BIG TIME, nothing wrong with a few spacers up there!
Educational-Head2784 on
Around here we call that the coward tower.
Antpitta on
I’m not rich, I’m not an expert, and I don‘t kid myself that at the same time I’m getting older and will eventually be less flexible and want less aggressive bikes.
That said, I also know what I like in terms of a fit and dislike the fear of a hole in my sternum from a fall and dislike the look so after I’ve settled on a cockpit setup I just cut the steerer without regrets.
If it ends up being a regret, but a different bar or stem with more rise and swap the old bar / stem to another bike as an upgrade if you can.
Life is short and a stem or bar isn’t fantastically expensive if you manage to stuff up. That said, if you don’t have years of experience and have confidence in your cockpit, I get it.
Zerocoolx1 on
No, I always leave room for a spacer or two on top as I like to experiment.
I’ve never heard someone complain that they cut their steerer too long, but there are many times I’ve heard people complain they cut theirs too short or they bought forks with a short steerer and are now asking that time honoured question “which stem has the lowest stack height?”
(The answer is almost always DMR Defy with it’s 27mm stack height).
neuervolyer on
I wish I did. I cut mine about 2” short as a result of very poor measuring and have to send it back to Fox for repair before I ever ride the thing. Don’t be me. Use spacers.
Suzuki4Life on
Oh God, yes. I recently bought a new bike and it’s led to 3 sets of different rise handlebars.. i almost cut my steerer when I got the bike but I had to sit myself down and remind him that it would be foolish to cut before I knew where I wanted the bars.
I will cut but I have a few more experimental rides to go.
sb0914 on
I don’t know what the hangup is with having a couple inches above the stem? Of the thousand wrecks I have had, none of them were from being hung-up near the stem.
I have cut the steering tube too short. It sucks.
singelingtracks on
put your stem up higher bike will ride better.
palisadedv on
I always cut high incase I want to resell it down the line.
Rakadaka8331 on
No cause direct mount.
apex_flux_34 on
I leave it like that for adjustability.
Mildog69 on
You’ve got riser bars and your not stem slammed – just get straight bars and put them at the top and start a trend bro.
0pp0site0fbatman on
No. I know how I like my bikes set up and won’t change my cockpit once it’s how I want it.
Only-Weird-5190 on
Maybe some day you’ll buy a new frame and want to keep a fork
quad_up on
We always considered anything over 30mm of stack to be a lot. You’re putting more and more of leverage on your headset the higher you get. If you have a small frame or a super short head tube and want to resell your fork, sure, but leaving an extra 2 cms above an already stacked stem seems excessive.
reficulmi on
I keep it uncut with the stem at the very top. I like to be as upright as possible.
Number4combo on
You only do that once. Usually. lol
Aero93 on
Wtf is that
PirateOtherwise6011 on
I didn’t until I did. I’m running a sketchy amount of tube into my stem. Does anyone have a pipe stretcher? I hear construction guys have that tool.
Prutzer on
What is your opinion? I feel this can be a bit dangerous as well? Crashing on your stem is not fun but this makes it worse? Or am I worrying too much?
brandojw on
Can’t cut it longer… once it’s gone it’s gone
No_Try_8876 on
You have 4 options if you measure once and mess it up : 1)get a riser bar and this way you preserve the reach 2)get a stem with a shorter stack 3)replace the steerer 4) get a stem with rise and combine with various riser bars. Adding alot of spacers underneath the stem shortens the reach, many people are unaware of this.
Many frames have very short stack by default, frame manufacturers should address this first.
I leave my steerer a bit longer than i would like it to test and after that i do another final cut. I don’t really care about resell value.
kinboyatuwo on
I always leave a bunch. It helps with resale value and gives you fit options.
Too many people slam stems and create fit issues.
golbscholar on
It’s always a good idea to leave a spacer or two
LastOfTheClanMcDuck on
With so many accessories/tools/mounts and other weird stuff to put in/on it’s not a bad idea to have some more tube. Also futureproof for another frame and waaaay better for resale (a lot of people cut them short and then can’t sell the fork)
In general, cutting it a bit higher than the highest point of the stem gives you enough clearance for mounts and stuff. Basically what you did, maybe a bit lower to get some aesthetics points back.
gripshoes on
I left mine long because my bike has a shorter 100mm head tube and idk which bike I will upgrade to.
VanIsland42o on
Measure 4 times cut once, what’s the issue? Sounds like you need a joint if you get Anxiety from someone as small as this.
flapjacksessen on
More like the sternum crusher
cheapseats91 on
Pro move, cut your steerer high and flip your riser bars upside down. That’s how you get people to give you space.
ChillinDylan901 on
Yeah, but on a MTB there’s no way I would leave it like that – too dangerous
Joey__stalin on
bought a fork with a steerer that was too short. machined an aluminum insert on a lathe and pressed it in, voila added enough to make it right for me. a+++ would do again if you have a metal working lathe.
DwayneFreeman on
I cut off the excessive tube because it looks better. I’m not building my bikes for the next owner.
I haven’t had any problems selling bikes either. Good looking bikes sell better.
IMIPIRIOI on
1 spacer above, 3 spacers below, 80mm bars.
I like a high setup, but not excessive spacers.
nakedrickjames on
Never cut my steerers. More flexibility for frankenbuilds down the line AND it pisses off the freds. Win-win.
lol_camis on
Yes. I always leave it half an inch too long, just in case of a scenario that has never once occurred.
Mtb_ThomasR on
I tried that once. I also bruised my sternum once. Never again…
fake-meows on
The tower of indecision. Never decide.
El-Bikeo on
I always want to make a post imploring everyone to never cut their steerer shorter than 7”. Won’t be too long for your bike and will be easy to resell since 7” should fit any bike.
39 Comments
Use spacers
BIG TIME, nothing wrong with a few spacers up there!
Around here we call that the coward tower.
I’m not rich, I’m not an expert, and I don‘t kid myself that at the same time I’m getting older and will eventually be less flexible and want less aggressive bikes.
That said, I also know what I like in terms of a fit and dislike the fear of a hole in my sternum from a fall and dislike the look so after I’ve settled on a cockpit setup I just cut the steerer without regrets.
If it ends up being a regret, but a different bar or stem with more rise and swap the old bar / stem to another bike as an upgrade if you can.
Life is short and a stem or bar isn’t fantastically expensive if you manage to stuff up. That said, if you don’t have years of experience and have confidence in your cockpit, I get it.
No, I always leave room for a spacer or two on top as I like to experiment.
I’ve never heard someone complain that they cut their steerer too long, but there are many times I’ve heard people complain they cut theirs too short or they bought forks with a short steerer and are now asking that time honoured question “which stem has the lowest stack height?”
(The answer is almost always DMR Defy with it’s 27mm stack height).
I wish I did. I cut mine about 2” short as a result of very poor measuring and have to send it back to Fox for repair before I ever ride the thing. Don’t be me. Use spacers.
Oh God, yes. I recently bought a new bike and it’s led to 3 sets of different rise handlebars.. i almost cut my steerer when I got the bike but I had to sit myself down and remind him that it would be foolish to cut before I knew where I wanted the bars.
I will cut but I have a few more experimental rides to go.
I don’t know what the hangup is with having a couple inches above the stem? Of the thousand wrecks I have had, none of them were from being hung-up near the stem.
I have cut the steering tube too short. It sucks.
put your stem up higher bike will ride better.
I always cut high incase I want to resell it down the line.
No cause direct mount.
I leave it like that for adjustability.
You’ve got riser bars and your not stem slammed – just get straight bars and put them at the top and start a trend bro.
No. I know how I like my bikes set up and won’t change my cockpit once it’s how I want it.
Maybe some day you’ll buy a new frame and want to keep a fork
We always considered anything over 30mm of stack to be a lot. You’re putting more and more of leverage on your headset the higher you get. If you have a small frame or a super short head tube and want to resell your fork, sure, but leaving an extra 2 cms above an already stacked stem seems excessive.
I keep it uncut with the stem at the very top. I like to be as upright as possible.
You only do that once. Usually. lol
Wtf is that
I didn’t until I did. I’m running a sketchy amount of tube into my stem. Does anyone have a pipe stretcher? I hear construction guys have that tool.
What is your opinion? I feel this can be a bit dangerous as well? Crashing on your stem is not fun but this makes it worse? Or am I worrying too much?
Can’t cut it longer… once it’s gone it’s gone
You have 4 options if you measure once and mess it up : 1)get a riser bar and this way you preserve the reach 2)get a stem with a shorter stack 3)replace the steerer 4) get a stem with rise and combine with various riser bars. Adding alot of spacers underneath the stem shortens the reach, many people are unaware of this.
Many frames have very short stack by default, frame manufacturers should address this first.
I leave my steerer a bit longer than i would like it to test and after that i do another final cut. I don’t really care about resell value.
I always leave a bunch. It helps with resale value and gives you fit options.
Too many people slam stems and create fit issues.
It’s always a good idea to leave a spacer or two
With so many accessories/tools/mounts and other weird stuff to put in/on it’s not a bad idea to have some more tube. Also futureproof for another frame and waaaay better for resale (a lot of people cut them short and then can’t sell the fork)
In general, cutting it a bit higher than the highest point of the stem gives you enough clearance for mounts and stuff. Basically what you did, maybe a bit lower to get some aesthetics points back.
I left mine long because my bike has a shorter 100mm head tube and idk which bike I will upgrade to.
Measure 4 times cut once, what’s the issue? Sounds like you need a joint if you get Anxiety from someone as small as this.
More like the sternum crusher
Pro move, cut your steerer high and flip your riser bars upside down. That’s how you get people to give you space.
Yeah, but on a MTB there’s no way I would leave it like that – too dangerous
bought a fork with a steerer that was too short. machined an aluminum insert on a lathe and pressed it in, voila added enough to make it right for me. a+++ would do again if you have a metal working lathe.
I cut off the excessive tube because it looks better. I’m not building my bikes for the next owner.
I haven’t had any problems selling bikes either. Good looking bikes sell better.
1 spacer above, 3 spacers below, 80mm bars.
I like a high setup, but not excessive spacers.
Never cut my steerers. More flexibility for frankenbuilds down the line AND it pisses off the freds. Win-win.
Yes. I always leave it half an inch too long, just in case of a scenario that has never once occurred.
I tried that once. I also bruised my sternum once. Never again…
The tower of indecision. Never decide.
I always want to make a post imploring everyone to never cut their steerer shorter than 7”. Won’t be too long for your bike and will be easy to resell since 7” should fit any bike.