Bontrager RSL Blendr Stem review

Modern cycling often means accessories on the handlebars. Mounting those accessories is a challenge that has given rise to a wide breadth of manufacturers with innovative solutions. Brands such as K-Edge and Bar Fly have filled a need and created mounts that handle everything you could need. What those solutions tend to have in common is that they are an add-on. 

If you are looking to upgrade to something from our list of the best road handlebars you might be replacing your stem anyway. Why not choose a stem with an integrated mounting solution? It could clean up the front of the bike and keep your accessories mounted to the exact centre of the bike. If you are picky about how your bike looks there's a certain draw but it has to work. With that in mind, we spent time with the Bontrager RSL Blendr stem understanding how it works and what it does best. If you like the sound of simplifying the front of your bike, keep reading to see our thoughts on the Bontrager take on a solution. 

Design and aesthetics

Let's be honest here, you could use an alloy stem and get similar performance for a lot less money. Bontrager itself offers the Pro Blendr stem with the same features for less than half the price. The RSL Blendr stem does win on weight, saving 13 grams with a weight of 120 grams for a 100mm stem, but that's an awful small difference for the price. There is also some additional stiffness and better vibration reduction possible with carbon but that's not why it makes sense for some people.

In most situations, this is an emotional purchase. It's all about matching the style and looking great on your bike. That's okay, those are important considerations also. Your bike is a collection of design choices that lead to high performance and there are certain pieces that make sense to keep matching. A stem is one of those pieces and the Bontrager RSL Blendr stem is a choice you won't regret making. 

Staring at your stem while making your way up yet another climb is sure to bring a bit of joy when it looks this good. The shapes are smooth and organic with elegant curves and valleys. The finish is a matte black that somehow manages to ward off fingerprints that are common to finishes of this style. It's not completely impervious but it's not a magnet either. From the top, these are the features you will spend time staring at.  

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Off the bike, you can take in the other details. Sitting in contrast to the matte black is glossy, bronze, metallic text. On either side is a large RSL wordmark while the underside displays the text "Race Shop Limited." The text on the sides reads in the same direction so keep that in mind if you are considering switching the direction of the 7-degree angle. On the other hand, if you were to swap it, you'd have the pleasure of regularly seeing the elegant typesetting of the otherwise hidden "Race Shop Limited" text. 

At the front of the stem are the pieces that make everything the Blendr integration work. Instead of a connected faceplate the RSL stem holds the bars with a pair of bands. That leaves the centre section free for either a single, or double, Blendr mount. What you can't see is that moulded into the carbon at the top and bottom is a small space where tabs on the nylon mount fit into the stem. You'll need to remove the bars to fit the mounts but once in place they are flush and completely secure. 

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Performance

The first thing you'll need to deal with is setting up the Bontrager RSL Blendr stem in a way that makes sense for you. You can run it with no mounts installed and no one would think something is missing. That's not really the point though so you'll want to think about what makes sense. 

It is actually possible to snap the Blendr mounts onto the bars without removing them. You can't fit the tabs into the pockets that secure them though and the mounts aren't secure like this. That means if you want to make a configuration change you've got to remove the bars. Not a huge deal but it will mean getting out your torque wrench and getting the angle of the bars just right again. 

This is further complicated by the fact that you have to choose between a double and single base mount. In the box you only get the mono base but if you'd like to mount two accessories, you'll need the duo base. That means if you want both a light and a computer at the same time, or a computer and a camera is another possibility, then you'll need to make another purchase.

Once you've made a choice of base everything from that point bolts on without much trouble. You'll have a Garmin high mount and an ion mount on hand without any extra purchases. There are some details about those pieces though. The Ion mount is too short to work with the Ion Pro RT so expect to use that with the Ion 200 RT. Meanwhile, the Garmin mount will put the computer up above the bars and there is no Wahoo mount available. If you want to keep the computer in front of the bars you can flip the base so the mount is lower but that only works for a single accessory and won't fit a 1030 series Garmin. If you want to run Wahoo you'll want to either pick up the Garmin mount adapter from them or look for a third-party Blendr mount. 

For most people this dance of figuring out how to make things work isn't going to be an ongoing problem. It's rare to switch computers and if you think through how things are going to fit before torquing down the bars you'll find something that works. It does pose a problem for occasional use of a light though. You'd need the Duo base to run a light but many people only sometimes run a light. In that scenario adding a light would require removing the handlebars or leaving the Duo installed and ruining the clean look you were after. 

Assuming you find the setup that works for your needs though, it does work. The first ride I took it on took me on a 27-mile road ride before getting to the gravel. The road offers the possibility of small but high frequency vibration. Although the larger tyres I was running certainly helped, there was no issue with a vibrating computer. As I took to the gravel trail things remained steady but that wasn't the real test. 

The real test was not expected. The gravel loop was 44 miles and a good portion of that was relatively smooth. That was all expected but as I climbed, I eventually turned off onto a logging road. I continued to climb and this is when the weather changed. When it began to snow I was under dressed and things got scary for a little while. For the next thirteen miles I descended on rough logging roads as quickly as I could. 

There was no careful picking of lines. Instead, crashing through big cuts and holes in the road was how things went. My dexterity was low and I wasn't thinking clearly plus I was moving faster than I should have been. More than once I wondered if I'd damaged a wheel but through it all my computer was rock solid. It never drooped and certainly never fell. If the Blendr mount survived that, it'll survive anything. 

Verdict

The way that Bontrager implements its mount isn't the best solution. The Enve carbon stem is a product with a similar concept but it uses a single mount and connects it to an aluminium K-edge computer mount. The K-edge mount means the computer is down low, there's tons of adapters available, and there's a GoPro mount underneath for lights or cameras. You don't have to remove the bars if you don't want to run a light and also keep everything looking clean and tidy. 

That consideration might be a secondary thought though. A carbon stem is already an emotional purchase and the Bontrager RSL stem is beautiful. If you'd like to stick with Bontrager to match your bike, or your handlebars, then you aren't losing out. It just might mean you have to work a little harder to find the configuration that works for you. 

Tech Specs: Bontrager RSL Blendr Stem

• Price: £239.99 / $288.99 / €289.99 / AU$399.99
• Rise: 7 deg
• Available Length: 70mm-140mm
• Weight: 120g for 100mm length