Wrap Around DH Stems, Flexy Seats, & Good Headset Routing? - Taipei Cycle Show 2023

Going in a completely different direction to their KFX SIC Integrated carbon handlebar and stem combo, FSA also had this nearly as wild-looking Gradient OS35 DH direct mount stem just asking for some attention in the booth. Honestly, it looks so different that I wasn't entirely sure what it was at first, but the two-piece design is a pretty clever way of eliminating the four steel bolts that would usually be used at the faceplate. Instead, the two halves literally wrap around the handlebar and up to the mounting points, clamping it down as you tighten it onto your fork crown. That means less weight, but the downside could be (I didn't try) that it's a bit finicky to install versus to a more traditional design.

As the name suggests, the Gradient OS35 is made for 35mm diameter handlebars only, and it comes in a single 45mm length that's said to weigh 153 grams without the included 5mm height spacer or 173 grams with it. The oil-slick finish is the only color offered and I am 100-percent down with it.





I've rambled on and on about my love for Tioga's admittedly weird-looking seats, but I swear that's because they work well for me and not just because of the high strangeness factor. Their very flexible shells and general shape fit my underside, so I'll definitely be trying out the new Undercover Stratum Max at some point in the near future. It features Tioga's SpyderWeb base that's designed to be far more forgiving than a stiffer shell used with most other seats, and Tioga even says they've tuned how quickly it rebounds under your bum.

While they still have their bare-bones Spyder seats, the Undercover Stratum Max gets something called Re-Activ Performance Plush Foam. It also has their Immersion Relief Groove that's basically a much wider than usual center cutout intended to work for both aggressive and more upright riding positions.






Headset cable routing probably isn't going to disappear, regardless of how much some of us dislike it, so it's up to companies to figure out how to make it better. Token's Cable Box system is aiming to do exactly that, with the MB-Box version designed specifically for both mountain bikes and e-bikes while also incorporating an integrated steering-stop feature. The system consists of a two-piece top cover with openings for up to six cables, each with an o-ring seal at the entry point to limit the amount of grime that can get inside. You can fill unused holes with plugs that come supplied from Token, and there's also a secondary seal that sits below the cover and above the compression ring. MB-Box also uses a clever, two-piece expanding lower headset cup that will compensate for any out-of-tolerance issues with your headtube while also making it easier to install and remove; no hammer required. That said, I have no idea if this thing is any easier to work on than other headset cable routing designs.

The Rotation Block system uses a split crown race that's clamped in place, with a grooved inner surface intended to keep it from spinning on your steerer tube. That's an important element as two small extensions off the crown race act as the steering stops when they come up against a central extension on the inside of the headset cup. I definitely didn't describe that as well as I could have, but it's late in Taiwan and I've had seven bubble teas today, so it is what is. One final detail worth mentioning is the small (and replaceable) PU bumpers on each of those wings, meaning that it's not just metal smashing into metal inside of your headset every time you crash.

Token says that the MB-Box system will fit ZS56/ZS56 1.5" and ZS56/ZS66 1.8" headtubes.

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Reviews and Tech First Looks Taipei Cycle Show 2023