Coolwall June 2011 - Girvin Flexstem

[passiflora]

Absolutely cool.

I actually got brought one of these from my m8 who worked in a bike shop for my 16th....

I was amazed at the chunky design the lettering everything, very few of us at that age could afford full suspension in 1991..

It was probably the upgrade I enjoyed the most on my kona lavadome!...

 

[J123]

I'll go cool too! I remember having stiff forks, going down a hill and my eye balls almost vibrating out. I then got a Flexistem and couldn't believe the difference!!

 

[juice]

Always wanted one back in the days. I wanted it not because of that little bit of suspension, i wanted it because it was flouro yellow!!
After nearly twenty years of biking i still feel no desire for any kind of suspension but my desire for loud colors is still the same.
Cool.

 

[JamesM]

Back in 1990 these were a cool thing to have when you were 14 and everyone else had full rigid set ups and couldn't afford to get one of these.

big, ugly heavy and cumbersome - yes.

Cool? - abso-bloody-lutely

You are the same age as me then! I got mine as a get well present after a big operation from my Dad

To be honest it worked better than the Manitou 1s I have on my GT at the moment

COOL.

I got mine in 1991 aged 15

I bought the 150mm version as having recently learnt that Circumference = Pie x Diameter at school I correctly figured out that the longest one would have the most travel (travel = Pie x 2 flexstem lengths , sort of ). What a shame I didn't extend my thinking to steering . Still, it doubled my downhill ability overnight. Placebo? I think we all know the answer to that one.

Definitely cool!!!

 

[dinger]

I got mine in 1991 aged 15

I bought the 150mm version as having recently learnt that Circumference = Pie x Diameter at school I correctly figured out that the longest one would have the most travel (travel = Pie x 2 flexstem lengths , sort of ). What a shame I didn't extend my thinking to steering . Still, it doubled my downhill ability overnight. Placebo? I think we all know the answer to that one.

Definitely cool!!!

Yeah, but when you narrowed the handlebars it offset the handling effects of the long stem.

 

[jetstream]

girvin are the best on my raleigh apex 1993 my trusty relic at least 15000 miles

I had the same combo BITD - I so wanted them to be cool, but the were just heavy and didn't work to well.

My vote is uncool - did look quite nice though

 

[muppetman]

girvin are the best on my raleigh apex 1993 my trusty relic at least 15000 miles

I had the same combo BITD - I so wanted them to be cool, but the were just heavy and didn't work to well.

My vote is uncool - did look quite nice though

And me! And I've still got the Raleigh Apex I bought from new. Even though it weighs a ton, I still take it out and bump up some curbs just for old times sake.

Cool in my book

 

[T'boo Ted]

Bought one in '93, still have it on that bike. Ruined the handling (not the stems fault, going from high rise to low rise...) work fine if you arn't doing anything steep or truly technical, jus the riding along to take out the buzzing. But fro actual mtbing, not so good.
And they just arn't cool at all, functional for some situations, yes.

 

[fagin]

Cool.
That is all.

 

[captaincosmic]

As a retro item ...well cool ...even phatt
BITD shite heavy and an uneasy pitching sensation just when braking and all you needed ...feel sensitivity and control was dumbed out by retarded tech...oops retro tech :shock: