Titec Ringleader DH Bar, Berserkr El Norte Saddle and Blockhead DH Stem
Worthy of the Shore?
Our bones touch our bikes at only 5 points - pedals, grips (bar) and saddle. The folks at Titec have the upper contact points covered and they sent us a saddle, handlebar and stem to try out.
At Interbike we were magnetically drawn to Titec's "knock rated" components. When the progression curve on the Shore began to wheelie a few years back, many manufacturers didn't have components that were ready. The xc guys in R & D and warranty had no idea what we were up to and riders were often left S.O.L. Strong warranty programs speak the Shore rider's language and Titec has the lingo down - "Titec's exclusive Knock-Rated parts are covered against riding damage for three years from proof of the original purchase date. Jumping, crashing, hucking, you name it. You ride it. If you can break it, we replace it for free. Simple as that." It's also nice to know you have some insurance because up here on the Shore everything breaks. What you need to look at is the rate of failure and with the knock rated guarantee you can expect it to be low.
We Freeriders ask a lot of our steering components. Bars need to be tough, wide and dependable and your stem needs to keep your bar straight and your headset compressed adequately. If all this is done up to par you never need to the think about the aluminum that keeps you from coming apart all over the trail.
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I look for some particular attributes in my bars and my stem. First of all I don't want some funky new design. Your controls aren't to be messed with so don't give me adjustable rise and reach or any hidden bolt system; serve me simplicity and elegance. When it comes to fastening the bars to the bike 4 bolts are the ticket. If there are only 2 your entire stem is only as strong as the weakest of those 2 little bolts, made by the millions in some factory in South East Asia. There are sometimes flaws in any product run and if you get a crappy bolt on a 2-bolt stem you may end up wearing granite dentures.
The Blockhead DH stem I have been riding has a nice wide grip on the Ringleader handlebar. Looking down you can see that this is going to have a torsionally strong hold on the bar. When you can literally see how strong a component is you bank extra confidence for those moments when it hits the fan. The Blockhead sports 4 bolts that press a generously proportioned plate against your bars. The bar clamp and the steerer clamp are first forged from 6061 aluminum and then tig welded together, with a wide smooth bead. According to Titec there are some advantages to this type of construction which include longer thread life and lower production costs. While the work is obviously top quality I find that a stem without welds adds some peace of mind. I have been riding the 45mm 0° rise version and if you haven't tried a really short stem get on it. The strength and steering precision this set up offers will raise the bar on your riding.
The Ringleader bar measures a healthy 27.25" in width. This is significant because the wider the bar is the stronger it must be. It's also nice to have the bar wider than necessary so that folks with freakish dimensions (and preferences) can be satisfied too. I would prefer to have the bar reach 28" fully unfurled but 27.25" is relatively generous. The bars have a very pleasing rise and sweep and I felt instantly comfortable on them. Despite their strength they also have a supple feel that transfers the feedback you need without beating you up. The Ringleader is fashioned from heat treated 7075-T6 aluminum (the good stuff). The taper from 25.4mm at the clamp to 22.2mm where the grips, shifters and levers go is long and gradual (so gradual it's difficult to see) which means it should disperse stress effectively. It isn't so drawn out that it interferes with the placement of your brakes though - an important point for those of us who prefer a single digit on the levers. All in all a sweet bar.
click on images to enlarge
The Berserkr El Norte saddle seems tailor made for our nasty climate and riding conditions. Kevlar wraps around the edges of the saddle and the front and rear sport plastic armouring that can be removed with philips screws if necessary. These caps also help to keep the cover of the saddle firmly fastened over the padding. The saddle material itself is a heavy-duty plastic/vinyl that is reinforced with "textured kevlar." This may not seem luxurious but after one of the nastiest winters on record the saddle still looks great and shows very few signs of wear. A leather saddle put through the same abuse would be begging for mercy. The El Norte is well padded but also nice and firm. The plastic frame is also cut out under the genital area so you'll be able to continue performing when you return from your ride. One of the commonest ways for saddles to fail is at the rails. They sometimes pull out of the shell or bend under the weight of a rider coming back to earth. To combat this the El Norte is armoured with an aluminum plate that reinforces the rails at the rear of the saddle and keeps them aligned. In the past I have been reluctant to shell out for a nice saddle. Like pedals, they were often disposable in our riding environment but the El Norte seems to be up to the challenge and it came away from a winter on the North Shore with a broad grin.
Basically these products are simple, tough and well thought out. They also look pretty fly - which is always a bonus. I have been using my knock rated stuff for 6 months now. It hasn't let me down and I have developed substantial confidence in the products.
Suggested Retail Prices:
El Norte Saddle:
- US$82.95
- CAN$109.95
Blockhead DH Stem:
- US$82.95
- CAN$107.95
Ringleader (7075DB):
- US$85.95
- CAN$117.95
Ratings
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Rating Guide:
5.0 Outstanding - 
4.0 Very Good - 
3.0 Above Average - 
2.0 Fair - 
1.0 Poor - 
