Cutting the steerer tube

[Artoi]

I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
tool can be enlisted.

Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
--

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 11, 1:26 pm, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> tool can be enlisted.
>
> Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
> --

You can do it on the bike. Use a hacksaw. Lay the bike flat on
something so the shavings don't fall into the headset bearings or the
brake. Ideally you would use a jig to make sure the cut is square, but
if you are carefull you can do without. Is it really aluminum?

Joseph

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 11, 7:22 am, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 11, 1:26 pm, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> > have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> > tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> > frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> > thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> > tool can be enlisted.
>
> > Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
> > --
>
> You can do it on the bike. Use a hacksaw. Lay the bike flat on
> something so the shavings don't fall into the headset bearings or the
> brake. Ideally you would use a jig to make sure the cut is square, but
> if you are carefull you can do without. Is it really aluminum?
>
> Joseph

Joseph's right, I've cut steerers with the fork in the frame. Once I
scratched the frame's top tube after the saw went through the steerer
tube. Now I'm more careful, and I wrap the top tube with a thick cloth.

 

[jim beam]

Artoi wrote:
> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> tool can be enlisted.
>
> Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
> --

be careful with a junior hacksaw - the frame is not very rigid and the
blade not very stiff so the cut tends to deviate. you may end up
cutting off a good deal more than 5mm.

for something that small, i wouldn't bother. and most importantly, it's
/good/ to have stack rings above the stem - it means you have 100% of
the stem clamp engaging the steer tube.

 

[[email protected]]

gnaw use spacers. why limit the potential. why not dissassemble,
clean, repack, with new bearings, cutting the tube with a jig. always
use a jig. i use a jig to cut squash in half. like you no you have
zero mechanical abilty, right? so why press your luck?

 

[Mark Hickey]

Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:

>I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
>have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
>tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
>frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
>thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
>tool can be enlisted.

A couple thoughts...

1) I'd take the fork out just to be sure I didn't get shavings into
the headset (which otherwise will last forever). With a threadless
headset, it's a trivial matter to remove the fork - but it would be a
good idea to mark the cut-off level with the fork still mounted (using
the stem and/or spacers as a guide). That'll give you a straight line
to cut to.
2) I wouldn't bother with a mere 5mm reduction... that's not enough to
really make any difference, and besides - there may come a day when
you wish you had that 5mm back (early season, injury or even just
"getting older").

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:

> be careful with a junior hacksaw - the frame is not very rigid and the
> blade not very stiff so the cut tends to deviate. you may end up
> cutting off a good deal more than 5mm.
>
> for something that small, i wouldn't bother. and most importantly, it's
> /good/ to have stack rings above the stem - it means you have 100% of
> the stem clamp engaging the steer tube.

I already have one stack ring above the stem at present and want to move
the stem even lower. Having 2 rings is starting to look odd and gets in
the way of my stem mount items.
--

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> You can do it on the bike. Use a hacksaw. Lay the bike flat on
> something so the shavings don't fall into the headset bearings or the
> brake. Ideally you would use a jig to make sure the cut is square, but
> if you are carefull you can do without. Is it really aluminum?

Laying the bike flat and wrapping it with some cloth is a good idea.
Yes, it is aluminium steerer tube. I would be more conservative with CF.
--

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> gnaw use spacers. why limit the potential. why not dissassemble,
> clean, repack, with new bearings, cutting the tube with a jig. always
> use a jig. i use a jig to cut squash in half. like you no you have
> zero mechanical abilty, right? so why press your luck?

Because I have never disassembled a fork before. And given the bike is
only 7-8 months old, a bearing repack shouldn't be required.

Bottomline, I am trying to take some short cuts.
--

 

[[email protected]]

say 'last forever' 36 times sure, if it's repacked with new bearings
at 24 months max. grease ages, dries out, bearings ellipsoid logwise

i watch ebisu type frames at $1000+ go into the dumpster for lack of
maintenance

> Home of the $50 FeO frame

 

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:21:23 GMT, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>,
> "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> gnaw use spacers. why limit the potential. why not dissassemble,
>> clean, repack, with new bearings, cutting the tube with a jig. always
>> use a jig. i use a jig to cut squash in half. like you no you have
>> zero mechanical abilty, right? so why press your luck?
>
>Because I have never disassembled a fork before. And given the bike is
>only 7-8 months old, a bearing repack shouldn't be required.
>
>Bottomline, I am trying to take some short cuts.

If you've got time, pull the fork. It'll also give you a better
understanding of the whole system and how easy it is.
--
JT
****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************

 

[Lou Holtman]

Artoi wrote:
> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> tool can be enlisted.
>
> Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
> --


Get the fork out. It's much easier to 'control' a fork than a whole bike
to get a square cut. It's easy and while you at it put some new grease
in the bearings. You may learn something...

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu (http://www.nb.nu)

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
John Forrest Tomlinson <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:21:23 GMT, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >In article <[email protected]>,
> > "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> gnaw use spacers. why limit the potential. why not dissassemble,
> >> clean, repack, with new bearings, cutting the tube with a jig. always
> >> use a jig. i use a jig to cut squash in half. like you no you have
> >> zero mechanical abilty, right? so why press your luck?
> >
> >Because I have never disassembled a fork before. And given the bike is
> >only 7-8 months old, a bearing repack shouldn't be required.
> >
> >Bottomline, I am trying to take some short cuts.
>
> If you've got time, pull the fork. It'll also give you a better
> understanding of the whole system and how easy it is.

Fair point. Sounds like a weekend afternoon's job given that it'll be my
first time doing it.
--

 

[Camilo]

On Apr 11, 3:26 am, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> tool can be enlisted.
>
> Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
> --

As others have said, it is my opinion that it could be done either
way. Just make sure shavings don't get in the bearings.

As for cutting it, if you don't use a jig, make sure that your mark
goes all the way around the tube - so that as you carefully cut, you
can see to stay on square.

A thought that came to my mind, could you cut it - or at least score
it - with a tube or pipe cutter?

As for removing and replacing the fork, that is really not a big
deal: I just re-assembled a fork on a bike that was shipped to me.
I'd never dealt with a threadless fork before, but I took a look at
the Park Tools website. They have a guide to headset installation and
bearing adjustment. Assuming you do not remove the parts that are
pressed into the head tube, reinstallation of the loose parts of the
fork/steering tube and bearings is really no big deal ASSUMING YOU
KEEP TRACK OF THE ORIENTATION AND ORDER OF THE PARTS!!

If it were me, even though I now know how to assemble the headset, I
would try to cut it in place, but I'd either score or mark around the
entire circumference of the tube and very carefully and slowly cut to
make absolutely sure it was square.

Adjustment of the bearings is very simple and explained in that web
site.

 

[Matt O'Toole]

On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 11:26:16 +0000, Artoi wrote:

> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> tool can be enlisted.
>
> Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.

If you don't want spacers on top of the stem, put another one below it and
see if you even notice a 5mm difference. I doubt it.

Matt O.

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
Matt O'Toole <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 11:26:16 +0000, Artoi wrote:
>
> > I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> > have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> > tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> > frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> > thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> > tool can be enlisted.
> >
> > Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
>
> If you don't want spacers on top of the stem, put another one below it and
> see if you even notice a 5mm difference. I doubt it.

Actually I like the idea of keeping a 5mm stacker above it, and that's
what I presently have. But by dropping the stem lower, I'll have to have
2 or more stackers above it, hence the thought of trimming the steerer
tube.
--

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Camilo" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Apr 11, 3:26 am, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> > have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> > tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> > frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> > thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> > tool can be enlisted.
> >
> > Any suggestion on this front? Thanks.
> > --
>
> As others have said, it is my opinion that it could be done either
> way. Just make sure shavings don't get in the bearings.
>
> As for cutting it, if you don't use a jig, make sure that your mark
> goes all the way around the tube - so that as you carefully cut, you
> can see to stay on square.

Yes, avoiding the shaving is a good point. One question though, what's
the problem of a not-so-square cut on the steerer tube? The stem will
clamp at least a few mm below the top, does a slight oblique cut make
any difference? I assume that's more critical if one doesn't have any
stacker rings above.
--

 

[Andy M-S]

> A thought that came to my mind, could you cut it - or at least score
> it - with a tube or pipe cutter?

I've used a pipe cutter on both steel and aluminum steerers, but be
aware that it *does* cause some deformation of the tube...you may need
to use a file to clean things up.

 

[A Muzi]

Artoi wrote:
> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I won't
> have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an aluminium
> tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the fork from the
> frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the fork mounted? I am
> thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job. Alternatively a Dremel
> tool can be enlisted.

Sure, you could, but why?
Most people who can cut a dead straight line in a vise with the work
horizontal will drift in midair.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[[email protected]]

Andrew Muzi writes:

>> I need to shorten my bike's steerer tube by around 5 mm so that I
>> won't have 2 stack rings or a large ring above the stem. It's an
>> aluminium tube. To do the job, do I absolutely need to remove the
>> fork from the frame? Or should I be able to do the job leaving the
>> fork mounted? I am thinking of using a junior hacksaw for the job.
>> Alternatively a Dremel tool can be enlisted.

> Sure, you could, but why? Most people who can cut a dead straight
> line in a vise with the work horizontal will drift in midair.

But back to basics, as others have said, why cut 5mm off. That is not
a length with a perceptible affect on riding. That reminds me of a
rider who spent many sessions adjusting his saddle height up and down
about 3mm. Put the spacer ring under the stem and be done with it.

Jobst Brandt