"We have a review section; it's RoadBikeREVIEW.com" I know, but sometimes, users prefer the comfort of other "live" (more active) users on this board to respond to any follow up questions. Besides, I can add some eye-gasmic low-res camera photos.
I decided to review this purchase as I waited a million years for it to finally (Jan 31, 2011) end up in my hands - well, since December 2010 when I placed the order, but it was on the distributor's site for a while before that - and given it's fresh on the market. Zipp underwent numerous tests to produce a new collection of components (Service Course SL line, and especially the SL Speed revealed all the way back in 2009). While I'd assume that the long development was met with issues, I'm also confident that Zipp went an extra mile in engineering the best product they could.
My Service Course SL stem came in 130mm, -17 degree dimensions for $99.99. Judging price is relative. For me personally, I do see justice in spending that much on a stem, as I have before. I'm no high-roller, but considering it's expected to deal with my torso weighing in on it and my warms pulling about, my agreement with "you get what you pay for" works in accordance. -17 degree stems are hard to come by in prominent brand names as I only know of Ritchey, Thomson, and 3T producing such. Unfortunately I don't have a scale to tell you how awesomely light this stem is is (suggested 120g @ 100mm), but for first impressions...
The Service Course SL stem came in an over-the-top box. My first purchase from Zipp, so maybe no big deal, but I know none of my 4 stems came packaged like this (Shimano PRO, 3T, Performance/Forte, Salsa). In that box included a 4mm torx head adapter (fits over a 4mm hex key) and beefily-folded instruction manual in 9 different languages. One thing that caught me a bit off guard was the stem's profile, which for some reason I assumed was octagonal based on the Zipp site's picture. In actuality, it has a sleek oval profile, which I also liked, as it agrees with the tube profiles of my frame. Fits nicely in my hand to walk the bike but smudges come easy and are noticeable.
Installation wasn't much different than from any other stem. I didn't use the torx adapter since I already had a torx tool. I did feel a little uneasy as the bolts are titanium and I had no torque wrench for precaution, but everything worked well by feel and installing the faceplate according to proper torquing pattern. One thing that totally irked me in aesthetic regards was the narrower bar clamp. It's not that SC SL itself is ugly, but the markings on the made by the previous 3T ARX Team stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe I'll get the electric tape to follow the clamp edge's profile or something. On the other end of the stem, the stack height comes in at 42mm, knocking off a spacer for me. The transition from steerer clamp onwards is very smooth, to hide that "kink" produced by the angle.
Ride:
Promotion of the SC SL stem hadn't really remarked its stiffness as particularly exceptional, but it's definitely stiff enough - at least in my mind stiffer than my 3T ARX Team and Shimano PRO PLT. Paired with my also-stiff Shimano PRO Vibe Sprint, I personally don't look to improve in this department anyway. I've only been on two rides, with climbs and a chipped road section. Zero slippage on the steerer and bars, and the feedback is superb for a confident descent. Good to know as my installation was based off feel and without any additional preparation measures (paste, although it's in no direct contact with carbon anyway). My previous stems required a rough ride before I had them surely secured in place for some reason. This Zipp SC SL however, didn't.
Just as I said about installation, it's still just a stem. You can't expect it to do magic or anything, but I will note that it's a perfectly sound, working, well-executed (and any alike description) product. My riding performance improved solely due to the dimension change over the past stem. Longer stems are awesome for climbing, imo.
Pros: Finish/aesthetics, functionality, confident and solid feel, selection of dimensions.
Cons: Add a torx tool in your inventory if you haven't already, and hopefully your bars haven't been scuffed by a previous, wider stem. Personally would've been digging a gunmetal color.
I decided to review this purchase as I waited a million years for it to finally (Jan 31, 2011) end up in my hands - well, since December 2010 when I placed the order, but it was on the distributor's site for a while before that - and given it's fresh on the market. Zipp underwent numerous tests to produce a new collection of components (Service Course SL line, and especially the SL Speed revealed all the way back in 2009). While I'd assume that the long development was met with issues, I'm also confident that Zipp went an extra mile in engineering the best product they could.
My Service Course SL stem came in 130mm, -17 degree dimensions for $99.99. Judging price is relative. For me personally, I do see justice in spending that much on a stem, as I have before. I'm no high-roller, but considering it's expected to deal with my torso weighing in on it and my warms pulling about, my agreement with "you get what you pay for" works in accordance. -17 degree stems are hard to come by in prominent brand names as I only know of Ritchey, Thomson, and 3T producing such. Unfortunately I don't have a scale to tell you how awesomely light this stem is is (suggested 120g @ 100mm), but for first impressions...
The Service Course SL stem came in an over-the-top box. My first purchase from Zipp, so maybe no big deal, but I know none of my 4 stems came packaged like this (Shimano PRO, 3T, Performance/Forte, Salsa). In that box included a 4mm torx head adapter (fits over a 4mm hex key) and beefily-folded instruction manual in 9 different languages. One thing that caught me a bit off guard was the stem's profile, which for some reason I assumed was octagonal based on the Zipp site's picture. In actuality, it has a sleek oval profile, which I also liked, as it agrees with the tube profiles of my frame. Fits nicely in my hand to walk the bike but smudges come easy and are noticeable.
Installation wasn't much different than from any other stem. I didn't use the torx adapter since I already had a torx tool. I did feel a little uneasy as the bolts are titanium and I had no torque wrench for precaution, but everything worked well by feel and installing the faceplate according to proper torquing pattern. One thing that totally irked me in aesthetic regards was the narrower bar clamp. It's not that SC SL itself is ugly, but the markings on the made by the previous 3T ARX Team stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe I'll get the electric tape to follow the clamp edge's profile or something. On the other end of the stem, the stack height comes in at 42mm, knocking off a spacer for me. The transition from steerer clamp onwards is very smooth, to hide that "kink" produced by the angle.
Ride:
Promotion of the SC SL stem hadn't really remarked its stiffness as particularly exceptional, but it's definitely stiff enough - at least in my mind stiffer than my 3T ARX Team and Shimano PRO PLT. Paired with my also-stiff Shimano PRO Vibe Sprint, I personally don't look to improve in this department anyway. I've only been on two rides, with climbs and a chipped road section. Zero slippage on the steerer and bars, and the feedback is superb for a confident descent. Good to know as my installation was based off feel and without any additional preparation measures (paste, although it's in no direct contact with carbon anyway). My previous stems required a rough ride before I had them surely secured in place for some reason. This Zipp SC SL however, didn't.
Just as I said about installation, it's still just a stem. You can't expect it to do magic or anything, but I will note that it's a perfectly sound, working, well-executed (and any alike description) product. My riding performance improved solely due to the dimension change over the past stem. Longer stems are awesome for climbing, imo.
Pros: Finish/aesthetics, functionality, confident and solid feel, selection of dimensions.
Cons: Add a torx tool in your inventory if you haven't already, and hopefully your bars haven't been scuffed by a previous, wider stem. Personally would've been digging a gunmetal color.
