Mary from Time Sport teased us with some upcoming products at Interbike, but as fate would have it, time ran out at the show and we missed seeing them. Thankfully, she just sent over some pics of their all new, full carbon fiber 4-bolt stems.
Changes from their current MonoLink design include the growth from two to four bolts on the faceplate and a somewhat more traditional appearance. The new design manages to look both blocky and curvy simultaneously. The body is made with Time’s exclusive RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) technique. This means the carbon fiber thread is woven into a tubular braid and layered over a wax skeleton. The dry (not prepreg) fibers are then placed into the mold and epoxy is injected. Mary says this gives them tighter control over the finish on both the interior and exterior of the part.
The faceplate and interior points of contact with the steerer tube and bar use their CMT carbon fiber. CMT (Carbon Matrix Technology) is essentially compressed carbon to yield a solid, smooth and durable surface contact patch where the part interfaces with other parts.
UPDATE: MSRP is $500.
Weights, pics, etc., after the break…
The new Time stem is available in matte (top of post) and gloss black and white (below).
Bolts are titanium and the stem with hardware comes in at a claimed 135g for the 110mm. It’ll be available next year in 90mm to 130mm lengths (10mm increments).
Related: Time’s new 2012 road bikes posted here.
