Alternative to X-Lite stuff

[zetecmk2]

no...but the chickenstix were mass produced and the same casting as the tektro levers. bitd of weigh nothing......we used to cut and drill tektro to get it lighter than x-lite. meant we had to buy a titanium bolt '
how much of thier stuff was actually designed, not modified?
i dont honestly know....but i'm interested.

 

[Kona-Ian]

Didn't know that X-Lite used other peoples castings.
Have been a fan since my first Kona in 1994.

I'm interested too.

 

[ibbz]

I'm talking about their cnc'd finishing stuff. I don't believe they had a huge itinerary back in the 90ies.

I just thought there may be another company put there that used to also make same selection with same quality back in the days
Can't seem to find a quality make who did stems bars posts and bar end plugs
As well as pivot plugs and seat bolts and skewers - the whole complete package as nicely engineered as the xlite stuff. Like USE seem to be mostly seat posts, if you catch my drift?

 

[FluffyChicken]

Tektro and Kalloy where about the same level as Xlite just without the British marketing hype.
I'm sure most xlite was just rebranded stuff anyway as you see duplicates in various places.
Get SRP if you want branded bolts.

Of course if anyone has the history it would make a good write up.

I'm talking first half of the 90's by the way.

 

[JeRkY]

The Xlite chicken stix were machined up versions of a dia compe lever, this may or may not of been later used as a tektro part, I don't know.

And I am with dbmtb, most other brands mentioned, in my opinion (other than tektro) did nicer stuff than Xlite.

Certainly the xlite post is a rather simplistic and dare I say it cheap design, very similar to the likes of Kalloy, but with a union jack sticker and a bit of fancy anodizing. Certainly (ti bars aside) the bars offered by both USE & pace/Renthal were far nicer & lighter than the xlite offerings. The integrated look of the USE bar ends onto their bars were also neat.

Stem wise, others did do the whole swiss cheese look stem, but off the top of my head I am not sure of another UK brand doing it. However the PACE RC45 & downhill stem are both CNC'd and the XC stem is a more complex and finer bit of work on a machining level than the xlite units, that said if its the square and hole filled look you want, it doesn't really fit.

I don't think there is any one manufacturer who did the exact range that x-lite did.

 

[makster]

The X-lite clik-on seatposts were a far better design than any of the USE ones, in my opinion.
That clamping arrangement on the USE is an accident waiting to happen.
The Angelo and L168 stems are works of art

 

[ibbz]

The X-lite clik-on seatposts were a far better design than any of the USE ones, in my opinion.
That clamping arrangement on the USE is an accident waiting to happen.
The Angelo and L168 stems are works of art

I agree about the L168, and I have XLite stuff on my MT4 and stuff looks and feels quality.
Not sure about the chicken sticks or brakes though.

Barrie Clark's bike was finished in XLite stuff, and it looked good.

Seems no one has the broad range XLite had

 

[secret_squirrel]

I have a real soft spot for their stubbies and any of the other ends with knurling and integral machined rounded end caps. For me bitd I had to have at least 1 piece of pace, use and xlite.

What's interesting now is that bonty seem to have nicked the name judging by my current eBay searches.

 

[ishaw]

What's interesting now is that bonty seem to have nicked the name judging by my current eBay searches.

I noticed that too, very annoying. I hope we don't end up bidding against each other.

Back on topic, kolo are another Brit brand that I think only did titanium, and even then only bars, stems and bar ends, though I could be wrong.

 

[secret_squirrel]

Orange OEM upgrade stuff is another cheap option. You can take the logo's off fairly easily if they bother you.