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Renthal Integra stem failure

R

ritche

Monkey
Dec 3, 2011
311
19
my month old renthal integra direct mount stem cracked and separated/sheared on both bolt holes of the upper, black part.

*pics to follow

I did not see the actual failure, I just found the bike one morning with the bars rotated down.

Did it "pop" out?

bike was ridden after dh/trail ride crashed 1 or 2 times but it did not cracked at that time, and I was able to ride it home.

I already talked to the bike shop owner where i purchased the integra stem, he said he will talk to the supplier, if the stem can be replaced or just the black upper part. (If replaced, I am going to sell it and get the point 1 racing stem).
The stem was installed by their shop mechanic and i have used it for a month.

Any report similar to this? Is there a bad batch or what?
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
There goes their theory that modern bars are too light and modern stems too heavy.

Still I don't think you should post it before your warranty is settled. You might have just been unlucky with an akward crash.
 
Mo(n)arch

Mo(n)arch

Turbo Monkey
Dec 27, 2010
4,441
1,422
Italy/south Tyrol
Heard of that failures before. Do I have to be scared?
And:




Not sure if you need to develope a new stem each two years, if yoour stuff is bombproof and lightweight.:think:
 
Dogboy

Dogboy

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2004
3,209
584
Durham, NC
jackalope said:
As a ham fisted allen key ninja myself, you may want to check bolt torque to make sure it's within spec.

That, and sometimes sh!t breaks when you crash.
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This^^^ Unless you installed it to spec yourself and didn't crash, it's kind of hard to make a legit claim of failure due to a defective part.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Dogboy said:
This^^^ Unless you installed it to spec yourself and didn't crash, it's kind of hard to make a legit claim of failure due to a defective part.
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He stated that he purchased the part from a bike shop and had them install it. At the very least that would put the ownus of improper installation on the shop.
 
bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Here's my 2 cents. Renthal will replace the stem. The next mechanic will "maybe" use a torque wrench. You will live to ride again. Renthal's rep takes a ding on RM when it didn't necessarily need to.
 
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Dylan Dean

Dylan Dean

Monkey
Oct 12, 2007
608
0
southern California
could be a number of factors. every bike part will break. just a matter of time, circumstance & luck. maybe had an awkward crash that felt like nothing, but put the right stress on it to cause it to fail, combined with possible bad batch, plus maybe improper torque.... who knows. i wouldn't say never buy a product because of one break. now if it's a regular occurrence, then nevermind what i said! :D renthal's pretty legit. my team ran them all season... & all on the same stem (meaning, we never changed them out). i've got some bigger, harder & heavier riders than most of you all. & we've had no problem whatsoever. i'm not saying parts will never break. but who's stem hasnt? we've broken/bent various ones from top MFGs. it's a part of riding & racing

just a friendly reminder to give your bike a safety check from time to time

sorry it happened to you though. luckily it wasn't while riding!:thumb:
 
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kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Dogboy said:
I agree 100%. My comment was more about claiming a defect when you didn't personally install the product - because you wouldn't know.
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OP didn't claim a defect, seems he's just asking if anyone knows if there was a bad batch or anything. In my eyes he is just trying to learn if in fact it is a manufacturing problem or if his was an isolated case.
 
blindboxx2334

blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
everytime this stem gets brought up. this pic always comes to mind.


edit:
i wont post any more pics, but i also saw 2 others cracked at the front two bolts. scary stuffs!
 
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Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
I've seen multiple failures of this stem, there are a lot of pictures of them bent or broken completely.

I've been riding the same point1 DM for 6 years now, can recommend if you want to jump ship.
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
Udi said:
I've seen multiple failures of this stem, there are a lot of pictures of them bent or broken completely.

I've been riding the same point1 DM for 6 years now, can recommend if you want to jump ship.
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You've been riding the same stem of any brand for 6 years?
 
bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
norbar said:
You've been riding the same stem of any brand for 6 years?
Click to expand...
Have you ever seen a pic of Udi "riding"? He does not ride...he analyzes and dissects every element of a trail and a bikes capacity to meticulously manuever it in an efficient and unequivocably precise manner.

Now that I think about it, I'm wondering if Udi rides at all....:clue:
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
R

Rider15

Chimp
Dec 13, 2008
59
3
bizutch said:
Have you ever seen a pic of Udi "riding"? He does not ride...he analyzes and dissects every element of a trail and a bikes capacity to meticulously manuever it in an efficient and unequivocably precise manner.

Now that I think about it, I'm wondering if Udi rides at all....:clue:
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Haha this would be funny if Udi wasnt faster than you.
 
Verskis

Verskis

Monkey
May 14, 2010
458
8
Tampere, Finland
By the way Udi, nice footage from Champery! I think it looked steeper than on the other helmetcam videos I've seen from there, I wonder how could it be?
That really looks like a track I would like to ride but would never want to race on!
 
Gary

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,644
5,561
UK
ha ha... Are you for real Norbar?

!) Choose a bar/stem up to the job in the first place
2) run them until they bend, crack or break
3) depending on how #2 happened, re-think #1
4) replace.

I also have many years on a Point1 DM, can't actually remember how many, it's so old it's a 25.4 tho.
Queue.."OMGZ dude! you trust non-oversized bars ????" comment. ;)

Right from the off Renthal stems struck me as a poor design trying far too hard to be different and stand out instead of offering any of the benefits the claimed marketting BS suggests.. the stupid 2 piece one for a single crown fork? WTF is that all about? 2 bolts for torsional rigidity instead of a one piece body? and a thin minimalist clamp that relies on bending for holding the bar! and then claiming they've eliminated stress riders? GTF! I'd replace one of those before it's first ride, never mind 2-3years!
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
I'm for real. I may take a few years more out of my chunked since the crown seems more robust but at least check your damn DM stem bolts. I've seen too many freak accidents.


@Udi - looking at the pixelation at your helmetam I can see it's CGI and the truth is you are a conglomerate of advanced soviet supercomputers that went rogue and decied to enlighten the bike community ;)
 
bismojo

bismojo

Monkey
May 5, 2009
271
39
@udi nice riding.. and red sunday :thumb:
@buckow super nice track :thumb::thumb:

my friend's point1 keep creaking, but maybe because he deliberately flipped (left/right to make it wider)

back to topic.. used the integra for 1 year and no problem for me except couple times had to re-tighten front small bolts, sold it when i need 30mm stem.

I cut my atlas DM so only 30mm holes, now i need 45mm stem, anybody had experience with dartmoor rage (1st version)?
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
bismojo said:
@udi nice riding.. and red sunday :thumb:
@buckow super nice track :thumb::thumb:

my friend's point1 keep creaking, but maybe because he deliberately flipped (left/right to make it wider)

back to topic.. used the integra for 1 year and no problem for me except couple times had to re-tighten front small bolts, sold it when i need 30mm stem.

I cut my atlas DM so only 30mm holes, now i need 45mm stem, anybody had experience with dartmoor rage (1st version)?
Click to expand...
Rode the protos and they held up fine even though I crash and stop on trees way too often. The local nat champ has been riding the production model and he was happy with his. I say go for it.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
I've got nothing on buckoW but he's good fun to follow!

buckoW said:
Haha, I gotta rebuild that berm every couple years because of people like Udi, JT and my wife just pretending like it's not there. I think I might be the only one riding that berm.
Butch - Udi can ride. I can vouch for him.
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What a bunch of jerks, especially JT. I think he does it on purpose!

norbar said:
No one should. Bars and stems should be replaced after 2-3 years if you don't want to test them with your face.
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Bars perhaps, not stems. A good stem should last for a very long time - all stem failures I've seen have been due to poor designs or weak bolts. FYI I am using the same stem in all those links, it has not had an easy life. Not saying they don't break, but mine's been fine.

I've definitely wondered about the fatigue life after 6 years and have emailed p1 asking about it (no concern was expressed by them), however 2-3 is silly. Buy better quality products with higher grade materials if your stems are failing in these periods.

bismojo said:
my friend's point1 keep creaking, but maybe because he deliberately flipped (left/right to make it wider)
Click to expand...
I doubt it's the stem. A lot of my friends run the same and none of them creak, and I've been running mine flipped for a long time with no noises (as have others I know). I bet it's the bars/crown/headset.

bizutch said:
Now that I think about it, I'm wondering if Udi rides at all...
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Well haven't you gone quiet all of a sudden.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
4130biker said:
Happy birthday Udi!
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Haha thanks, I didn't think I put that in here so I bow down to your mad stalking skills.

Verskis said:
By the way Udi, nice footage from Champery! I think it looked steeper than on the other helmetcam videos I've seen from there, I wonder how could it be?
That really looks like a track I would like to ride but would never want to race on!
Click to expand...
Cheers, it's actually pretty chilled out these days, I'm sure you'd love it.
The original track from around 2007-2009 was insane though, very few catch berms made it easy to die. Maybe buckoW has some footage from it, Earthed 5 gives a good idea though. I'm glad I got to ride it in that guise, but I left thinking I'd be happy to not come back for a while. That video is of the safer track from 2011.

The visual steepness might be because people usually use the gopro (me included), which has a heavy fish-eye lens. It makes things look cool but it also makes steep tracks look very flat. That last video was taken by my friend JT on a contour, I think it gives a more realistic view.
 
jackalope

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,608
5,924
in a single wide, cooking meth...
Udi said:
The visual steepness might be because people usually use the gopro (me included), which has a heavy fish-eye lens. It makes things look cool but it also makes steep tracks look very flat.
Click to expand...
Filing this away for when WC season (and obligatory RM track critiques) starts next year. And yes, you are good at bikes.
 
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norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
Udi said:
I've got nothing on buckoW but he's good fun to follow!


What a bunch of jerks, especially JT. I think he does it on purpose!


Bars perhaps, not stems. A good stem should last for a very long time - all stem failures I've seen have been due to poor designs or weak bolts. FYI I am using the same stem in all those links, it has not had an easy life. Not saying they don't break, but mine's been fine.

I've definitely wondered about the fatigue life after 6 years and have emailed p1 asking about it (no concern was expressed by them), however 2-3 is silly. Buy better quality products with higher grade materials if your stems are failing in these periods.


I doubt it's the stem. A lot of my friends run the same and none of them creak, and I've been running mine flipped for a long time with no noises (as have others I know). I bet it's the bars/crown/headset.


Well haven't you gone quiet all of a sudden.
Click to expand...

I have no problems with stem failure. I've just seen to many freak accidents and I am a bit worried. Maybe swapping bolts is enough.
 
R

ritche

Monkey
Dec 3, 2011
311
19
back to my 3 pc. sunline DM,

as i have posted used it for a month then found the bars rotated down.
no twisting on the body of the stem.

attached is the photo of the broken part,

DSC08199.JPG
 
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bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Rider15 said:
Haha this would be funny if Udi wasnt faster than you.
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buckoW said:
Haha, I gotta rebuild that berm every couple years because of people like Udi, JT and my wife just pretending like it's not there. I think I might be the only one riding that berm.

Butch - Udi can ride. I can vouch for him.
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Ben, I was just joking. :thumb:

You guys crack me up. Was just messing with Udi. He's analytical as hell about gear, so I was cracking on him. And in two weeks, everyone will be faster than me. Knee surgery on Christmas Eve (which I will mention in EVERY thread from this point forward). :(
 
bdamschen

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
Gary said:
I also have many years on a Point1 DM, can't actually remember how many, it's so old it's a 25.4 tho.
Queue.."OMGZ dude! you trust non-oversized bars ????" comment. ;)
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Pretty certain Point1 never had a 25.4 stem...

bought my wife's point1 at a local race straight off the owner right when they were starting up and it was 31.8.

As far as how long bars and stem should last- I expect them to last forever or until a gnarly crash- whichever comes first.
 
Gary

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,644
5,561
UK
ha ha.. I'm fairly certain you're an idiot

Cool story tho bro ;)

I don't own a single 31.8 bar or stem, never have, hopefully never will.
 
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