TOR's Clever Stem and Easily Rebuildable Pedals - Taipei Cycle Show 2019
The TR stem uses a wedge system to clamp the steerer, and the 38mm-long model weighs 138-grams.
Stems and platform pedals have been done to death by now, right? I mean, how many different versions of the same (or similar) thing can there be? It turns out there are still a few clever ideas out there.
TOR is a brand new component company who, when the parts become available in five or six months time, will offer rims, thru-axles, handlebars, seatposts, tools, and their neat TR and XR stems and pedals pictured here.
See that split wedge between the stem's body and the front of the steerer tube? TOR says that it requires 30-percent less torque than a more common two-bolt design.
Let's look at their CNC stem and its 'Constrictor System' that employs a split wedge design to clamp down on the steerer tube. There's a single gold-colored bolt that runs through the stem body and the two wedges, and TOR is saying that the layout requires around 30-percent less torque than a more traditional two-bolt setup.
But there have been wedge-equipped stems before, of course, so what's different about this one? I was told that the shape of the wedges, which wrap around the steerer more than others I've seen, apply a much more evenly spread squeezing force.
The wedge system also makes for an extremely clean-looking design, with no clamp bolts on the backside of the stem that can leave bloody holes on unprotected knees. Ouchy.
The TR model is intended for, you guessed it, trail riding, and it can be had in a 38mm length that weighs 138-grams, or a 50mm version that adds 32-grams. There's also a cross-country model, call the XR, that ditches two of the faceplate bolts to save a bit of weight, and both models will go for $85 USD when they hit the shelves.
The TR model is intended for, you guessed it, trail riding, and it can be had in a 38mm length that weighs 138-grams, or a 50mm version that adds 32-grams. There's also a cross-country model, call the XR, that ditches two of the faceplate bolts to save a bit of weight, and both models will go for $85 USD when they hit the shelves.
The black and gold color scheme certainly give the stems a high-end appearance.
The 330-gram TR pedal will go for $140 USD, and it features a clever split bushing design to make maintenance simple.
TOR also had their upcoming platform pedals on display (they'll have clipless models eventually, too) that not only sport a unique shape but also have some unique internals. The 330-gram, $140 USD TR pedal is pictured here, but all of the models use a neat split bushing system that should make rebuilding them quite easy.
They certainly look different than your run of the mill platform pedal.
The split bushings are exactly like they sound: Instead of being pressed into the pedal body tight enough to make pushing them out a real PIA, each half snaps into grooves machined into the body. When you pull the axle out, which will be available in all the usual flavors, both the inboard and outboard bushings come out with it. The idea is to turn a frustrating job into a really easy one, and after tinkering around with them at the show, it looks like they've done exactly that. There are no sealed bearings, either, which usually means there's a buttload of friction, but these spun with nearly bearing-like smoothness.
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Wrong brake angle > feel it after few hours of park. Bad stem alignment > you feel it only in certain type of turns.
It always look somewhat aligned, and it takes time to notice what is wrong, and that precisely the problem.
you know... like CRANK ARMS AND BOTTOM BRACKETS?
yeah, I know I'm yelling.
As to the arm length question, let's keep un-evolved baboons off bikes... Just kidding.
If a rider has a shorter arm, and the bars are "slightly off" in the OTHER direction, this would compound the problem. So maybe a spline that has such a fine tooth pattern so folks could dial them in? Or perhaps even better, a top cap interface "tool" that "bites" to the TOP of the steerer (think DT Swiss star ratchet but with way more teeth), then is removable once the fork is set.... then you have the best of both worlds and stems are free to continue their current design.
added bonus, this may be a feature that could be machined onto existing steerer tubes.
oh know, i've said too much... Patent Pending. PATENT PENDING!!!
I guess when I was pointing out slight arm length differences I was trying to get at the fact that the body can compensate quite well for slight variables like that and we never even notice. I mean we all have slightly differing leg lengths and how many people notice or feel that while peddling?
I'm also a single crown fork kinda guy. I've just never been able to include a dh rig in my fleet. As such, I have really speak to seeing one up or its unique differences.
I do like the idea others have mentioned about a tooled line on the steerer tube that could be used to line up with a similar marking on the stem. Now we just need to convince the manufactures that this is a minor but good addition/change for everyone.
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When the wedge is on the rider side, then the clamping is independant from the clamping of the handlebar, seems better to me when they are independant
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I suppose it’s the next generation, skills diminishing, pretty soon people will throw away their bikes if the bars get crooked.
Seems like your pedal might fly off your cranks mid-run, doesn't it?
Maybe I am missing something here...