The best way Race Face sees it, stems have neglected the boat at the “light trail” class. There are burly all-mountain stems dealing with the whole lot from giant path to enduro, and there are light-weight stems for XC motorcycles. However not anything in between.
Oh, and the present crop of XC stems haven’t in reality stored up with the slacker angles and longer achieve of recent race motorcycles.
So that they made the brand new Turbine SL stem, giving it a design that is going from XC race day to backcountry a laugh day and appears just right doing it. Right here’s what you want to understand…
Race Face isn’t new to creating excellent, robust, and sturdy stems. They’ve come as OEM spec on such a lot of motorcycles for such a lot of years that it’s only a no brainer to get one if/when you want to modify your motorcycle’s are compatible, replace its appears, or improve from one thing generic.
The Turbine SL is machined, similar to their heavier accountability Turbine R stems, aside from it’s made with 6000-series aluminum somewhat than heavier (but in addition more potent) 7075. This makes the SL model somewhat lighter, however masses robust sufficient for the applying.
What in reality units it aside from their different stems is the +/-6mm offset on the bar clamp, supplying you with 12mm of handlebar peak adjustment just by flipping it over.
Set it low for a racier place, or turn it up for a extra upright, path place. It really works and appears simply as just right in both, so you’ll be able to dial on your place in line with the paths du jour.
Specifications & Options:
By means of the numbers, right here’s how the Turbine SL stem stacks up:
Subject material: 6000-series machined aluminum
Offset: +/- 6mm
Sizes: 40mm / 50mm / 60mm lengths.
Weights: 112g (40mm) / 125g (50mm) / 136g (60mm)
Bar Clamp: 35mm
Stack Peak: 40mm
Clamp Width: 48mm
Colours: Black, Silver, Kashmoney, Orange, Crimson, Blue.
Different key options
This and all pictures above courtesy of Race Face.
Whilst it’s mild sufficient for move nation motorcycles, it’s rated for path use on motorcycles as much as 140mm of trip, together with e-bikes. 6000-series aluminum is of course corrosion resistant, and the incorporated metal bolts have a corrosion-resistant remedy, too.
The faceplate makes use of a “Top Lock” design that you simply tighten flush towards the stem’s frame, irrespective of the way you turn it. That will provide you with an overly blank glance as you gaze down from the saddle – simply make sure to stay the face plate “top up” when you turn the stem, it’s designed so the emblem remains at the non-drive facet of the motorcycle.
Finally, like any Race Face merchandise, they arrive with an entire life guaranty, crashes incorporated.
Turbine SL Stem Evaluation
I’ve been operating the brand new Turbine SL Stem at the all-new Ari Sign Top. However in contrast to Jordan’s construct, mine’s slightly extra downcountry with a 130mm fork on it. It’s nonetheless a gentle motorcycle, with light-weight wheels and an XTR crew, however paired with Eras cranks and meatier tires.
In different phrases, the precise roughly motorcycle Race Face designed this stem for. Sadly, I will’t display you closeups of all the motorcycle as a result of a few of the ones different issues I discussed aren’t launched but, however I will say that the stem is strictly what it must be.
Cross forward, try to zoom. (This photograph: Caroline Dezendorf. All different overview pictures © Tyler Benedict)
We rode in the course of the rocky, techy desolate tract terrain of Scottsdale, AZ, trying out all means of Fox and Race Face items. Even with the very light-weight Race Face Subsequent SL handlebar, the brand new Turbine SL stem stored the whole lot stiff and strong.
The clamp width is enough to save you undesirable torsional flex of the handlebar, however no longer so broad it deadens the bar’s talent to hose down path chatter. Whilst the Subsequent SL bar isn’t moderately as path tuned for vertical compliance as their Eras handlebars, it does have some, and I really like to make use of it.
It’s additionally no longer so broad that it encumbers out-front pc or mild mounts, even the ones with broader clamp sections just like the KOM Biking proven above or Quad Lock’s telephone mounts.
I’m using the 50mm duration, however I believe I’m going to change to a 60mm – that is an XC motorcycle, in any case.
Whilst I don’t look ahead to flipping the stem upward, I really like that it has any adverse offset in any respect. Many MTB stems at the present time, particularly shorter ones, are instantly, leaving you with handiest the steerer tube and spacers to regulate peak. Or, in the event that they do have a adverse drop, they’re no longer designed to be flipped.
There’s an sudden good thing about this design – it creates a superbly flat most sensible in XC mode. This makes it in reality simple to make use of Ok-Edge’s light-weight stem cap pc mount, even the lightest ones with out the adjustable perspective, saving weight over a normal out-front mount and higher protective your pc.
It’s exhausting to write down a large number of phrases a couple of stem. They’re most commonly drama loose, and maximum stems are greater than robust sufficient at the present time. So it’s great to peer somewhat of innovation right here. Plus, it is available in colours to check all of the different Race Face elements. All in, the Turbine SL Stem is a win.
RaceFace.com
