Steerer length on new bike

lesfirth

I have just had a new bike delivered from an on-line retailer. I have never bought a new complete bike before. What length would you expect the steerer to be cut to? This bike has 3cm of spacers,in other words if I cut 3cm off the steerer it would be slammed. Is this normal? I was expecting a bit more.

diamonddog

lesfirth wrote:

I have just had a new bike delivered from an on-line retailer. I have never bought a new complete bike before. What length would you expect the steerer to be cut to? This bike has 3cm of spacers,in other words if I cut 3cm off the steerer it would be slammed. Is this normal? I was expecting a bit more.

Normal IME, I have 3 bikes different brands all supplied with that amount of spacers.

pilot_pete

I think if you need more than that then you have bought a frame that is not suitable for you (either size wise, or geometry wise).

PP

lettingthedaysgoby

Yep, mine came with 3cm worth of spacers too.

lesfirth

Thanks for the replies. Over 50 years ago we did not slam stems,if we had I would have done . I need the bars a bit higher now and I wanted a spacer above the stem in reserve for when I get even older. I can send the bike back.

mfin

Send it back then.

Or be prepared to flip the stem at some point.

Will the bike really be kept for that long though?

Nick Payne

That's the main reason why I no longer buy complete bikes these days - they all come with the steerers already cut in the expectation that the bars will be several centimetres below the saddle.

I generally ride the largest XL frame size, and I prefer that the bars be no more than 2cm below the saddle, which means that the shortest steerer I can get away with is around 350mm long. Two brands of fork that I've used when building up bikes are Enve and Wound-Up, as they both available with steerers longer than 300mm, but they're also both pretty expensive.

Ben6899

Les, I'd keep it and ride with one spacer above until your back starts complaining (you say you're currently okay with the fit, but are worried about the future).

If the small was a bargain and the medium will cost you more, then use that money to buy an Enve fork in 5years time. If you're between sizes, the front end of the medium will be higher but also further away. Worth considering...

imposter2.0

30mm of spacers is generally the limit for a carbon steerer, so doesn't sound like there's anything wrong. As others have said, if you need a higher position, then you either need to flip the stem, or you have the wrong bike in the first place.

agentorange88

Don't most come direct from the manufacture already cut? only ones I've seen not are high end bikes, the local specialised concept store has a couple of s works frame sets on display with uncut steerers. My Experience of lbs building up a bike that's factory spec is un box it, screw pedals on and align the steerer and bars from the boxed position. That would indicate that there is a generally accepted steerer height and all the display bikes you see have similar heights in the stores.

Nick Payne

Imposter wrote:

30mm of spacers is generally the limit for a carbon steerer

The limit varies by manufacturer. e.g. Easton fork installation instructions say 50mm max, Wound-Up instructions 44mm, Enve instructions 40mm. Rider weight also makes a difference - a 50kg rider can safely use a greater stack height of spacers than a 100kg rider - the Wound-Up instructions are predicated on a max rider weight of 230lbs (just over 100kg).

fat daddy

When I got my roubaix frameset the steerer had not been cut at all ... we are talking inches of spacers !!!!!

Helpful though as now I have cut it down to <3cm as I have become more flexible ... although I did through a pre-cut steage of fear that if I crashed I would forever impale myself

That was a Frameset though, every pre-build bike has always come with 3mc of spacers, road or MTB ... as been said, if you need to move mroe than 3cm your frame is the wrong size.

I would keep the bike and iff you do get old, then flip the stem or buy one with a steeper angle etc etc

svetty

fat daddy wrote:

I would keep the bike and iff you do get old, .........

And if you don't then it's not an issue you will be around to concern yourself with

lesfirth

Svetty wrote:

fat daddy wrote:

I would keep the bike and iff you do get old, .........

And if you don't then it's not an issue you will be around to concern yourself with

I am old already.I want a bit of spare steerer for when I am even older. That reminds me, I need to write to Strava.I am not too far off needing another age group." Over 65" puts me in with a load of " young blokes".

The Rookie

You can, as mentioned, always flip the stem, or swap for a shorter and/or steeper (15deg where most OE are 6 or 7deg) stem to sit you more upright, people often forget that shorter has a similar effect on posture as raising the bars.

keef66

Most boxed / built up bikes will come with the max number of spacers fitted, so all you can do to vary the height of the bars is move them above / below the stem and / or flip it. (Obviously if you slam the stem you can dispense with all or most of them, depending on what the manufacturer recommends, and chop off the excess) I'd assume the forks are all manufactured with a steerer long enough for the largest frame / head tube, and then trimmed during assembly.

When I bought my 54cm carbon frameset the fork came with a steerer waaay longer than required or indeed safe