Girvin Flex Stem - Brilliant or Rubbish?

[letmetalktomark]

Not looking to aggravate anyone here with my ignorance but ... what are they like?

I remember them BITD but don't remember may bikes they were fitted to OEM :? apart from a Proflex that I recall?

Are they any good? Are they heavy etc? When were they first bought out?

All help would be much appreciated

Cheers,

MArk

 

[legrandefromage]

in practice - different

came as standard issue with many a Raleigh

 

[letmetalktomark]

came as standard issue with many a Raleigh

Hmm.

Hardly hi spec then (not knocking Raleigh by the way!)

 

[legrandefromage]

came as standard issue with many a Raleigh

Hmm.

Hardly hi spec then (not knocking Raleigh by the way!)

Titanium version for the Proflex 852 (?)

From memory, they were as an alternative to expensive suspension forks

 

[FairfaxPat]

They are a poor substitute for real suspension, a sus fork is world's better! The Flexstem rotates downward through an arc to attenuate the bumps, which means your arms and upper body rotate slightly forward and drop down when they flex.

 

[FMJ]

There was a group of guys riding out of one shop here that all rode Cameron FS bikes (garage welded here in Toronto rip-off of Mantis Pro Floaters) with flex stems and rigid forks. They swore by them. We though they were rather........eccentric.

 

[orange71]

ok to take out trail jitter, and prevent wrist ache, not much more. I tried one again recently (having had one BITD) and found the sideways flex (and creaking) too annoying.

 

[velomaniac]

Great for saving wrists on a rigid bike. I've never noticed any sideways play, could be the bushes are worn on those that do have play. Also not too heavy, all steel ones are chromoly and later ones are alloy/chromoly, quite well put together. Pitching forward not an issue as they move less than a suspension fork which will also pitch you forward if your not prepared for it.

I like them and have two plus a JD Components version which is much less good.

Softride ones with parallelogram action are quite good and later ones quite sophisticated with adjustable damping but seldom seen outside USA.

 

[tee-one]

Im thinking of getting one soon, Decided against hacking a set of suss forks onto my montage.... Just want to soften up the ruts a little bit.

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

Flexstem and rockshox the perfect big bump small bump combination as they said BITD