Pro Tharsis Stem - Review
Pinkbike Product Picks
Tharsis is the name of Shimano's Pro range of XC/trailbike components, and also the name for a sizeable chunk of the Martian landscape. The Tharsis stem is made from super-strong, 7075 aluminum and is 3-D forged and post-machined to trim as much weight as possible without robbing its stiffness or strength - and as one may expect, its hardware and finish is A-plus. The handlebar clamp is 31.8 millimeters and the stem has no rise. The four-bolt cap locks into a tab on the body to encircle the handlebar to a degree, and the steerer clamp is a wrap-around design which eliminates the knobby pinch bolts that most of its competitors use. The sharp angles and rectangular profile are bold looking, especially for a Shimano product, and it gives the stem the appearance of an all-mountain design. The stem is sold in 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100-millimeter lengths, however, and the lack of anything shorter instead suggests that the Tharsis is intended for edgier XC/trail riders. Matching graphics tie the Tharsis stem into the Pro aluminum range by the same name, which includes a riser bar, saddle and seatpost. The 60-millimeter Tharsis stem in this review weighs 150 grams, with an MSRP of $99 USD
Pro Components
The rectangular profile enhances the stem's torsional stiffness (left), while the wrap-around steerer-tube clamp minimizes its volume. The inside of the deceptively lightweight accessory is hollowed by 3-D forging and CNC-machining processes.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | Shimano's XTR and XT drivetrain components look pretty sharp and I am sure that there are a number of proud owners of such, who would like to trick out their bikes with a matching cockpit. The Tharsis stem is functionally on par with XT or XTR and it looks the part as well. The matching, 740-millimeter handlebar is not going to let you down either. It has a good bend for technical riding and a competitive weight. Assembling the Tharsis stem to the bike reminded me of the classic Shimano experience: everything slips into place, the hardware is polished and the threads are a precise fit - it's a class act. I am not a fan of the Pro graphics, though they may strike your fancy, and I question why there are no 50 or 40-millimeter options in the range. For trail riders who swear by Shimano, or anyone who may be in the hunt for a modern styled, slightly-longer-than-all-mountain stem, the Tharsis is well worth a look. - RC |
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the silver face plate, especially where the graphic says "close gap" looks like a nasty edge waiting to cause a stress riser
no way I'd trust this stem with the S-Works carbon bars on my trail bike, unless the reviewer can confirm the clamping edges are bevelled
Think I'll stick with my Thomson X4 stem
No, the Tharsis is intended for riders with poor taste and even poorer eye-sight.
The face plate is pretty awful though, and looks like it comes from a different manufacturer entirely. There isn't any design continuity with the main body. The bolt areas are crude. I think bike parts need at least a small fillet on exterior edges - if for nothing else than the edges won't get broken off or chipped over time.
If I were going to get a stem to match my XTR parts, this wouldn't be it.
Massively missed the mark shimano. I hope you sell none and have to give them all away to orphans struggling to complete their builds. Having said which, they have it bad enough, one of these stems is probably the last thing they need lol!