Straitline Direct Mount Boxxer Stem
by Simon Paton
Nov 30, 2009
Now you all know I keep harping on about flat bars, keeping a low stack height, keep it short and sweet I say and that's exactly why you should be checking this out.
As you can see, I ran this Straitline Direct Mount Boxxer Stem for four months, will I be taking it off? Definitely not.
Details inside,
As you can see, I ran this Straitline Direct Mount Boxxer Stem for four months, will I be taking it off? Definitely not.
Details inside,
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| Coned out nuts, why? Saves weight, less metal of course. |
I had a very interesting chat with Dennis Paulson and Greg Parish of Straitline over at Eurobike back in September. They said they liked the Pinkbike style and being one to never disappoint, I thought I'd do something a little different. Now you may think I get all this kit for free, well usually I do. Fact is though, I bought the Straitline pedals that I reviewed a year ago myself. Same here for this stem. I honestly can't say that about many other products.
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| I ran the 50mm version because the 28mm was not available, it is now! |
Those super sleuths out there may well have spotted the top bolts are fully wound up, leaving no daylight. I picked up on this on their display models at the show. They said that this is the best way to clamp their stem up, it gives a stronger clamp and a neater finish. They even said it says that in the manual. I said,"I never RTFM". "RTF.. what" was their reply. Read The Fooki..Manual" as all you computer technicians will well know. They liked it, will we see RTFM in all Straitline manuals? Probably not..
Why I really bought this stem: Every other direct mount out there either has a slight or zero rise. The Straitline actually drops, it is a minus rise. I'm not going into a lecture about rises, either you dig this or you don't.
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| Note to self, if you run the 28mm length stem, the front bolts will be under the handlebar so that will make maintenance / tightening an issue. Did mine come loose after 4 months? No, so don't worry. |
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| More cut outs to save weight than a paper doily |
• Fits Boxxer Direct Mount standard
• 31.8mm handlebar clamp
• 28mm or 50mm length
• Weight - 140grams
• 100% CNC machined from solid 6061T6 aluminum
• Colors - Pink, Black, Red, Titanium Grey or Bronze.
• £94.99rrp
Word up home boys. I've heard these work dandy with drop crowns, I will need your help below to tell me if they work with every flat crown out there, Fox 40 riders, let us know boys!
Looking for Straitline products in the U.K? Then find your local bike shop through the U.K distributor Hotlines-uk.com.
Live somewhere warmer and drier? Go here to Straitline Component's site and scope a shop near you.
Never Clipping In.
Si Paton..
Descent-Gear.com
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50 Comments
[Reply]
Straitline is the only drop DM stem I would trust to hold my bars! can hardly wait to pick one up when I can afford it hahah
How's that piece of crap otherwise known as Sunline headset holding up?
How's that piece of crap otherwise known as Sunline headset holding up?
i know the stems are...i saw 4 broken DM sunlines snapped in a weekend of riding. One of these failures lead to a broken arm :S
i dont have a sunline direct mount but i do have sunline stem and bars on my reign and i f*ckin love them!
This seems like a random plug... not that I mind, I dig straitline gear and rock it on both bikes but still this is a bit of a frivolous use of e-paper. This article killed 15 e-trees.
[Reply]
[Reply]
Iggz,
I had to give you props for that statement! The Sunline kit is 99% on the money, except those headsets! I'm thinking you should be writing these articles..
I had to give you props for that statement! The Sunline kit is 99% on the money, except those headsets! I'm thinking you should be writing these articles..
If companies would be down to give me parts to review I'd make some damn solid reviews ;] Sadly, that isn't the case and probably never will be.
[Reply]
eh up si how long has this model been out ? im running the blue one 50mm but its diferent in quite a few ways, ie bolts are not the same and mine,and has not been machined out as much as yours. jealous!!
running 28mm, I dont't think I will change it, the only way to make me change it - getting 50mm version!
I will be purchasing a Fox 40 for the 2010 race season, and almost before I had the fork selected I was sure I would be running the 28mm Direct mount Straitline... this just confirms it. Good review on a great product and can't wait to get my'n in. 
Straitline makes some very good stuff..... check out the Canfield brothers drop stem too. It will be on my next bike.
Washing smoshing, its only going to get dirty again 15 seconds into its next run anyways. Get the clag off the important turny movey bits and get over it.
As much as I appreciate this article, it would be really nice if you at least washed the stem for the pictures. I like to see that your bike gets used but when I look at a product to consider buying I like seeing the small details. Props on the article, maybe just include a clean picture from the website next time.
How is a rise determined 'cos the centre of those bars is higher than the crown? Has anyone used a Spank Spike Director stem? Weighs 110gr (claimed), costs about £70, 50mm length and looks like it's a lower rise than the Staitline?
http://spank-ind.com/index.php?a=info&do=pro&id=69&tid=1
http://spank-ind.com/index.php?a=info&do=pro&id=69&tid=1
slightly unrelated question, why do all his sign-offs switch from clipping in to never clipped in, etc?
FYI, Thomson's new direct mount stem has a drop to it as well. And it won't snap the first time you hit a tree like that flimsy piece of bling.
i had the 28mm version in red as well! and i loved it! only thing that sucks about the 28mm version is you have to cut your steer tube really short so it will work(cannot run spacers or it hits your bars)
Another great product from straitline! keep it up boys!
Another great product from straitline! keep it up boys!
I love my Bronze Straitline Pedals and stem. They look sick on my black and bronze 2008 Demo 8 with the black 2010 Fox 40's.
This is a very good stem. i have it on my driver 8. it dropped almost half the weight of my previous stem and the 0 rise greatly improved the handling.
Ive seen other direct mounts, mainly 2 piece design, fail pretty catastrophically but i definitely trust in a Straitline product. They also do lots of fatigue testing in house on very advanced machinery.
Ive seen other direct mounts, mainly 2 piece design, fail pretty catastrophically but i definitely trust in a Straitline product. They also do lots of fatigue testing in house on very advanced machinery.
So people are really stoked about these super light parts eh, Like the guy who said it dropped half the weight of his other stem. What about longevity? I guarantee we'll start seeing some of these stems break
at least straightlines making a ton of money on weight saving suckers!
cuz you gotta but twice as many of these fragile units as something stronger
at least straightlines making a ton of money on weight saving suckers!
cuz you gotta but twice as many of these fragile units as something stronger
that's good logic foo
look at all the holes drilled in it. i don't know what it weighs, but i've seen shit break. i think its pretty likely this will be one of those things
look at all the holes drilled in it. i don't know what it weighs, but i've seen shit break. i think its pretty likely this will be one of those things
Straitline knows what they're doing... don't doubt aerospace engineers. I'm sure they did a LOT of stress analysis.
just because of all that, doesn't mean they haven't just made the stem as strong as it can be for the weight. which means it could just be stupid light, and therefore not actually that strong
Are you for real right now?
are you seriously telling me that because you BELIEVE the stem is strong, that i should just believe you that it will be?
that settles it, i'm calling you for all my important decisions, you just sound like you know whats going on.
seriously, the fact that its REALLY light and has holes drilled over it doesn't concern you?
after all. you're only one broken stem away from being paralyzed.
are you seriously telling me that because you BELIEVE the stem is strong, that i should just believe you that it will be?
that settles it, i'm calling you for all my important decisions, you just sound like you know whats going on.
seriously, the fact that its REALLY light and has holes drilled over it doesn't concern you?
after all. you're only one broken stem away from being paralyzed.
im running stock direct mount for my forks....for comin on 4 years now 
...works fine...you boys and your shiney parts
...works fine...you boys and your shiney parts Post A New Comment
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Fresh news in from Hotlines the UK disty that will please all you new generation Fox 40 owners and those Millionaires that are lucky enough to have the brand new Manitou Dorado MRD TPC Forks. These will fit both 28mm and 50mm options!
The 28mm version will also work with a 1inch drop crown on any pre 2010 Boxxers.
New colours have just landed at the same price as above: Orange, Ice (Blue and Black) and Fire (Red and Black).