Sunline have become a sought after brand in recent years for those in the market for high quality bars, stems and seatposts to complete their bike builds, or to replace stock components with something a little nicer. The XC-One stem is just such an example.
Cleanly machined from a lump of aluminium the Sunline stem is a fine upgrade to any mountain bike and, available as it is in range of colours, can be tailored to whatever colour scheme you might have going on.
Aesthetically it’s a stylish stem, with a tapered main section with a slight square profile to give the stem increased torsional stiffness, and excess material on the faceplate and around the steerer clamp machined away. The edges of the clamp areas have been chamfered to prevent scraping and scratching your expensive bars, and the inside of the faceplate has been bead-blasted, which helps it clasp carbon bars more securely.
Two opposing bolts clamp the stem to the steerer tube while four bolts secure the handlebars in place. In use we experienced no flex or twist with a noticeable increase in stiffness over the stem it replaced, and worked particularly well with a pair of carbon fibre bars.
There’s a choice of lengths to choose from, extending from 80mm through to 110mm so there’s something for everyone. We opted for a 90mm for our current setup. Each has a 6 degree rise and 31.8mm handlebar clamp size.
Verdict
Sunline is well known and liked in the downhill community but expanding into the cross-country market has been a wise move, and the Sunline XC-One stem is a quality item. Not cheap at £69.99 but on a par with offerings from Hope and Easton.
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