Mythos Elix 3D-printed stem review - technology in search of a component?

The world's first commercially available 3D-printed stem is a real statement, but what does it offer beyond its radical looks?

Image shows a bike with the Mythos Elix 3D printed stem fitted.
(Image credit: Simon Smythe)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

Although the Mythos Elix seems to offer a glimpse of the future with its 3D-printed, Terminator-like skeletal appearance, its performance is only marginally better than a standard aluminium stem from the present day - it's a claimed 15 per cent stiffer - and it doesn’t offer any weight-saving at all. In fact it was slightly heavier than the fairly low-end Deda stem it replaced. If you like the look of it, you want to stand out from the crowd and you don’t mind paying £500, the Mythos stem could be for you, but 3D printing is arguably better employed elsewhere.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Exotic looks

  • +

    Claimed 15 per cent stiffer than a regular alu stem

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    High price

  • -

    No weight saving

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

The Mythos Elix stem comes with a pedigree almost as formidable as its appearance.

It's made by Dimitris Katsanis’s company Metron in Britain. Katsanis was the man behind the UKSI track bike, he’s also worked with Team Sky and his additive manufactured (3D printed) equipment has been used at the highest level. Bradley Wiggins used 3D-printed titanium custom bars made by Katsanis to break the world Hour Record in 2015 and most recently Metron worked with Pinarello to 3D-print the frame, fork and bars that Filippo Ganna rode to raise the Hour Record bar to new heights last month.

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