Renthal duo stem….made in the uk?

Are the renthal stems made in the UK?

just seen these and the resemblance is scary

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9-Color-for-select-MTB-Bike-Bicycle-Cycle-Aluminum-DownHill-Stem-31-8-x-50mm-/400693779665?pt=US_Stems&var=&hash=item5d4b35dcd1

Sent them an email a while ago asking which products were made in the uk and never got a response.
I assumed the stems were, even though the Fatbars and Fatbar carbons aren’t according to some.

They definitely weren’t designed by Renthal anyway. They used to be sold by a German company called 77 Designz. They disappeared when the Renthal versions popped up.

Renthal is apparently made in the UK but maybe not. If you look at them closely there are differences in the machining but also a lots of things like corner radii etc are the same as though they are from the same place but just not finished to the same standard. Might be more obvious in the flesh. But without the Renthal logos they lose all the posing appeal.

Someone from another forum bought one. It was peanuts in comparison to the duo. Also the weight was identical, 144 grams or so I recall, which leads me to believe they must be made in the same factory from the same material.
Would I risk a £20 unbranded stem though? No 🙂

Perhaps someone has copied the design, unusual I know……

The bottom half of the stem has exactly the same part number as is written on the Duo stem

STM 100

So they are the same or an exact replica – even down to the text. Agree there does seem to be some differences in the finish around the bar clamp.

Wasn’t planning on buying one…was just surprised to see them

Would I risk a £20 unbranded stem though? No

Why’s that then?

Plenty of OEM/unbranded parts cost considerably less than £20 and are fine, or is it specifically because you think that this might* be a cheap knock-off?

*entirely different debate here, check out the fake thomsons that popped up a while ago for example

I believe the stems are made in the UK- the bars are taiwanese because they don’t have the kit to make them.

Think andyl is spot on, only reason to buy the Renthal ones is for the logo so buying a copy kind of misses the point. Even if it really is the exact same part, which I doubt very much.

Why’s that then?
Plenty of OEM/unbranded parts cost considerably less than £20 and are fine, or is it specifically because you think that this might* be a cheap knock-off?

I’m a brand snob, thats the only reason 🙂

just spotted these appearing on sites and ebay now as well, appear to be very close copy/replica of the thomson design.

GUB Seatpost

I know there have been copys of Thomson stuff before.

GUB – did you see all of that anodised goodness…. 8) I happen to think those seatposts are quite nice.

they look like an almost exact copy of the thomson, right down the clamp.

I doubt they are any worse than other £15-20 seatposts.

The difference is in the things you don’t notice though.

Thomson seat posts are machined oval inside to put material where it is needed but not where it’s not. Then there may be the grade of aluminium alloy, heat treatment, machining procedures etc etc.

Granted most of that might be B$ and in the real world not mean much (how many people break a seat post) but you buy a Thomson because you want a Thomson. There are lighter, ‘better’ posts out there but I like my real Thomson stem and seat post on my 29er as it looks good 🙂 (and I know they are made well)

I’ve used a GUB ally seatpost on a dahon folding bike. It’s about 660 mm long and 33.9.
It’s actually really well made and well anodised non bendy and lightweight – for it’s size.
I think I paid £19 shipped direct from HK , absolutely no complaints about the product .

Nukeproof’s seatposts are a pretty close “flattery” of Thomson, right down to compatible hardware and an ovalised inner, but because they’re a more known brand people seem not to treat them as knockoffs. But then Thomson are another product you only buy for the logo IMO.

TBH there’s only so many ways you can make a stem or seatpost, these “Renthals” just stand out because it’s such a distinctive design.

I bought Thomson seatposts because they’re strong above everything else, not because I specifically wanted the name.

Thomson seat posts are machined oval inside to put material where it is needed but not where it’s not

The GUB one is oval too 😉
whether or not its oval in the same way is another matter

Then there may be the grade of aluminium alloy, heat treatment, machining procedures etc etc.

they are all possibilities I grant you, the thing is the copies don’t spout off about that kind of stuff so you don’t know if there is a major difference or not.

The factories knocking them out are normally places that make a lot of other stuff too so it’s not like they don’t have experience of manufacturing, bound to be as good as any other post of the same price, but then that can start a whole discussion about if there is anythign significantly better about a £70 alu post vs a £20 alu post

bigyinn – Member

I bought Thomson seatposts because they’re strong above everything else

That’s what I thought too, til I bent mine 😆 10 stone of metal-destroying terror.

The Chinese websites like aliexpress are packed with copied/counterfeit stuff. FSA carbon for example.
Salomon speedcross running shoes are less than a third the cost but on close examination they are crap compared to originals even though both are made in China.

Plenty of People riding around on noname carbon wheels. Not sure that i’ll trust a noname bar though.

CNC stuff must be particularly easy to copy if you have the original to hand.

These milled and cnc’d items from the likes of hope and renthal are made on machines in the UK, the machines are probably of Japanese origin.

I know for sure the hope stuff is knocked out on Citizen Miyano machines. You’d be surprised how easy and quick these bike trinkets are knocked out.