Put a note in the Wants on here too, you’ll get offers.

Renthal are british but their bars are made abroad I think.

I can’t see any point in Thomson stems- expensive, a bit fragile, and not really all that good. (they’re the only company in the world that insists stem faceplates are a consumable, everyone else just makes faceplates that last better) The finish is very nice though.

You don’t need to spend much to get a great stem, they’re simple parts- take a look at Pro, or Gusset, for some quality, well priced units.

Oh crumbs and there was me thinking I’d made a decision!

I see a lot of Thomson stems out on the trails. Why do you reckon so many folk have them?

Because they’re pretty and expensive and people are magpies 😉 Nothing wrong with them, they’re just not amazing and at the price they ought to be. Same as Easton etc.

Renthal bars are a great shape, I really liked the ones on the bike that I demo’d but I can’t stand the colour so it’s a no go for me!

I’m running Answer 780 Pro Taper DH bars in my BFe and Rune which I really like shape wise.

I like Thomson stems…mine has been fine (50mm jobbie). Finish is lovely.

The Easton stems are nice too, especially with money off them at Wiggle and Merlin.

My Thomson wasn’t expensive…picked it up cheap (well cheapish) from CRC a couple of years ago. I like nice stems though. The lower end Race Face stuff is just nasty but the Turbine and Atlas stems are lovely.

I’m warming to the colour of the Renthals, I think the fact they match the stanchions on my Fox forks makes the look ‘ok’.

I’m thinking 50mm Thomson stem now

If you’re going that short consider – http://www.renthalcycling.com/File/product_duo.aspx

Aye I looked at that chap. Pricey isn’t it! Don’t think I can stretch to that, especially not without trying that length.

Renthal are british but their bars are made abroad I think.

wash your mouth out

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-89to2q4gg#at=184[/video]

I tried Renthals after reading the good reviews and I haven’t looked back. Had some 10mm rise 780mm bars on my Five for about a year but popped them on my (previously Mary bar’d) singlespeed and they’ve transformed it – feels like a completely different bike. So bought a set of 20mm rise 740mm Fatbar Lites for the Five and thought I could swap and change them as I like but the 740s are staying on the Five. Feel right for muscling the bike around and getting over the front a bit more and the Curtis feels spot on with the 780s.

The bars themselves though – just have a nice shape etc and feel ‘right’. Use them with a 70mm Thomson stem on the Five and a 60mm Nukeproof stem on the Curtis. I can’t reccommend the Thomson stems highly enough – used them since they first came out about 15 years ago and will probably pick one up for the Curtis as well at some point…

I can’t view the vid at work, but, IIRC you see lots of motorbike bars but not pushbike bars- word is that they don’t have the kit to make the taper walled bars in the UK.

It’s a very good video. Well with that and the words of DaveyBoyWonder I’m sold.

If you find some ‘Lites’ under £50, do post up and share the source 🙂

Will do fella. Will do.

Carbon Haven bars with a 50mm hope stem on my 5 works really well, but Im not that broad shouldered

I always used to buy Thomson and they are brilliantly made but I got fed up with my bikes weighing 1/2 tonne so Im going down the KCNC route now. I know we are only talking about 2/3rds of the weight or 50g difference. If you can shave a few grams off every part it will make a difference overall. Thomson brag about the best weight to strength ratio which is fair enough.

So my Renthal fatbar lite and Thomson x4 stem arrived yesterday. I fitted it and went out for a little blast this lunch time. I really like it! It’s early days but I’d say I deffo have more control and I like the shorter feel the stem has given me. Cracking.

And the gold… doesn’t look shit at all, it actually looks rather nice matching my fox forks.

Renthal duo (picked up off here in immaculate unmarked condition for £40) and sunline 745 bars with a fair rise on them they are getting swapped for a fatbar on pay day!

Glad you like that combo

£40 is a bargain. Nice bit of luck that!