https://www.kunstform.org/

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.

https://shop.digbmx.com/collections/all-clothing
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

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
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
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
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
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
https://cinemabmx.com/search?type=product&q=reynolds+wheel

Latest Content

Ura Fu Gu8 Vp Ihqdefault
Play Button

BOTTLE KIDS | 'PIT CREW'

Chris Kerrigan, Mikey Andrew, Ison Bogosian, Riley Smith, Mike Brown, Stephen August, Diego Bravo, and more.

4 Sep 2025
A0 VO Qhec Pg Ehqdefault
Play Button

BOH Plaza Sessions Live Stream - Source BMX - Battle of Hastings 2025

Live from Hastings at 5pm UK time / 9am PST

4 Sep 2025
K67h03u83 Vchqdefault
Play Button

GARRETT REYNOLDS - PROJECT X-tras

"Hit the f*ckin button!"

3 Sep 2025
Ur9w Ola Gs A8hqdefault
Play Button

COLONY - HARD YARDS 4

ONE OF THE WILDEST RAMP JAMS YOU'LL SEE!

3 Sep 2025
3c N Nm UU6 MM Yhqdefault
Play Button

WHEN BMX MEETS HARDCORE | HAMMER & NAILS 2025

The Full Documentary

2 Sep 2025
Fwdpvh I Ib Bkhqdefault
Play Button

Preston Okert - Cult 2025

Preston flow

2 Sep 2025
86l Sf78xsw Ehqdefault
Play Button

ARCH - 'HERMANOS'

Sam Chamberlain, Harvey Shorey, Jack Dumper, Chris Cooper, Jakub K, and Sammy Peach

1 Sep 2025
82 H7 OH02 ZP0hqdefault
Play Button

WAR PARTY - WEBEFILMING - 011

Part Vlog, part action movie, part Pulp Fiction

1 Sep 2025
Sj Gb Y t8 Ee Ahqdefault
Play Button

CULTCREW/ Kilian Roth

Two minutes of fresh Kili

1 Sep 2025
Snapshots: The 040 Jam in Malmö, Sweden
Snapshots: The 040 Jam in Malmö, Sweden
Snapshots: The 040 Jam in Malmö, Sweden
Snapshots: The 040 Jam in Malmö, Sweden

Snapshots: The 040 Jam in Malmö, Sweden

As seen from a jam organiser's perspective

1 Sep 2025
3wjc Z3 SY7 Y4hqdefault
Play Button

WISE UP - B-SIDES - Sunday

30-minutes of raw unseen footage

29 Aug 2025
Bla E Yf J Yzl Mhqdefault
Play Button

Trey Jones - Hands on the Wheel

countless amazing curved wall setups and more

29 Aug 2025

DIG Partner stores

More Dig This

20240907 BOH 119

BATTLE OF HASTING 2025 - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Teams, Schedule, Livestreams, Highlights & more

27 Aug 2025
Thumbnail 2

Product Drop - ODYSSEY '85 Splatter kit

Nord, Walsh stems and Hazard lite rims

29 Jul 2025
Shirt swell k0150m back

Product Drop - KINK 2025 APPAREL

For Fall/Winter

23 Jul 2025
Big boyd black

Product Drop - ODYSSEY BIG BOYD RIMS

Boyd Hilder signature BIG BOYD rims in Black and Coffee.

11 Jun 2025
LOW Street station Saturday Jarvis 1 copy

MONSTER ENERGY 'CASH UP' 2025 - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Another Year - New Locations - Even More Jams!

26 May 2025
Street station graphic

STREET STATION RETURNS for 2025

"Not your average BMX jam"

26 May 2025
Vans 11 27 21 014 Bruno Gap wall

BRUNO HOFFMANN INTERVIEW - 'FOREIGN'

"I think the scene is doing good..."

21 Apr 2025
RIXIN BIG APPLE ANGLE RAW ON WHITE 2500

PRODUCTIVITY - RIXIN Big Apple Frame

Billy Perry's signature frame - Built around what he needed.

8 Apr 2025
Rad teaser

Rad Day 2025

Anniversary movie screenings and RAD documentary release.

18 Mar 2025
Expert Top 3 Roll On crop

REPO: Keeping it local at the UK 'ROLL ON' Flatland Jam

"My desire was to give something back" – Mike O'Connell

5 Mar 2025
Snow Fight – Naoki Gaman2

20 Tips For Surviving Simple Session 2025

Check yourself before you wreck yourself!

20 Feb 2025
SS finals samples 4

SIMPLE SESSION 25 WRAP UP

Highlight videos, results and more

19 Feb 2025