Submitted by
Andy
a
from Beautiful BC Date Reviewed: June 20, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Great selection of sizes.
Similar Products Used:
Kalloy
Bike Setup:
'03 Devinci
Bottom Line:
Great stem for a great price. Leave the CF and other weight saving crud for the roadies. It has taken the abuse I've dished out with no compaints what so ever. 5 for 5 on this puppy
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joshster
a Weekend Warrior
from oakland Date Reviewed: October 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
eldridge grade
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Kelly factory swap meet
Strengths:
strong, powdercoat finish, 4 bolt cap, easy to remove logo
Weaknesses:
not CF light, but then it's a stem & therefore not the best place to save weight Lousy labels (no complaints though)
Similar Products Used:
kalloy, kona stock (kalloy?), ritchey
Bike Setup:
kokopelli
Bottom Line:
This is a competent, beefy stem with a nice finish. The stickers were peeling, which I think is why it was in a clearance box at the Kelly swap meet. I just used a spoon handle to scrape off the remaining stickers & buffed it out afterwards. Looks sweet now & helped cut down the number of logos on my bike. Peeled the stickers off of my Marzocchi too, so the rig's looking pretty sweet & stealth.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bizario
a Cross Country Rider
from Rexford, MT Date Reviewed: December 18, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Web Mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$19.00
Purchased At:
Jesan USA
Strengths:
Price, Qulity, Stiff and looks good.
Weaknesses:
Weight (but only if you compare it to stems 3X the price)
Similar Products Used:
Thamson Elite, Easton EA 60, a few nopname stems.
Bike Setup:
2000 GT Zaskar X (Custom) & 2002 Marin Mount Vision Pro
Bottom Line:
Ok, It’s not a Thomson… but if you are a bit shy on the bucks this is the stem for you. I bought 2 of these as interim stems as I gave my wife the Thomson off my GT and needed a stem till I got something better. I put the other on my Marin MVP to get the geometry right until I could scratch up the bucks for a Thomson. Well, 3 months down the road I have to say that the one on my GT will stay. It looks good, feels stiff and it is a bit on the heavy side; but we are talking about a $19 stem. I will spend the extra cash for the Thomson on my MVP as I like the looks (This is just me being anal) and I strive to keep this bike light. I have had no problem with decals (I’m not sure that they are decals) coming off and the only reason to worry about the amount of torque that you use on these stems is so that you don’t crush your bars. This stem is clearly worthy of being classified with stems over twice its price and the length / angle selection is pretty good. Bottom line… I give this stem 5 flaming Habaneros
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hervisaurus
a Cross Country Rider
from IL Date Reviewed: September 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$8.00
Purchased At:
Private Dealer
Strengths:
Super stiff, really sturdy 4 bolt removable face plate, good weight to strength ratio
Weaknesses:
Not available in 0 Degree rise
Bike Setup:
Trek 9900 custom
Bottom Line:
It's one of the nicest stems I've used. It's not the lightest stem in the world, so if you're a super weight weenie, don't bother, but it usually beats stock on most bikes. It's really strong and it's the stiffest part of my front end. Everything else under my hands flexes like hell but this thing doesn't move. The forging on it is beautiful. The only problem I found is the rise. I ride a 21 inch frame with a massive head tube, so the angle of my fork is set way back. It would be nice if they offered it in a 0 degree rise or even a negative. Also everyone else has been complaining about their decals coming off, but my stem is laser etched. They must have gotten ripped off. Simply put, if you're looking for a really lightweight stem, go elswhere, but if you don't give a damn buy this stem, it's fantastic. 5 burning mounds of platypus excrement for the value (can't beat 8 bucks) and, although they didn't have a 0 degree, I'm not gonna penalize them on the overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hank
a Weekend Warrior
from Plano, TX USA Date Reviewed: September 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
nashbar
Strengths:
secure fit. The look is okay, but nashbar's version isn't polished, it's a dull silver-like powder.
Weaknesses:
the brand stickers. Again, nashbar's version isn't polished silver, so it doesn't match the other silver components on my bike. But who cares... I do alittle :)
Similar Products Used:
stock trek and stock mongoose
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Zero G3 2001, duke C, oury grips, syncros aluminum flat stem
Bottom Line:
For $10, this is a good deal. I still like the polished silver version!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
blasto
a Weekend Warrior
from Deer Park, NY Date Reviewed: November 29, 2001
The four bolt pattern stays tight, holds bar secure Black shot-peened looks great Beautifully forged--no welds Great value
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim T
a Weekend Warrior
from Flatlands : ( Date Reviewed: April 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Nebo Ridge, Story, IN
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
Fit and finish, strength, very nice welds.
Weaknesses:
Why finish this beautiful stem with crappy decals, even my stock marin stem is screen printed.
Bottom Line:
Looks like a nicely made product, upon installation the decals started peeling off the beautiful shot peened finish. The 4 bolt clamp holds the bar securely and the stem clamp works fine. The welds are consistant and fit and finish are beautiful, why would you finish off such a nice product with crappy decals. With the decals coming off in my hands and the rise not exactly what I wanted (this was my fault not Koskis)this went back, and I purchased a Thomson.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
peter
a Cross Country Rider
from herndon,va Date Reviewed: January 15, 2001
Favorite Trail:
difficult run
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
mtbr.com
Strengths:
cost, looks great
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
ritchey, kalloy, coda
Bike Setup:
hardtail with rockshox and litespeed handlebar
Bottom Line:
not only does the shot peen finish look great, the stem is fully funtional with no problems. the four bolt clamp holds with no problem. the decal is not laser etched, but once its fully off, i probably will not replace. best stem i have had so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christian
a Weekend Warrior
from Warrenton VA Date Reviewed: December 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
old pharm
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Stiff Looks cool 4 bolt pattern Takes a hell of torquing on screws and like it
I really really really like this stem, got it free with the purchase of my fork and front wheel from supergo (boy that rhyno lite rim they sent was old!! cheapskates :) )
Along with my ringle uncle jesse bar and my 20mm axle, it makes a hell of a stiff front end for my bike! The only flex left comes from within (or something)
At first I thought this stem would never fit the kinda rinding I wanted to do with it (jumping and some light trials and DS), but it works GREAT with azonic's DS1 frame... (talk about cheapskates try Azonic) (cheap bashtaaads)... (their frame still is cool tho)
Anyways, this stem rocks and it rocks even more coz t'was free...
Christian =)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Boxford, MA Date Reviewed: October 29, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
cool looking doesnt loosen up not very heavy
Weaknesses:
the logo is not lazer etched, its stuck on w/ decals
Similar Products Used:
sun ringle, kore
Bike Setup:
Santa cruz chameleon,XTR, Z.3 flylight
Bottom Line:
pretty good stem, i got it in a build kit and i havent had any trouble with it. Looks like its pretty durable. the stickers are kinda cheap looking
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from northern Kentucky Date Reviewed: September 1, 2000
the Koski logo or moniker is not painted or laser-etched, so the stickers that are on this shot-peened finish stem have peeled off waaaayyyy too easy...however, Eric Schurr at Koski hooked me up with a whole envelope of replacement decals... ...and it's not OVERLY light, really...around 224 grams for the 125mm, I believe...no matter though, I can readily notice the attributes of its strength to weight ratio, so no complaints.
Similar Products Used:
RaceFace SYStem, Control Tech, Kore
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Chameleon, Marzocchi X-FLY, KING wheelset, RaceFace/XT/XTR drivetrain...
Bottom Line:
So far, no problems whatsoever (aside from the silly decal thing)...This stem is the 4-bolt pattern and has proven to be a VERY solid XC stem...I have not been able to flex it at all and it has not creaked or come loose...not even once. I had a bit of a problem keeping my RF SYStem tight and "creak-free"...Suffice to say, I am content.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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