Style question(s)

[musgravecycles]

Is CK Pink oh so 2005...

Why is the Thomson X2 the bastard child of the stem world? It's light and very well made. Is it the gestalt as a mountain bike company that's holding it back?

[Grant McLean]

Thomson needs to make a handlebar.

bar + stem = coolness

imho atmo ymmv

-g

[swoop]

i'm writing-in grant for president.

[Steve Hampsten]

I guess it depends on where you sit at the table. All I seem to sell stemwise these days is the X2, especially in silver.

Ditto on the need for a bar, but they're a machine shop not a tubing bender.

[fstrthnu]

Why is the Thomson X2 the bastard child of the stem world? It's light and very well made. Is it the gestalt as a mountain bike company that's holding it back?

Says who? I think the X2 is one of the nicest stems in production.

Looks very sleek w/ their post but for sure you would see more on the high-end, in-the-know bunch if they offered a bar as well. Steve pretty much nailed the reason why they don't.

[Grant McLean]

but they're a machine shop not a tubing bender.

I hear you on that... but how hard could it be to become one?
Thomson must have the bike parts as a minor sideline of a main
business of making parts for other industries.

Stems and posts? Two products? I mean, come on.
How hard could it possibly be to introduce a couple of
riser bars, and a couple of road bars?

But then these are the guys who don't even make a setback
seatpost that isn't bent. Go figure.

-g

[RudAwkning]

I guess it depends on where you sit at the table. All I seem to sell stemwise these days is the X2, especially in silver.

Ditto on the need for a bar, but they're a machine shop not a tubing bender.

Well they manage to put that funny bend in their seatposts :)

[RudAwkning]

Thomson needs to make a handlebar.

bar + stem = coolness

imho atmo ymmv

-g

Also, matching headset + seatpost clamp = coolness.

Nothing bothers me more than a silver headset and a black seatpost clamp.

[saab2000]

............ don't be a fred........ has nothing to do with pink.....

[Steve Hampsten]

But then these are the guys who don't even make a setback
seatpost that isn't bent. Go figure.

-g

Can you translate that from the Canadian? I get lost with all those apostrophes.

And they get the "bend" from their machining process - it ain't lovely but it's a great clamp. A matching headset and seat post clamp would be nice...

Good people, great products, made right here in the US of A - no complaints from me.

[DarrenCT]

that funky seatpost needs to be reworked imho...

[old_school]

while one can debate the esthetics of the setback, the thompson is unquestionably the most secure and durable post I have ever owned

[ergott]

Is CK Pink oh so 2005...


I like my pink thank you;-)

[RudAwkning]

while one can debate the esthetics of the setback, the thompson is unquestionably the most secure and durable post I have ever owned

If weight is not an issue, the Nitto SP72 Jaguar post gets my nod for most secure/durable. That thing will withstand a 350lb. butt bouncin' on a Brooks Flyer :)

............ don't be a fred........ has nothing to do with pink.....

What's a "Fred"?

[dirtdigger88]

thomson- the only threadless stem I have

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l162/dirt_011/csipix007.jpg

Jason

[Steve Hampsten]

That bike deserves a website of it's own.

[big shanty]

I'm putting one of those funky Thomson posts on a new bike. If I were worried about peer pressure, I'd use a Centaur.

[dirtdigger88]

That bike deserves a website of it's own.

you should see it now- decked in a white regal and white tape----

purdy

Jason

[e-RICHIE]

That thing will withstand a 350lb. butt bouncin' on a Brooks Flyer :)
too much information atmo.

[musgravecycles]

Says who? I think the X2 is one of the nicest stems in production.

I'd have to agree, they are both light/stiff, very well made, the 80-deg 'looks' better with a level TT than an 84 to my eyes, etc. But I almost never see them (either in the real world, or on interwebthingy bikes), which kinda had me scratching my head as to why.

I figured Steve would weigh in on this one as he's got a nice silver X2 on that killer Peg of his.

I'm not a huge fan of the posts, but that's purely aesthetic. To my eye zero offset posts have too much visual 'weight' over the front of the ST line. The offset version looks funky with the bend etc. But the design is great, they rarely break, etc. I can 'tolerate' them on CX bikes where the slightly forward cxsaddle position/need for a good strong post factor in.

It would be great if they offered a bar, but I'm not sure how they'd do with it...Thomson seems to have survived off of being...maybe revolutionary isn't the right word...can I say slightly different? I'm not sure how they'd bring that vibe to the handlebar...



I like my pink thank you;-)

Yeah me too, I've thought of doing a very subtle/classy breast cancer themed cx bike a nice silver/pewter color with the pink hs, and instead of a tubing decal, using one of the old original breast cancer stamps (pretty trick eh ;) ) and maybe (I'd have to see it built up first) pink tape. Maybe I still will one of these days...

http://www.usps.com/images/stamps/96/bcancer.gif

[Steve Hampsten]

you should see it now- decked in a white regal and white tape----


we call that a "full chicago" where i come from.

[Blue Jays]

I've kept my fingers crossed for years Thomson eventually enters the handlebar segment of the business so one could spec a matching bar and stem from that fine company. :beer:

[Steve Hampsten]

Or a Nitto Noodle/Dream in 31.8

[soulspinner]

To me the x-2 is the best combo of light weight and stiffness. 140 grams with hardware at 11 cm. And it doesnt have huge graphics. The finish is like
their seatposts. Their website says they are working on a masterpiece stem. This at the same time Ritchey is releasing a stiffer version of their 4axis.

[musgravecycles]

Yeah, the new 4Axis 44 is on my shortlist for next years cross rig...

[fstrthnu]

You guys moved me. Check it (http://www.sveltecycles.com/servlet/Detail?no=169) out.

Not trying to sell anything. Really.

Just wanted to show that the Serotta Forum is a great place to chat... Can inspire.

Thank You. :)

[e-RICHIE]

"So can you live with having a stem and handlebar that don't match?"
no atmo -

[fstrthnu]

"So can you live with having a stem and handlebar that don't match?"
no atmo -

imho (http://youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw)

[e-RICHIE]

imho (http://youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw)
imho atmo - (http://youtube.com/watch?v=0dtBFIkYQuM)

[Too Tall]

Says who? I think the X2 is one of the nicest stems in production.

Looks very sleek w/ their post but for sure you would see more on the high-end, in-the-know bunch if they offered a bar as well. Steve pretty much nailed the reason why they don't.
+1 Thompson stems are way way nice. I use these for the tandem where quality trumps grams just sayin'. Ritchey WCS otherwise or Stella Azura if forum members are discounting ;) It's a good life man, there are some wonderful items to use. IF they made bars I'm sure I'd buy....oh...and they would be ROUND :)

[Blue Jays]

Thomson folks...if you ever visit this forum and see this thread...please, please, please find a way to introduce matching handlebars for your wonderful stems and I will be at my local bicycle shop at dawn to place an immediate order!
Oh, round, shallow, Italian-style would be perfect. ;)

[zap]

Thomson stems are great. As is the Time Monolink.

These stems are not the lightest, but stiff enough for hard efforts.

I hope the new Look stem will be as good as Time's Monolink. Be a perfect match for a 595 Ultra.

[jthurow]

I like how the X2 whistles when you get it up to speed... it's the musical stem :p

jimi

[jtferraro]

I'd personally prefer to match my bars to my stem (and if possible, even post) and have done so on a previous bike. However, if I can't (due to not being in love w/my stem manufacturer's bars), I don't mind at least matching the post to the stem. On a previous bike I had a Deda Newton stem & bar w/a Masterpiece post. Nice stuff. On my current road bike I have a WCS carbon post, WCS 4axis stem, but a Bontrager VR bar. I tried the WCS bar, but didn't like how I had to 'turn/roll' the bar up to have a smooth transition to the Shimano 10spd hoods. I figured at least the stem & post match. My cx bike is now wearing said Masterpiece post, but has matching FSA stem & bars (all black). My fixie has a Thomson Elite post & stem (25.4) matched to a Nitto track bar (all silver). In short, if you can't get matching stem/bar you should at least strive for matching stem/post atmo, and always go for the same color for the three.

All that said, yes, I agree that Thomson should offer a bar (or series of).

[Blue Jays]

My focus is more on a matching bar/stem to reduce opportunity for creaking and to more likely ensure matching finishes. Seatpost can be a different manufacturer.
For example, my bicycles have Campagnolo Record carbon seatposts coupled with Deda bar/stem combinations.

[sspielman]

Okay, here are the commandments for handlebars, stems and seatposts:
1)Thou shalt not mix brands of stem and handlebar
2)Thou shalt not use a seatpost with an ugly bend in its shaft
3)Thou shalt always use a properly sized component and NEVER use a shim
4)Thou shalt never turn a threadless stem upside down so that one has to stand on one's head to see the writing to get a greater amount of rise out of the stem
5)Thou shalt not overtorque a carbon seatpost or handlebar
6)Thou shalt never grease a carbon seatpost
7) Thou shalt not mix silver and black
8) Thou shalt not use a stem shorter than 90 mm
9) Thou shalt not mount a threadless stem on more than 20 mm of spacers
10)Thou shalt not have anything larger than a 2 mm spacer mounted above a threadless stem.

* Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger..

[slowgoing]

Thompson stems are nice looking, but the one on my mountain bike developed a large horizontal crack extending entirely across the faceplate. A web search showed this happened to others as well. I don't trust their stems as much as their seatposts.

[Ozz]

Okay, here are the commandments for handlebars, stems and seatposts:.....
I guess I'm just a mess.....but I don't know if it gets better than my Thomsen stem and Easton Equipe Pro bars on my legend....maybe not aesthetically the best, but functionally I have no complaints....just saying. :beer:

[tch]

Okay, here are the commandments for handlebars, stems and seatposts:
1)Thou shalt not mix brands of stem and handlebar
2)Thou shalt not use a seatpost with an ugly bend in its shaft
..
...I understand why I'm not cool. D'oh!

[RudAwkning]

10)Thou shalt not have anything larger than a 2 mm spacer mounted above a threadless stem.


This one kills me. I see people in my club with more spacers above than below. They're going to puncture their sternum!

No fault to the rider. It's more the sign of a lazy bike shop.