Cutting steerer to size

MrGrumpy

Current bike could do with getting the steerer tidied up a bit, have a few extra spacers above the stem. So requires some cutting. I read somewhere that its also good practice to have a spacer above the stem. So easy enough to do, obviously risky and was going to entrust the LBS but being a tight wad, may just do it myself. Any tips to add ? oh and its a carbon steerer as well.

jordan_217

I clamp an old headset onto the steerer and use that as my cutting guide. I use a new/clean hacksaw blade with a high teeth per inch rating too. Careful of the dust thats produced as you cut, dont breath it in.

brettjmcc

PX do a steerer cutter guide at a good price, only about a tenner ( http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWSTSG/j ... -saw-guide ). Better than making it slightly angled IMO.

32TPI blade and a mask as the dust is very fine. Make sure you brush it all away prior to taking the mask off.

The way I did it, was to work out how much space I wanted above the headset and locked in some vernier calipers, put a small amount of masking tape on the steerer and then then marked it with the points of the verniers. That way it was easy to adjust the steerer guide exactly to where you wanted it visually.

ic.

This is one of the few things I let the LBS do. Last time I removed the fork out of the frame, marked it up then took it in. It took them 30 seconds and they didn't even charge me. Unless you are very brave, you do need a cutting guide, which you'll only use once or twice. Even if LBS charge it should only be a couple of quid IMO

paulmon

Wrap some electrical tape around the steerer and then mark or use a template. The tape stops the carbon from splintering.

Have a practice by cutting a piece of near the top at first to get the hang of it. Then if you balls it up you haven't ruined your forks.

Use some fine sand paper to smooth of the edges of the steerer when you are done.

P

rafletcher

I use an old stem, or a stem and and old spacer, as a guide and scribe the line, just as a guide. I then use a "junior" hacksaw to carefully cut the stem (carbon), and tidy up with some fine emery of sandpaper. I hold the steerer in a vice to do this, well wrapped on an old towel - wetting it gives better grip on the steerer without the need to clamp it too tight.

Alu stems I cut using a pipe cutter, but you have to be careful not to use too high a pressure otherwise the top of the steerer curls in a bit too much :roll:

napoleond

I just put a stem above where I wanted it cutting and used a hammer and chisel. Easy and cheap.

MrGrumpy

:shock:

gazeds

A manual mitre saw, work's a treat

veronese68

I did mine with an old stem and a fine tooth hacksaw.
NapD's method does look quicker though.

drlodge

I've still to do mine...bought a plastic mitre box thingy, a hacksaw and fine tooth blade. Just need to make sure (a) I cut it in the right place and (b) the cut is square.

Velonutter

Anybody up near my way, would be only too pleased to cut it for you or you can borrow my cutter for the weekend.

chris_bass

drlodge wrote:

I've still to do mine...bought a plastic mitre box thingy, a hacksaw and fine tooth blade. Just need to make sure (a) I cut it in the right place and (b) the cut is square.

my old DT teacher always used to say, measure twice, cut once :-)

mitchgixer6

As per above regarding wearing a mask etc for the dust.

I've cut 2 before using a 32tpi blade and as long as you take your time it's pretty easy. Never needed to use the tape to stop splintering, as long as you use a new blade every time and take it slowly it shouldn't splinter. I wrap a piece of tape round it and follow the line of the tape as a guide.

curium

GCN YouTube video - http://youtu.be/KuWEBjCmo8U