Review: Renthal Duo Stem
February 23rd, 2011
By Factory Jackson in Reviews
The Renthal Duo stem is not your average stem in any way shape or form and represents a completely new take on stem design. Designed and manufactured in a unique and ingenious way that reduces the overall weight without affecting the overall strength; the designers at Renthal took a radical approach to an everyday product by cutting it horizontally from the handlebar clamp to the to the pinch bolts at the rear. This process allows for greater access to the stem’s inner core and removing any unneeded material that previously would have been impossible to do without compromising strength. The Duo stem is made from top quality 6082 T6 aluminium and is available in a friendly 50mm reach with a 10 degree rise and comes in a sweet matt gold and gloss black colour way that really pops!
The Duo comes in at just over 130g, which is pretty much nothing and at the end of the day, it all helps with keeping your bike light and ultimately fast! Utilizing a unique ‘U’ shaped handlebar clamp which is designed to reduce any undue stresses being transferred from the stem, the Duo has been designed from the ground up to exceed the demands of the rider who needs to know their bike won’t fail out on the trail.
When handling the stem for the first time and installing it on your bike it becomes pretty apparent that the level of manufacturing, overall appearance and the finish is of the highest quality, but some may find the design fiddly – especially if you frequently swap between bars as you will need to undo all 6 bolts on the stem plus the headcap bolt to release the bars. This didn’t bother me as I don’t swap bars very often and your only talking an extra minute of your life here, which is neither here nor there when you look at just how light this is.
Conclusion.
Overall the Duo stem represents innovative British engineering at its best and it’s great to see an established and dominant MX brand like Renthal, take mountain biking seriously and produce such great products such as this one. Overall the Duo Stem has seriously impressed me with both its low weight and quality of manufacturing and if your looking to save weight and have a stem which hands down looks amazing with the features and performance to boot, look no further – available now from all good Renthal and Ison Distribution dealers for £80GBP
For more information , slap the logo below. Happy trails!