Quick release stem

A cycle stem comprising:

• a quill having first end including an attachment for connecting to a wheel fork of a cycle and a second end defining an inside tube, the quill including one or more radially oriented apertures disposed around the inside tube at the second end of the quill;
• a stem having a body, a first end including an attachment for connecting to a handlebar of a cycle, a second end including an hole in which an inner surface of the hole defines an outside tube coaxially disposed about the inside tube for rotation therebetween, the stem including one or more radially oriented cavities disposed on the inner surface of the outside tube corresponding to the one or more apertures of the quill;
• one or more locking elements disposed in at least one of an unlocked and a locked position, the locked position characterized in that each of the locking elements are disposed at least partially within an aperture of the quill and a cavity of the stem so as to lock the stem to the quill to prevent relative rotation therebetween, the unlocked position characterized in that each of the locking elements are disposed in one of an aperture of the quill and a cavity of the stem to allow the stem to rotate in a free swivel condition with respect to the quill;
• and
• a cam slidably disposed within the inside tube at the second end of the quill, the cam having a first position characterized in that that the cam forces the locking elements to move radially into the locked position and a second position characterized in that the cam allows the locking elements to move radially to the unlocked position.