RaceFace Next R Handlebar, Turbine R Stem, and SDG Tellis Dropper: Customer Review

Sometimes when you're shopping for just one product it can turn into a shopping spree. Our valued customer Jay Bolen shares his opinion on some new goodies he picked up. Check it out! 

RaceFace Next R handlebar / RaceFaceTurbine R stem:

Let me just preface this review with the fact that this bar/stem combo just flat out freaking rocks. I researched specs for days on end with handlebar width, clamp diameter, weight, colors, etc. There are a million bars and stems on the market but I don't believe that you can get more tried and true than this solid RaceFace combo. At the end of the day these just had all of the perfect specs and come is a sexy blacked out scheme that matches any/every bike color. With a 35mm clamp and an 800mm width that can be cut all the way down to 750 for a perfect fit. they are some of the lightest on the market and are a great value!! There was literally no downside so I feel like I won out.

They come perfectly packaged, and the folks at Worldwide make sure they're even better packaged within their shipping box. The fit and finish of the bars are A+, right up there (if not even better) with all the Chromag/Easton/Renthal handlebars I have seen and ridden. The Turbine R stem is also just one perfectly fine piece of machined aluminum. Perfect graphics with the Turbine logo looking right back up at me when I'm on the bike. They installed in a jiffy with the easy to understand instructions, and I was off on the trail.

Now, let's talk about the ride. Some people will say they can tell a HUGE difference in carbon vs aluminum bars, others will say "meh, I can't tell much difference". I am in the camp that carbon bars are where it's at! Switching from an OEM spec aluminum bar greatly reduces a lot of rough trail chatter but they remain super stiff when you need to stand and mash while really pull on the bars. A stem is a stem is a stem, but there is a better-machined product out there for the money than the Turbine R stem. It comes in any length you'd ever need. I opted to save over $150 over an ENVE carbon bar/stem combo by going with the tried and true Raceface combo but didn't lose one single penny in value and quality. Highly recommended, and I'll be sticking with RaceFace from here out.

SDG Tellis Dropper:

Dropper posts are another item that you can literally spend weeks researching brands, specs, drop length, design, warranty, color, blah blah. And then there's price, they're all over the map! Just save yourself the time AND money and snag up the new SDG Tellis dropper. They may have hit the market late with their first dropper, but they made it right, and for a great value! They also have any length/diameter you need for your build, all for the same price.

The other awesome thing about the SDG dropper? They give you everything you need all in the same box! None of this hydraulic actuated hard to service nonsense (cough RockShox cough). None of the crap where you buy a dropper post but still have to pick out a lever separately, which makes it even more expensive. It all comes with it! The southpaw lever it comes with is great! It installed without a hitch and I was off in no time. Very nice lever feel, basically ZERO movement from the post. It comes from a great company with a great warranty and did I mention a great price?!?

Few other awesome notes I need to make before I head back out to the trails. They didn't mess around with the need for serviceability. They designed this post as a sealed reliable unit with a cartridge that is easily replaceable. They already have the parts stream if ever needed, so just another way they were totally prepared. Secondly, I mean who really cares about adjust the speed of return on your dropper. Who cares or even has the time to mess with that?! I want to get on my bike ride and have all of my parts just flat our work when I need them to. The Tellis doesn't have that adjustability, but that's what makes it beautiful. It's simple and works exactly how you want it to every damn time. Did I mention it's at a great price?! Seriously, just stop with the spec shopping and grab yourself the new Tellis dropper all while saving yourself some extra $$ for beer and burritos!