I recently bought a new bike, but the handlebar position was a little tall so I moved the spacers from the bottom of the headset to the top.
The problem now is that the whole setup looks a bit ridiculous, like there's a chimney coming out the top of the headset.
How can I modify this setup so that I can get rid of the spacers on top, while still being able to screw the headset bolt into the star nut?
Images 2 and 3 show that the star nut is installed pretty high up in the headset, so even if I use a pipe cutter to shave off 1" at the top, there would still be a ~2" chimney.
Any ideas would be appreciated, thanks in advance
by autoanorak
12 Comments
Saw, new star nut
Saw or pipe cutter.
https://preview.redd.it/iinqkbhpjy1h1.jpeg?width=597&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=070868242874dd321425274212e8ebf2162eab5c
almost every bike is like this until it gets chopped with a hacksaw at the desired length.. take it to the bike shop or carefully do it yourself. remember to deburr the edges after cutting
Push the star nut deeper into the steerer and cut off the excess. Don’t use a pipe cutter, use a hacksaw.
If you decide to cut the steertube yourself, you’ll want it to be slightly below the height of your stem, about 2mm below. That allows the headset cap to compress the headset when you screw it on
Use a starnut tool to hammer the starnut further in.
Use a hacksaw + appropriate guide to shorten the steerer tube.
Nice Surly btw. r/surlybikefans
I’d suggest flipping the stem (so that it points down instead of up) and then trimming the extra steerer tube length. That way you’ll still have more steerer tube length than if you trim it now, for future flexibility. I also think the stem will look better level rather than up.
Angle grinder.
You don’t and cant reduce the height of the headset you want to reduce the height of the steerer tube, 12″ hacksaw I’d go for
Since the steerer tube of that bike is chromoly, a pipe cutter is the easier of the 2 suggested tools. When used properly, it makes a perfectly even cut. I’ve cut steel and aluminum steerer tubes with pipe cutters multiple times with success. You just have to file the tip of the tube after you make the cut so the spacers and the stem can fit afterwards. And you have to cut accurately so it does not get too short so the top pinch bolt of the stem does not engage properly for example. You also have to hammer the star nut below the point of the steerer tube you’re going to cut. If you don’t have a dedicated tool for adjusting the star nut you can use a longer socket bit of a socket wrench and hammer the star nut until it’s below where you’re going to make the cut. Once you make the cut hammer the star nut until it’s about 1,5cm below the tip of the steerer, and you’re done.
You can buy a cutting guide that clamps on to the steerer tube. Then cut it shorter. Maybe do a new star nut. You can also make a homemade tool to get the star nut deeper. Lots of videos out there.
Or just get a shop to do it.
Hammer, block of wood, put bolt into Starnut without stem, bang it down to where you want.