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Reviews
Titec Malone bar and Miller stem
By John Stevenson
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Titec is known as a mountain bike component company, so it's mildly surprising to see it branching out into road components. Not so surprising is that the Malone bar is being billed as suitable for cyclo-cross, as well as general road use.
Curved from 7075 aluminium and weighing 250g, the Malone is very much a contemporary bar on the technology front, though its shape is distinctly retro. With simple curves – no straight 'anatomic' section – and a fairly shallow drop, it's reminiscent of the classic Cinelli 64 shape.
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The Malone's suitability for cyclo-cross comes from three additional features: it's available in a very wide version, 46cm measured center to center; the transitions between top and drop are very tight, so there's lots of top section for riding in a more upright position; and the bottom of the drop is long and splayed outwards very slightly. Throw on an extension lever and you'd have a highly versatile setup.
Since there's very little cyclo-cross in Australia, I did almost all my testing of the Malone on road. The Malone and TIG-welded Miller stem gave a more upright position than my previous horizontal stem and deep-drop bar. That took some getting used to, but now I'm accustomed to it, I won't be swapping back – this isn't a road-racing position, but it's great for recreational cruising and commuting, and that's what my road bike is mostly for. I find I like the shallower drop for this kind of riding. Where the deep tuck of the previous setup was rarely used because it was a bit too deep, I find I'm swapping hand positions a lot more now because I have three that are comfortable instead of two.
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The Miller stem is welded from 6061 aluminium, and while it's tidily done and fairly light, there's nothing startlingly special here that you can't get from a zillion other stem manufacturers. It's available in 90-130mm lengths, 0, 15 or 17 degree angle in black or silver to fit 1 1/8in steerers. (Eagle-eyed readers will notice that it's sitting on top of a 1in threaded headset on my bike in the pics. It's clamped to a quill adapter. It's a hideous bodge, but it works.)
The Miller's two-bolt clamp means that it can be plenty wide without the risk of scratching the bar as you fit it, and it's certainly stiff. Definitely worth consideration, but if there's a product category where you're truly spoiled for choice, stems is it.
Titec Malone bar
Weight: 250g
Price guide: $64.95 (USA)
Pro: Wide top section, shallow curve, option of very wide version
Con: Not the lightest bar around
More information: Titec's
website
Cyclingnews Rating: 
Titec Miller stem
Weight: 175g
Price guide: $65.95 (USA)
Pro: Stiff, two-bolt clamp is easy to use, light but not too light
Con: Plenty of other stems are similarly good
More information: Titec's
website
Cyclingnews Rating: 
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