This stack has a 5mm spacer on top of the stem. Is there a specific reason for this or was it just arbitrary by my LBS when then built up the bike?
Can I put that spacer under the stem for a cleaner look?
by TheDunKings
This stack has a 5mm spacer on top of the stem. Is there a specific reason for this or was it just arbitrary by my LBS when then built up the bike?
Can I put that spacer under the stem for a cleaner look?
by TheDunKings
15 Comments
Holy spacers Batman!
It’s very common to have one spacer on top of the spacer.
This is mostly because many forks these days have carbon fiber steerer tubes, and the manufacturers commonly instruct you to always have one spacer above the stem. This is to maximise the surface area between the fork steerer and the stem.
I can see that’s a Surly frame. If the fork is also Surly then it has a steel steerer and you can safely move the spacer below the stem. But in general, you should put the stem at the height that gives you the most comfortable riding position. When you are certain what kind of riding position you like, you can cut the excess from the fork steerer to get that clean look.
Buy a handlebar with more rise instead. I don’t think that many spacers is a good or safe solution.
Spacer on top of the stem is to make sure that the stem fully grips the steerer tube and the required gap to apply preload sits under the spacer and not under the stem. I‘d leave it like that.
Some mechanics prefer a spacer on top but not necessary. On some carbon forks manufacturers will recommended to have at least a 3mm spacer. For your setup with a steel fork you could add the spacer to the bottom and raise the stem a little more. Also can leave it alone, all good.
Yeah a small spacer is fine on top of the stack and is not an issue. I actually prefer doing this because the pinch bolt is not directly over the edge of the steerer-tube this way.
However, that is a ton of spacers on the steerer below the stem. I wonder why they didn’t just cut the steerer tube.
Generally fork manufacturers specify a maximum amount of exposed steerer tube. I’d check to see what yours is: that looks to be right on the edge. My carbon fork with alloy steerer is 75 mm.
Is this bike much much too small for you? What’s with the excessive steerer length?
Is there some goofy extender under there?
As others have said, it’s considered somewhere between good practice and necessary. Wolftooth makes a stem cap with an integrated top spacer if it bothers you that. I also agree that much of a stack is questionable at best.
is this a Crosscheck? people commenting that you have “too many spacers” have never seen a Crosscheck in real life. the headtube is SHORT so it’s designed to work with as many spacers as you need to get your handlebar where you want it. steel don’t care.
Since this is a steel steerer, really any position is acceptable and you could put it under the stem.
All us engineer-types might cringe slightly: the uppermost portion of your stem clamp would be above the top of the steerer tube, with less clamping surface and less overlap for strength. While this steel steerer is definitely strong enough (it will be safe), it’s also technically slightly weaker than the setup with a spacer on top… which leads us engineer-types to prefer it as shown. 🤣
You need a gap between the last piece and the steerer tube so that when you torque down the cap you are actually applying preload to the headset. That said, you can make that last piece the stem if you want, but stem height should really be about riding position. Figure out what feels right. You can choose to cut your steerer so that it ends just below the top of the stem (certain length exceptions for carbon stems notwithstanding) but then you’ve lost the ability to alter the stem height later. This will also limit what other frames your fork might fit on. This is more of an issue with suspension forks that you might want to sell or swap on to another bike in the future.
I’m likely wrong, but if you need to stack your stem this high, I worry that your frame may not be the right size to begin with.
The top cap might not play nice with the stem. If it does, then it’s purely aesthetic. But that is a lot of spacers. Typically, if you need more than 30-40mm of spacers then you should be looking at a different stem.
(Edit) Wait you want the spacer under the stem for the look? No. A cleaner look is getting rid of the mega stack of spacers. Take back to lbs and have them fit you for the right height and cut the tube to minimize the stack of spacers. Obviously leave a few for adjustability, but usually you just need a few.
it’s just to assure the stem’s bolts are securely tightened to the steerer tube . That stem in particular has the top bolt too high and it’d require a very precise cut that but secures the stem to the steerer tube and allows the top cap to preload the headset bearings.
EDIT: Also don’t put the spacer under the stem. I think it’d be dangerous for your particular setup because the bolt will be above the steerer tube. It’s very common practice to leave a 5mm spacer above the stem so I can assure you it looks fine.