Trickstuff Deckele - Review

Jan 11, 2017
by Paul Aston  
Trickstuff Deckele star nut


Is this really a star nut review? The same star nuts that have existed since the dawn of Aheadset time, those strange things that employ the first (of many) use of a hammer on your brand new bicycle? Yes, it is, but the Deckele is different; it's said to be simple to install with allen keys, super light, reusable, and safe for carbon steerer tubes.

Made in Germany, the Deckele costs a few cents under €30, around the price of a day's shuttling for something that comes free with your bike, or new fork, or from your LBS who will chuck you a spare if you ever need one. The real question is, do you really need to change something that rarely breaks, that you never see, and doesn't need any maintenance? Is this a worthwhile upgrade?


Trickstuff Deckele 'Star Nut'

• Re-usable expanding star nut
• Suitable for carbon or alloy steerer tubes from 23mm - 24.7mm
• Total Weight: 12 grams
• Available in 8 colors: ivory, black, red, blue, purple, gunmetal-gray, orange and gold
• MSRP: €29.90 / $31.50 USD approx
• trickstuff.de

Trickstuff Deckele


To install the Deckele simply thread in the 3mm chamfered, allen bolt into the aluminum expansion plate, then the main 2.5mm topcap bolt. Hold the top cap bolt to locate Deckele while you tighten the 3mm expansion bolt, and voila – no hammering or searching for that obscure, one-use-a-year star nut installation tool. The Deckele should fit most steerer tubes, but if you have a slightly larger tube, a beer can shim is recommended (soft drink cans for riders under the legal age) to take up the extra space, hmm beer.

I found the Deckele helpful when fitting new forks or building a new bike; trying a longer steerer on a first ride, before choosing and chopping your preferred steerer length. The Deckele's downside is the combination of very small, almost the same size bolts that require fiddly 2.5mm and 3mm allen keys. I'm all about simplicity and if a larger, matching pair of bolts were supplied that would be dreamy.


Trickstuff Deckele
Trickstuff Deckele
The thought of spending 30 bucks to shed 12-grams may not appeal to most mountain bikers, but considering the time, effort and resources plowed into some areas of bike design, the Deckele carries a huge price to weight savings ratio.

Do you need a Deckele? If you run one bike and one fork all the time, the answer is "No." If you change bikes and parts often, then yes, it will help. If you are an extreme weight weenie and your 25 gram standard star nut and cap is holding you back from greatness, then yes; Trickstuff also make superlight Ringli headset spacers, if your carbon versions are weighing you down.



Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesA great way to save some faff, hammertime and a few grams. - Paul Aston


Visit the high-res gallery for more images.


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Reviews Headsets Trickstuff


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113 Comments
  • 334 5
 Pinkbike, you should really start listening to us and commence a shootout review between all the star nuts available for purchase. This review simply does not satisfy me.
  • 79 5
 SRAM is watching and Specialized be like, we just found another SWAT slot.
  • 37 2
 @chyu: BigS already stuffed that slot...
  • 33 2
 @nuttypoolog: I know of something big that stuffed some kind of slot. And your name is nutty shit log. Hah.
  • 47 4
 @bridgermurray

First, we need to know the torque setting (N.m and lb-ft) PB used on both bolts, we need to see calibration records for the torque wrench, and was locking compound or anti-seize used during fastening? How were all surfaces treated before installation?

Then we can examine the S.F.N. and carbon fibre fork compressor market with a full review, including a "Which" style scoring system. We also need to see a calibration test on that digital scale, is that component 13.0 grams or actually 13.1 grams?

Can the stock bolt be swapped for a titanium-alloy bolt for further weight savings? Can the manufacturer provide this? Is the bolt available in tie-dye colour to match my 90's Ringle skewers?

It's 6am and time for a second coffee, thank you for reading...
  • 9 9
 @chillrider199: I registered with PB the same race weekend I traveled with a 5# bag of trail mix... Your mom can vouch... I filled her slot with some nutty hot carl's!
  • 8 45
flag shredb4dead (Jan 11, 2017 at 22:50) (Below Threshold)
 Shootout would be a waste of time. All of them would be great for their intended purpose. When is the last time you read a "shootout" that said... This one is better than that one... or... buy this one over that one. Have to keep everyone happy and the ad $ rolling in.
Read now before taken down or mysteriously negative propped into oblivion.
  • 5 5
 @hampsteadbandit: please stop and go ride your bike.
  • 29 2
 @shredb4dead: he was joking ya dolt!
  • 7 13
flag downhiller900sl (Jan 12, 2017 at 0:20) (Below Threshold)
 Such a short and meaningless review. So short that even no instalation pictures
  • 12 2
 @downhiller900sl: short enough for me to read it
  • 9 1
 @hampsteadbandit: A further weight saving would be to just remove the top cap once you have clamped up your stem... and leave it at home. Roadies do it.

25g saving... free

might as well only use 3 of the 6 rotor bolts as well while you are at it
  • 16 1
 Review - Climbs well enough, really comes alive on the descents. Your welcome.
  • 3 1
 the "star nut" is usually located on the left side... always dropping down and spontaneously stealing the spotlight
  • 1 1
 oops.
  • 5 1
 @nuttypoolog: BigS is stuffing every slot you have wether you want it or not
  • 1 2
 @shredb4dead: upvoted
  • 3 1
 @robhill: Or use a head-locker to snug everything up, and then remove it. Nothing inside your steerer looks really cool! Smile
  • 1 1
 @HerrDoctorSloth: Headlocks were the shiznitz
  • 1 1
 @shredb4dead: enduro-mtb.com do shootouts and actually say which is best.
  • 1 0
 @HerrDoctorSloth: does sound cool! but then I think about my front end disassembling itself at speed because of inadequately tightened or catastrophic failure of stem bolts.
  • 1 0
 @sofa-kings-low: 1st: I love you username Smile 2nd: blue loc-tite Wink
  • 37 2
 If we're going strictly by weight/cost ratio (since this doesn't do anything a normal star nut can't) I think $2 a gram is a little steep. $1 a gram is where my wife draws the line.
  • 144 0
 Your user name is Powderface, you're talking about price per gram, and about your wife drawing lines. Is this all a cocaine reference or am I reading too much into this?
  • 38 1
 Your name is powderface and $2 a gram is too expensive?
  • 13 1
 Haha. Powderface is a very popular trail close to Calgary. It was where I first started biking on my rigid Nishiki. I think it was named after the native rock art in the area. It's drug connotation is pure coincidence!
  • 48 7
 @Powderface: riiiiiiigh...t
  • 3 4
 @WAKIdesigns: hey waki say hi to brian for me!
  • 4 1
 @Powderface: +1 for the Powderface Trail!
  • 1 0
 @Wamprat: Boom, Pow !!! Made me chuckle!
  • 4 0
 I wish blow was $1 a gram... 《sigh》
  • 8 0
 @wolf-amongst-lambs: I don't think even dentists can afford a coke habit AND a MTB habit.
  • 1 0
 @Wamprat: you win
  • 22 0
 It's only a matter of time before trek or giant rip off this idea... What I want to know is, would this allow an internal front brake routing with a different cut out top cap?
  • 5 1
 or maybe Pinerello, they seem to be the new bad boys... www.bikerumor.com/2017/01/11/velocite-cries-patent-foul-new-pinarello-dogma-f10
  • 8 0
 www.trickstuff.de/en/products/trixer-dirtcap_KL.php
  • 4 3
 @Kiwi19: what does road bike aero have to do with top caps?
  • 1 0
 that routing already exists. look at slopestyle bikes. my transition triple came stock with front brake routed "internally"
  • 3 0
 @therealtylerdurden: its about copying someone elses idea.
  • 2 0
 @stumpymidget: Ohhhhhhhhh. I fail lol.
  • 15 1
 Golden is so in right now.
  • 9 1
 Wouldn't it be easier(and cheaper) to just install multiple star nuts if you have multiple forks instead of inserting this finicky device(beer can shim, multiple small hex sizes) each time you want to change a fork?
  • 10 4
 More of these PLEASE!! I can't believe in this day an age we're still using star nuts! Have seen the damage they do to an alloy steerer? Been using hope head doctors but, as with this product the price is silly
Waiting on the far east to mass manufacturer on the cheap
  • 9 0
 I love the idea that a small company makes the effort to rethink 'forgotten' bike parts! A classic starnut does the job, but it's a really retarded solution if you look at it from a technical pov
  • 3 1
 In this day and age of innovation, it's funny how some things like star nuts seem to get overlooked.
  • 2 0
 My trial bike had a thread inside the steerer, and a threaded top cap. Seems light and smart, but I never weighter the thing.
  • 3 0
 @faul: a lot of bmx forks are like that too. It's really nice and simple.
  • 2 0
 with mtb though.. we cut our steerers. I was wondering if we could cut our steerers an then tap a thread? But then would the alloy be strong enough?
I guess we could use a plastic top cap like shimano cranks
  • 10 1
 Will you test their brakes? I think I saw a diretissima on a review bike some time ago and they loom amazing
  • 3 0
 Go look up the Enduro magazine brake shootout, they did testing, & they are indeed amazing, broke the test machine. I'd post a link but it's blocked at work.
  • 1 0
 Their brakes are really cool and the power of them is on a different level. Ive got a set here that they have sent me to test out. The quality is amazing and they definitely look the part. Groghunter is right, theres a cool review done from the guys at Enduro Mag, worth a read!
  • 10 0
 Don't mind me, I'm just here for the "your mom" jokes.
  • 4 1
 Because you have sack in your username?
  • 7 0
 Add no mention of weight savings when accidently push the star nut too far and have to add second one on top of it... that's huge savings !!
  • 5 0
 Doesn't longer bolts exist anymore?
  • 4 0
 Actually with this design you could set the tension in the headset then remove it once the stem is torqued right? That's where this weight weenie sees the most advantage of the system. Saving the full weight total over traditional starnut system isn't bad for $30, then just cut steer tube appropriately and no cap needed.
  • 2 5
 And your Headset will be tight for a total amount of 7 minutes ridetime....maybe less!
  • 1 0
 You could use a nice light plastic blanking plug to stop the open end of the steerer tube forcibly detaching one of your nuts in a crash too.
  • 10 0
 @JUGIZMO: If the top cap is holding your headset together you should take your bike to a mechanic, it is going to kill you.
  • 4 0
 @JUGIZMO: the stem is what keeps the assembly, assembled. The top cap only serves to preload the bearing assemblies. You can indeed remove the top cap once the stem is clamped down, but it does serve as a fail-safe means to prevent further backing off if the stem isn't tight (best to leave it on). That said, if your stem loosens enough to losen the assembly, you would be twisting your bars just riding.
  • 8 1
 Sorry not going to buy. The anodizing weighs too much.
  • 2 0
 This review lacks comparison to conventional compression style starnuts most commonly used for carbon steer tubes. It is not uncommon for stock starnuts of this style to weigh in excess of 65g. Even for this extreeme comparison even 50g (.11 lbs) is not a huge amount of weight loss, especially after eating a 1/2lb burrito, but dollar/gram it's hard to beat this kind of upgrade especially for the road bike. With this said my mountain bike, using a standard starnut and an AB top cap/bolt I'm at ~15g.
  • 6 0
 Yeah Nah
  • 10 0
 so ive learned that yeah nah = no and nah yeah = yes
  • 3 0
 @KyleSmith69: you got it!
  • 7 3
 I've never really considered trying to lose weight from my bike. Isn't that for people who race each other up hills?
  • 2 1
 Love the Head Doctor, had one for years on multiple bikes, but the advantage this unit has is all the access is from the top. Head Doctor has a bottom facing allen bolt, which if it slips instead of compressing, has to be held in place... unless you have an allen socket & long ratchet extension it's near impossible. I used a centerpunch to mark some divots in the mating surface for traction to keep it from happening after the first time. Still a great product, though- pays for itself after 2nd use.
  • 1 0
 I think you're using it wrong. I install it from the top. I do stick a dowel up from below to stop the initial spinning that occurs before the cam starts to grab. Doesn't need to fit into the socket.
  • 6 2
 Me reading this article.. "Is it April 1st already?"
  • 3 0
 Absolute black, only 4g plus star nut and a thing of sheer beauty..........nuff said Smile
  • 2 0
 Yeah, use one on my Bad Boy, it looks/feels lovely (for those of us that are into that sort of thing), pretty sure 4g doesn't include star nut though.
  • 2 0
 Cheers for the heads up, that is a thing of beauty! Need to purchase.
  • 2 0
 @DirtboxTom: CNC'ed from from billet, so simple, but one of the nicest components I own.
  • 2 0
 30 years into this bike tech thing and a new gadjet uses an aluminium can shim for a fix. At least I know I'm not going crazy.... alone.
  • 3 0
 Or you could get the Extralite ultra star for 26 euro and 6 grams.
www.extralite.com/Products/UltraStar%203.htm
  • 1 0
 Hey, What's the weight of the expander portion alone? Just the 2 black pieces and the short screw? No top cap and no through bolt?
  • 2 1
 Rather spend a quid on a starnut and get my local bike shop to fit it...normally a couple of quid charge for the minimal Labour...job done
  • 2 0
 Didn't read a single word of the starnut review. Comments, however, were worthwhile.
  • 3 2
 If I was really worried about saving weight I would just not run a star nut, bmx bros get away with it, why cant I?
  • 4 1
 Because bmx forks are threaded. They can preload the bearings with the top cap, pinch the stem bolts and then remove the top cap.
  • 2 0
 @petehaddock: Correct me if I'm wrong but you can do the same thing with a star nut and top cap, just the star nut will be left in the steerer tube. @cng5 is correct, I think, since the star nut in this article is removable.
  • 1 0
 Just ordered some at kustomcaps.com
For 15$ you can chosse on your personal design (Adobe Ilustrator) and color
  • 6 5
 What happened to Pinkbike in '17??? Next up is a review of which spandex is most see-through to show off your man parts!
  • 3 2
 Nice. I'd probably buy one. Hate setting star nuts. And this adds a little chi-chi factor.
  • 8 6
 I finished reading the review and immediately felt the gaze of the void.
  • 1 0
 Trick stuff is so trick they don't have customer service! Wouldn't use there products due to total lack of help there end
  • 3 1
 Hope head doctor so much simpler +English made ;-)
  • 2 0
 This product seems really ahead of its time.
  • 1 0
 Or you could just buy a Hope Head Doctor and not mess around with stupidly small allen keys
  • 1 0
 Thanks for reviewing something outside the box. Keep it coming! I'm pretty tired of reading fork review after fork review.
  • 1 0
 I've got some Enduro specific valve caps that would go great with this, only $45 bucks!
  • 1 0
 Anyone else use compression plugs in their tubes?
  • 1 0
 shoot out with hope's head doctor.
  • 1 0
 Wow! You just saved 12 gramms!
  • 1 3
 Seriously...sometimes i get the feel that manufacturers gather around and all say to each other..."these bikers are all stupid, tarts and retarded...any shit we can come up with, they will buy?!"
  • 1 0
 29er specific star nuts coming soon
  • 1 0
 Finally REAL innovation!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Better question: who's nuts don't need an upgrade?
  • 1 2
 Simple answer - no. go home pinkbike, you're drunk.
  • 1 1
 Ummm, what?
  • 1 4
 Bought Shimano Pro Tharsis stem, similar starnut included Smile
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