Review: Spank Oozy Trail Stem and LTD Handlebar
Spank exercises its expertise with aluminum with this new all mountain ready bar and stem combo.
Spank Ooozy Bar and Stem Front View.
Every time we get a Spank product, we are reminded of the company’s expertise in aluminum metallurgy. Their products are shaped, thinned and forged into lightweight, yet strong products that look good on any bike.
The Oozy line of Spank is the Trail, Enduro line, so light weight is a priority along with strength, to take on the rigors of Enduro racing. The stem weighs in at 155 grams for the 50mm length and the bars weigh 215 grams for the 740mm length. Pricing is very reasonable at around $70 for the stem and $90 for the bars.
The stem is a true zero degree rise, thus keeping the bars low for 29ers and 27.5 bikes sporting a lot of front travel at 130mm to 160mm. The stack height of the stem is one of the lowest too, among the stems in our test quiver.
In line with the big wheel compatibility, the bars are almost flat with only a 4 degree rise. Again, it’s designed to keep the handlebar height low for those big wheels with tall suspension forks.
Spank Ooozy Bar and Stem Close Up.
The width and low height of these bars make it ideal for those 29er racing hardtails as well. At 208 grams, the 720mm wide version of these bars would match up with a 21lb. 29er carbon hardtail racing rig, like the Santa Cruz Highball or Niner Air9.
We put these bars on a Trek Fuel 26er and although solid and reliable, they didn’t quite fit the bike since the bars were so low. Then we put it on a Carbine 29er with 140mm of front travel and that worked very well. Finally, we put it on a Scott Genius 27.5 with 160mm of front travel and that was a great match too.
The bar/stem combo was solid with minimal flex and no creaking. The bolt heads were nice and big so everything was easy to install and torque. Just like our experience with other Spank bar/stem products, this combo worked very well.
Spank Ooozy Bar and Stem Top View.
Strengths
- Excellent quality and construction
- Low stack height and low rise make it a good match for big wheels
- Excellent strength/weight/price balance
Weaknesses
- Not ideal for 26ers
- Not carbon thus doesn’t have great vibration dampening qualities
Bottom Line
This is an awesome bar/stem combo for the All Mountain racer using big wheels.
Spank Ooozy Bar and Stem Full View.
From The Manufacturer
Oozy Trail-Enduro Stems
The concept behind the all new Oozy stem, was to create the perfect symbiosis of XC light weight, Spank’s famous gravity-worthy performance/function, and style in design which compliments today’s aggressive trail and enduro frames, with a particular emphasis on improving rider positioning and comfort on modern 27.5″ and 29″ frames as well as 26″ (true zero degree barclamp and ultra-short 35mm stack height). As with all of our components, the Oozy stem had to meet all our gravity product testing requirements, yet in a light weight and sexy package. The design was thus directed towards a shape that would mean maximum allowable stiffness and strength, without buffer material, hence the unique hourglass shape, (which by the way is incredibly tough to 3D forge). This shape (similarly to I-Beams used in sky rise building construction), means twisting/torque is almost completely eliminated, thus thinner wall thicknesses can be achieved with enhanced stiffness. The light weight we could achieve with the hourglass shape, meant clamping zones could then be beefed up to ensure max strength and handlebar/steerer tube security, as well as improved fatigue life of the stem itself and handlebars. To add to the Oozy stems ability to enhance the life of any handlebar, all clamping zones on the stem have aggressive chamfers to avoid point loading during aggressive use, especially with carbon bars.
- Length: 50mm / 65mm / 75mm
- Weight: ±155g / ±170g / ±180g
- True 0° Rise: Ideal for 27.5 and 29″ cockpits
- Stack Height: 35mm – short for 27.5/29″ cockpits
- 6 Bolt Design, (M5)
- Custom Snap-Fit Sealed Topcap Incl.
- MSRP: $69.90 USD
Oozy Limited Edition Handlebars
Currently both 720mm and 740mm versions are available.The Oozy Ltd Handlebar despite its incredibly light weight has passed all industry standard laboratory tests, as well as Spank Industries’ own far more severe standards and our pro-rider’s field testing! Spank’s proprietary CNC. To enhance the bars life expectancy, special steps have been taken to refine the base material through no less than 7 butting steps, and 8 heat treatment steps, as well as a unique work hardening and truing step at the clamping zones to increase hardness and reduce any point loading at the bar/stem interface. The geometry used for the Oozy LTD (and standard Oozy bars) is what we call our “trail tuned geometry” which is a 4 up / 6 back, slightly less aggressive than our gravity bars, to improve positioning and comfort on long trails where the uphills are as important as the downs, and a slightly forward stance is more common.
- Zirconium Doped 7-Series Alloy
- Rise: 5 / 15 mm options avail.
- Length: 720mm & new 740mm Available
- Geometry: 4°Up / 6°Back
- Weight: from 208g (720mm) / 215g (740mm)
- MSRP: $89.90 USD
For something Burlier
If you want something stronger, heavier, wider, then you are right in Spank’s wheelhouse as well, with the Spank Spike series and 777 bars. We’ve ridden these for a year with no issue whatsoever. A great foot note is the trusty Spank 777 bars which measured 777mm in 2013, now measures 800mm for 2014. Sign of the times, we hear.
For more information visit spank-ind.com.
Do you own the Spank Oozy Trail Stem or LTD Handlebars? Help us become a better resource and write a review!
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