https://shop.odysseybmx.com/collections/odyssey-bags?utm_medium=banner&utm_source=dig

Re Print: Legendary Products - S&M Slam Bars and Redneck Stem

Legit Influential Classics of the Modern era

21 May 2015

Legenday-sandm-product-title 1

Words by Dave Patterson Originally printed in DIG 90 'The Legends Issue' Sept/Oct 2012

The first Slam Bars rolled out of the S&M factory in Santa Ana, California in 1988. At that time BMX was progressing and evolving at such a fast pace that most bike parts available weren’t able to keep up with what riders were putting them through. S&M answered with the aptly named Slam Bars, which were designed with simplicity and strength taking priority over gimmicks and weight savings.

The Slams quickly soared in popularity both in the racing and the freestyle worlds, and nowadays are widely regarded as the most iconic and copied handlebars in the history of BMX. The chrome bars pictured are the very early ‘Itson’ bar which preceded the (yellow) more widely recognized ‘dancing man’ Slams.

sandm-slambars-chrome 1
sandm-slambars-sticker

The Redneck stem was also developed out of necessity in 1992 at a time when most bikes were still using cold forged quill stems. The body on these would often spin off the shaft without any warning, making getting through a set of trails like a game of Russian Roulette. The original Redneck still used the old style one inch quill style fitting, but the body was CNC machined out of a single block of aluminium and used a front load dropping design allowing for more insertion with the shaft/body. The very first shafted versions had the body heated up and the shaft shrunk in liquid nitrogen before they were pressed together for a tighter fit. Twenty years later the Redneck has been through several cosmetic changes, most notably the transition into the modern day clamp-on style stem that happened with the switch over to the stronger 1 1/8th fork in the late 90’s, but the current re-incarnation still holds true to the no-nonsense 6 bolt principal that is still favoured globally.

sandm-redneck

“I had the first pair of Slam Bars as well as the first Redneck Stem ever made on my bike, and I still use both parts to this day. I like simple functional parts and that’s what they are. Back in the day you could buy bars with a Slurpee holder in the crossbar, or stems with hinged Potts mod linkage built in to them. I didn’t need that stuff back then, and I don’t need a 30” wide bar or a stem that required an owners-manual now.” – Chris Moeller / S&M Owner/Originator

sandm-redneckad

Previous

Welcome To Thee Block

"We both feel strongly about supporting the younger generations of BMX"

Next

Grant Germain - A Cult On Long Island

"I was riding some dumb looking scooter frame at the time. Robbie helped me get rolling right!"

Related Content

soundtrack -bmx inferno montage use

Soundtrack - VHS Classics - BMX Inferno

Listen again to a classic BMX video soundtrack that is as eclectic as it is iconic...

1 Mar 2015
Rich forne roof RA

Re Print: Rooftops... and everywhere down below.

Without doubt, the most difficult article I have ever photographed for DIG...

5 Feb 2015
Hucker bmx portrait D98 -AW

Re Print: Mike 'Hucker' Clark - Trail Reflections

"they didn't want to watch me ride 'cause I was so sketchy. It kind of bummed me out."

2 Apr 2015
hawk-lacey-kennedy-hoder

Re-Print: First Encounters

Recognise these guys? Our earliest photos with some of the best in the game…

2 Oct 2014
Cam WOOD BMX SLASH SNWBRM UT ADJ

Re Print: Getting Creative With Cameron Wood

"People can call it what they want. We're not really skiing; we're bike riding"

29 Jan 2015
http://animalbikes.com/

Latest Content

2 Ek Dv O Ig5n4hqdefault
Play Button

HRISTO ILIEV IS VERY GOOD AT BIKING!

Hitting the streets of Bulgaria

19 Mar 2024
6c2 B7 Z Euk4chqdefault
Play Button

Kanode Knows - Mike Mastroni

Talking creativity, on and off the bike

18 Mar 2024
5 Cqu E Bo Ija Ehqdefault
Play Button

'LOST IN TRANSLATION'

MARWAN AYARI - DIMITRIS PAP - NICO ESTEBAN

18 Mar 2024
X Z2zqyx JS8 Ehqdefault
Play Button

JACK GRUBER | UNITED ‘A while between drinks’

Canberra and Melbourne

18 Mar 2024
Gg B Xdx Hq EB Ihqdefault
Play Button

Source BMX: New Teamrider!

Das New Rider

18 Mar 2024
R6 Yfqo Kvhiwhqdefault
Play Button

Jordan Richardson - 'SPROUT' - Eclat

Cali AM action

18 Mar 2024
D Lh0g8 D Enl8hqdefault
Play Button

RIDING HURRICANE SPOTS WITH TREY JONES

Floating pools, broken concrete slabs, and toppled stair sets

16 Mar 2024
Y6njc H Wd Zf8hqdefault
Play Button

THIRTY - KINK BMX

Sit back and enjoy 25 minutes of the really really good stuff

16 Mar 2024
HWX0v Hu O Ho8hqdefault
Play Button

LUX BMX BIKE ADVICE - How to Bunny Hop with Tim Storey

Learning the most crucial BMX moves.

15 Mar 2024
N Tx M4 R Nij8ghqdefault
Play Button
T Fs R Oz F Eoe Uhqdefault
Play Button

FIT PROxFILE: MAX MILLER

Breaking down Max's last six years

15 Mar 2024
Z Vag X0 Idso Ehqdefault
Play Button

BENNY ABEYTA - LOVE LETTER

Flat out

15 Mar 2024

DIG Partner stores

More Dig This

Cinema apparel 24 sring
DSCF2930

PRODUCTIVITY - ECLAT 1023 STEM

Designed in Cologne. Made in Kyoto.

31 Jan 2024
Dig2023stack

DIG BOOK #2023

NOW SHIPPING

8 Jan 2024
Wheel mill winter welcome 24 WIDE

EVENT NEWS: The Wheel Mill - Winter Welcome Jam 2024

Shelter from the storm.

19 Dec 2023
TJP WTP 22 6

SETUPS: TYSON JONES-PENI'S 22" CHAOS MACHINE

"I'm not saying the 22" will become the new standard, but it might help some riders stay on a BMX, rather than switching to MTB."

18 Dec 2023
TAMERICA tam roastin BSD 2023 mcgrath 11

The TAMerica Interview

The USA didn't know what was coming!

12 Dec 2023
Wethepeople THE SWAMPMASTER matt black 01 web

PRODUCTIVITY: WETHEPEOPLE SWAMP MASTER

Bouncy BMX Time

11 Dec 2023
Jj book cover crop

PRINT MATTERS: The Dirt in Our Skin

When BMX and literature collide

7 Dec 2023
Sniper Lever Yuma 11

ARE BRAKES COMING BACK?! - THE ECLAT SNIPER LEVER

Read what brakey boy Yuma Oshimo had to say on. the subject.

21 Nov 2023
UWS casey thumb
Uws video teaser dig this thumb

UWS: BMX ON A MISSION - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

A new online street contest

17 Nov 2023
Cliche Alexander DSCF1108

CLICHÉ CREW - 'SNAPSHOTS OF BERLIN'

They're back!

10 Nov 2023