x960.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-1720x1290.jpg 1720w, https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385.jpg 1980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I can already hear people saying, \u201cIsn\u2019t it more fun to have an angle so you can switch up your position by tilting it up or down?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s exactly why my heart races at the boldness of this o\u00b0 design, a choice that sacrifices versatility, which could be seen as a kind of safety net.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m not trying to say \u201co\u00b0 is only the choice for me.&#8221; I&#8217;ll probably have a completely different opinion on other types of bikes.<\/p>\n<p>Even Blue Lug, which we pride ourselves on having the world\u2019s largest selection of 31.8mm stems currently offers only two options: the Paul BOXCAR and the THOMSON x4.<\/p>\n<p>Given that this 31.8mm handlebar has remained virtually unrivaled for so long since it first gained widespread popularity, it could be described as a somewhat niche product.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re the kind of person who finds that niche status strangely appealing, I definitely want you to give it a try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":171085,"template":"","better_featured_image":{"id":171085,"alt_text":"","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":1980,"height":1485,"file":"2025\/12\/IMG_8385.jpg","filesize":300654,"sizes":{"medium":{"file":"IMG_8385-1280x960.jpg","width":1280,"height":960,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":139391,"source_url":"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-1280x960.jpg"},"large":{"file":"IMG_8385-1720x1290.jpg","width":1720,"height":1290,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":224721,"source_url":"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-1720x1290.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"file":"IMG_8385-768x576.jpg","width":768,"height":576,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":60943,"source_url":"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385-768x576.jpg"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":171081,"source_url":"https:\/\/bluelug.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8385.jpg"},"acf":{"not_to_displayed_on_top":true,"ctm-post-priority":"0"},"post-meta-fields":{"_edit_last":["48"],"not_to_displayed_on_top":["1"],"_not_to_displayed_on_top":["field_6944f0f6461a3"],"ctm-post-priority":["0"],"_ctm-post-priority":["field_6522836fa8f5e"],"pp_checklist_custom_item_jlhhonippgapjyw":["yes"],"_my_meta_value_key":["[{\"pid\":12325,\"name\":\"*THOMSON* 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