Cutting a carbon steerer tube?

dsschanze

I am wanting to cut my carbon steer tube after a winter of deciding that the handlebar height is right for me. I kind of want to do it myself and am wondering is it ok to cut a carbon tube with a regular hacksaw?

Thanks,
Derek

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531Aussie

yeah, just make sure it's sharp, obviously. They use hacksaws in shops, but usually also use this guide tool to make sure the cut is straight. However, I've done plenty of my own at home with only a bit of tape to guide my cut. In fact, I've even done a couple without even taking the fork off the bike

Some people use some kinda tape to reduce the chance of the carbon fraying near the cut.

This tool kind of works like a guillotine, with the saw blade moving through the slot. The bottom bits goes in a vice, and the clamp at the top holds the steerer in place, but, as I said, I've done plenty at home without one.

rmwkokomo

The standard manufacturer's recommendation is to us a hacksaw blade made for cutting ceramic tile (very fine teeth).

nitricflogfish

You wil not have a problem with an ordinary blade, but finer is better. Just wrap some pvc tape around the tube over the postition you want to make the cut. Use another peice of tape to use as a guide around the circumference. Saw carefully through the first peice of tape and the tube using the edge of the second peice as the guide. Don't push the blade through, just let it do it's own work. No problem! Tape just stops any unsightly fraying of the carbon strands.

capwater

Hacksaw with very fine blade all the way. Masking tape keeps it smooth. Just go real slow and take upur time, let the blade do the work.

Bigbananabike

I've used a cutting disc on my angle grinder. The high speed of the blade = less likelihood of the carbon splitting and less like hard work for me!

JohnO

Same here - I cut a carbon seatpost tube with my dremel and a cutting wheel. I did wrap it with duct tape first, not to prevent splintering but for dust containment. You don't want that dust getting loose. Not good to breathe it in.

BikeyGuy

I have a Reynolds. In the instructions they state to use a hacksaw blade with at least 28 teeth per inch. Got a 32 at the local hardware store. Worked fine with nthe "Park" tube cutter. Good Luck !

typ993

Another piece of advice I've heard to avoid fraying is to start cutting from one side, get nearly all the way through, then flip the fork over and cut from the other side to meet in the middle. Using tape as a guide is essential for this.

Yojimbo_

Why bother - what's the problem with an inch or so of tube sticking up?