This is not about matching brands for OCD,

But do you think manufacturers make MTB bars and stems in isolation? Or do they design them to work together.
For example if you ask a reputable Korean bike component manufacturer to make you a stem and possibly bars, are they designed or “tuned” to work together? Or constructed in isolation without a thought?
The reason I ask is I saw a video from Renthal and they said some component manufacturers stems are designed to be solid like granite and that’s it, and some design bars to be very rigid or flex a little and vice versa, where as Renthal design them to have certain characteristic to work together? Marketing BS or is there something in this?

So should I match manufacturer’s bars and stems to ensure you are getting the parts the way the company designed them? RaceFace, Thomson, Renthal, Pro, etc?

Yeah i am a little bored at work…

I tend to match them, but that’s OCD more than by design.

It’s bs but I have found ‘upgrading’ bars, stem and seat post makes a marked difference to the bikes ride quality. Matching brands less important IME.

Do you think it depends if they are manufacturers or re-boxing companies?

Companies that design and manufacture compared to buying stock from a catalogue then applying a brand logo? Not sure which ones that might be, but at a guess Thomson and Renthal compared to RaceFace and Nukeproof?
Not bike snobbery on my part as i only have factory fit bars and stem by Kore who definitely have parts made for them. But curious for the next upgrade.

Pretty sure RaceFace are going to be upset with you. They used to do their own machining in-house, not sure if that’s still the case but they don’t really just pick out of a catalogue.

Given that we’ve got suspension and air in our tyres and a bit of flex in our bars, I’m not looking for a lot of (any) flex in my stem.

Ok sorry Raceface 🙂 I take it back.

But I often wonder if its best to go stiff granite like stem and stiff bars from a different brand, or choose to follow what would likely have been tested together, which is manufacturers own in house products together…