Our famous KnockRated™ level of bulletproof reliability, at a great price! Seamless 1-piece 3D forged alloy construction, with secure dual bolt steerer tube clamp & faceplate-style bar clamp.
Submitted by
Raymond
a Weekend Warrior
from Christchurch, New Zealand Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Many
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$34.00
Purchased At:
Bikeline
Strengths:
Strong, Cheap, Nice Black Finish, holds well
Weaknesses:
Bolt threads extend too far out of clamp body, clamp bolts are not knee friendly Bolts are only chrome plated and susceptible to rusting when wet.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized A1 Ahead Stem (keep knocking Knees on clamp), Tioga
Bike Setup:
03 Epic Disk, RaceFace XY Seatpost, XTR Rear, LX Front, Deore Disk Brakes, Fox Forx RL
Bottom Line:
Only had it a week and lost skin on my thigh and knee from the bolt threads protruding from the clamp, not nice, will be replacing it with a Thomson tomorrow.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
clark
a
from canada Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
cheap, strong, stiff, fairly light
Weaknesses:
rusty bolts
Similar Products Used:
thomson
Bike Setup:
2001 devinci phantom hardtail, deore/lx/xt drivetrain, titec post/stem/bar, etc.
Bottom Line:
not that nice to look at, but its just a stem. does its job with no complaints. there is nothing that could be improved upon except maybe using some proper stainless bolts. awesome stem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guille SM
a
from Capital Federa, Buenos Aires, Argentina Date Reviewed: December 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Circuito XC, Pilar
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$8.00
Purchased At:
A guy that didn't know what he had
Strengths:
Strong, light, cheap and looks good.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Kalloy/Kore Lite 3d
Bike Setup:
Vairo XR5000;LX;XTR;Ovation;Ritchey Rock Pro;etc.
Bottom Line:
This is a really good XC stem. Cheap, good looking, light and strong. You can't ask for more. There are lighter stems but also much more expensive. If you don't want to spend too much money on the stem this is an option.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: August 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$19.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Products strengths?...Oh yes, this is the strengthiest stem Ive ever used. Cool one-piece forged design. Not easy to scratch either.
Weaknesses:
Causes me to make up new words like "strengthiest."
Similar Products Used:
Stock stem
Bike Setup:
'01 Raleigh M60: Deore/Alivio drivetrain, Deore brakes, RockShox Judy SL, Rockshox seatpost, Answer Pro-taper bars, IRC Mythos XC tires, Selle Italia Max Flite Trans Am saddle, Wellgo clipless pedals, and of course the Titel Lil Al stem.
Bottom Line:
I needed a shorter stem with lower rise to offset the increased head angle caused by installing a 100mm travel fork. Although this is more due to the size and rise of my stem, but my bike steers quicker and more precisely than before. This stem is very strong due to the 3-D forged design and the fact that its only 110 mm long. I paid $19 for mine so it didnt break the bank either (unless you add up everything Ive paid to make my bike what it is today.) Gram counting maniacs will want to look elsewhere, but I prefer to enjoy my ride rather than stress over the fact that Im lugging 2 extra ounces up the hill.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SGT. ROCK
a Racer
from Edmonton, AB Date Reviewed: July 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Looks Strengh Finish
Similar Products Used:
Control Tech, Bontrager, Kore
Bike Setup:
2000 GIANT ATX890
Bottom Line:
Drove my car, with bike on roof rack, through a motel parking lot underpass this summer. Lil Al took the full impact on the chin, came through with a few tiny scratches, didn't even knock him out of alignment. Impressive. Rack mount was destroyed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chan Louis
a Racer
from Macau, China Date Reviewed: May 27, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Wing Lei Bicycles Macau
Strengths:
It's still, nice shape and colour, and cheap
Weaknesses:
Heavy!
Similar Products Used:
FSA XC 120, Profile
Bike Setup:
Giant XtC (hardtail) Team, '01 SID XC, 575 wheels, Sram Attrack/XT drivetrain, Guess USA crank, Shimano XT discs, Titec Stem, Taiwan-made Carbon bars, Kore Lite post, Selle Italia nitrox
Bottom Line:
I brought it in black colour, just to make the best colour with black Team frame. My bike is so light, 21lbs so I fitted a-bit-heavy stem is fine...I'm sad that I fitted a carbon bar!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: May 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Bubba's Beer Run
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
-STRONG!!!!!! -STIFF -CHEAP -KILLER LOOKS -DID I MENTION HOW STRONG IT IS?
Weaknesses:
-HEAVY, BUT I CAN DEAL WITH THAT
Similar Products Used:
Bontager, Axiom
Bike Setup:
'99 Mantra Comp, LX/XT/XTR, MANITOU, FOX
Bottom Line:
THIS STEM IS KILLER STRONG. WILL NOT BEND, FLEX, ANYTHING. IT IS A LITTLE HEAVY BUT THATS OK BECUASE I'M 195 POUNDS AND NEED A GOOD STRONG STEM. ITS ALSO HOW CHEAP? WOW!!!!!! NEED A NEW STEM? GET THE TITEC LIL AL!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Murray Lambert
a Cross Country Rider
from Hanwell Date Reviewed: November 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Hanwell Backwoods
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Light, VERY strong, no flex, bar stays put
Weaknesses:
None to date
Similar Products Used:
Control Tech
Bike Setup:
XC Raleigh, Mavics, Deore & XT gear, Titec, built strong but reasonably light for long rough XC rides.
Bottom Line:
Why bother with a higher priced stem when you can not go wrong with this one? Our whole family now rides on these and 100% staisfied!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Antonio
a Weekend Warrior
from North East USA Date Reviewed: October 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
all of 'em
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Online retailer
Strengths:
Bad-ass black color, really stiff. Price is nice.
Weaknesses:
Not a fancy, expensive looking stem that will strip out or fail - wait, thats a strength.
Similar Products Used:
Easton, Control Tech, Ritchey, No Names
Bike Setup:
It keeps changing.
Bottom Line:
Well, I have worked my way through a few stems for various reasons - stripped holes (ritchey), steel threaded inserts that came out (Control tech - these are replaceable, but that scares the poopie out of me), a crack (no name). In the end, I have heard and feel that forged stems are the strongest, and this stem seems strong. the threds seem stable and durable (but I'm sure that an agressive ham-hand could strip them). It stays on and does not flex. I like it. I can't really figure out why the welded Big Al costs more, or why anyone would buy one. Bottom line - unless you need the coolest looking stem, you cnat go wrong with this one. P.S. Great warranty!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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