Stem Captain clock top cap review

September 14th, 2015

Keep watch on time out on the trail

Product Full Name: Stem CAPtain Bike Clock

Retail Price: £16.95

Available From: Stem CAPtain

The Stem CAPtain is a small clock that mounts in place of your stem top cap on your bike, and comes in various guises for different uses.

The standard clock top cap model is easily read with the white face, though it might stand out too much for some. Photo | Adam Wight

Why use a Stem Captain?

Aside from the irritating rubbing you often get when riding a rough track with a wrist watch, we know of more than a couple of riders who have broken their wrists due to wearing a watch. This neat little addition to your stem stackers means you will never encounter the above scenario again, and it makes a lot of sense in UK conditions.

Picture the scene – you’re out in the hills riding, it’s raining and you’ve had a couple of mid-trail lie downs in the mud so you’re filthy. You need to know the time, which if you don’t wear a watch will probably mean removing your bag and delving in to grab your phone – which will get no doubt caked in the process.

So if you’re like me it usually means not bothering, and probably getting in to strife because of that!

Ignoring the fact we have a stack of spacers here, the Stem CAPtain needs just enough steerer exposed for a regular 10mm headset spacer. Photo | Adam Wight

Different caps

As well as various designs of clock, you can also get different inserts such as a thermometer which Stem CAPtain say is accurate to +/- 2 degrees; a compass, a bottle opener and even a capsule style insert for a photo or anything else you can fit in there.

The Stem CAPtain comes supplied with its own stem cap that you fit in exactly the same was as a traditional design. Once you’ve completed the standard procedure of preloading your headset, you pop the clock – or other insert of your choice – in to the holder and insert the supplied grub screw to hold it in place. Here at Factory Jackson, we’ve been using the ‘Enduro’ clock for approx. 6 months and it’s been faultless.

We love the military style black face of the Stem CAPtain Enduro model. Note the grub screw that holds the clock in place. Photo | Adam Wight

For something we’d never even considered before, it’s honestly been invaluable. Especially with the rise of various Enduro races where you need to be at the start of certain stages by a pre-determined time. We’ve used ours this year at a number of events in all conditions including a number of those aforementioned trail-side sit downs and it’s never budged or stopped working.

Stem CAPtain claim approximately 1-2 years of battery life which depends heavily on the temperatures it’s used in. The clock itself is a quality Quartz production with scratch proof cover and weather proof casing. Apart from its clear functional benefits, different colour stem caps are also available for those colour co-ordinated amongst us.

Most of the models are also available with a black or white background depending on your preference.

Different coloured caps are available to colour co-ordinate with your bike. I’ve got a blue model here on my Swarf. Photo | Adam Wight

We say

The Stem CAPtain may be a novelty product, but it’s actually really useful and we love using them. Being able to reference time without stopping or faffing means more time on the trails for us.

They are really nicely made and so far have been perfectly accurate and dependable – and at £16.95 with free postage for the most expensive version, they’re hardly a wallet stripper either.