Straitline Direct Mount Boxxer Stem

Nov 21, 2009 at 14:14

by Si Paton

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.

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.

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.

More cut outs to save weight than a paper doily

Specifications:
• 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
2010 Electric Goggles 44.99GBP Posted

Author Info:

si-paton

Member since Jul 26, 2006
361 articles

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51 Comments

17 2

Unhallowed (Nov 30, 2009 at 0:59)

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.

skatejunkie (Nov 30, 2009 at 7:54)

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.

si-paton (Nov 30, 2009 at 2:49)

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..

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 9:37)

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.

bigtard (Nov 30, 2009 at 20:32)

free parts usually means you can't be as honest about how shitty they are though right?

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 20:48)

I can.

bigjerry (Nov 30, 2009 at 13:00)

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!

haveaguess (May 23, 2014 at 8:11)

Thanks for sharing steerer comment, didnt think of that

sglaser (Nov 30, 2009 at 18:41)

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.

si-paton (Nov 25, 2009 at 6:06)

STOP PRESS!
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).

robbo2517 (Dec 4, 2009 at 1:51)

he didnt get it dirty much?!

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 0:18)

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?

Christian123 (Nov 30, 2009 at 12:08)

sunlines arent bad. wait sunline stem, or headset?

andy9 (Nov 30, 2009 at 14:47)

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

Christian123 (Nov 30, 2009 at 17:52)

i dont have a sunline direct mount but i do have sunline stem and bars on my reign and i fuckin love them!

andy9 (Nov 30, 2009 at 19:21)

likewise, I'm talking ONLY about the direct mount ones...

bigtard (Nov 30, 2009 at 20:31)

he did say headset didn't he? yes he did. and they're crap all right

Christian123 (Nov 30, 2009 at 21:49)

hate it when retards butt into conversations.

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 21:49)

You're the one that can't understand what I said....

Christian123 (Dec 1, 2009 at 13:28)

no i completely understood. we just established that right before bigtard but in his 2 common sense

bigtard (Dec 2, 2009 at 11:25)

if you completely understood, why did you make it seem like you completely didn't understand?

crazy-canuck (Nov 30, 2009 at 5:45)

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.

LemonadeMoney (Nov 30, 2009 at 8:54)

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?
spank-ind.com/index.php?a=info&do=pro&id=69&tid=1

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 9:39)

It's not a lower rise than the Straitline.

bigtard (Nov 30, 2009 at 20:35)

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

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 21:25)

Straitline stems will not break. They're fucking Straitline's foo

bigtard (Nov 30, 2009 at 21:42)

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

iggz (Nov 30, 2009 at 21:45)

Straitline knows what they're doing... don't doubt aerospace engineers. I'm sure they did a LOT of stress analysis.

bigtard (Dec 2, 2009 at 11:33)

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

iggz (Dec 2, 2009 at 11:36)

I can assure you it won't break and is plenty strong!!

bigtard (Dec 3, 2009 at 13:11)

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.

iggz (Dec 3, 2009 at 22:54)

You trying to doubt Straitline? I laugh at you.

bigtard (Dec 4, 2009 at 9:04)

be careful. if you break your new straightline stem out there on jugs. those trees are damn close!

WayneSmith (Nov 30, 2009 at 4:34)

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!!

jarrod12 (Nov 30, 2009 at 1:48)

dude you have a seriously muddy bike, give your baby the wash that she deserves

shansen0687 (Nov 30, 2009 at 12:49)

He's probably been too busy riding it. lucky bloke.

freeflyforlife (Dec 1, 2009 at 15:38)

no kidding

joedaho (Nov 30, 2009 at 7:08)

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.

levigardiner (Nov 30, 2009 at 22:19)

im running stock direct mount for my forks....for comin on 4 years now

...works fine...you boys and your shiney parts

DrSanchez (Nov 30, 2009 at 6:42)

Straitline makes some very good stuff..... check out the Canfield brothers drop stem too. It will be on my next bike.

CUwallaby (Nov 30, 2009 at 11:44)

slightly unrelated question, why do all his sign-offs switch from clipping in to never clipped in, etc?

blowmyfuse (Nov 30, 2009 at 12:16)

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.

Sean140 (Nov 28, 2009 at 12:22)

running the 50mm, with some nickel wides on 40's, i dont think ill be changing to anything else

Dragonflayer (Nov 30, 2009 at 4:59)

running 28mm, I dont't think I will change it, the only way to make me change it - getting 50mm version!

kinglingping FL (Nov 30, 2009 at 9:59)

Defiantly should have washed the product before showing it.

melonhead1145 (Nov 30, 2009 at 2:00)

looks fairly similar to the sunline v-one, but it does look lighter, colourways are awesome too

TheSniperEyes (Nov 30, 2009 at 3:37)

Clean it!

bisk (Nov 30, 2009 at 3:47)

just bought myself a 28mm one.. proper moto style.. can't wait to get riding again

tinoco (Nov 30, 2009 at 4:07)

sick stem

I have one for sales

sewi (Nov 30, 2009 at 4:07)

You absolutely need to wash your bike

ToddTheBigmac (Nov 30, 2009 at 16:11)

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.