Need advice on long stem . . .
10-01-07, 03:42 PM
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Need advice on long stem . . .
I'm building a SWB recumbent from old bike parts. Project is going pretty well. Seat is nearly done and looking good, and the boom for the pedals is in place. My problem is the stem. It is the quill type. I need to get the handlebars up high enough that my legs won't hit them. I can't find a stem long enough, and can't figure out a good way to stretch the existing stem. Any suggestions?
10-01-07, 07:21 PM
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It is unlikely you will find a stem that is long enough. One way people do this is to take an old quill stem and cut off the part that normally holds the handlebars. You then go to a hardware store and buy a piece of aluminum tubing that has an id about the same size as the cut stem od. Slit the end (hacksaw) of the aluminum tube and slide it over the cut stem. Some people report using hose clamps to keep it tight. I found that split shaft collars worked much better. If the hardware store doesn't have them try McMaster Carr although the shipping is a little high $5 or $6 for the shaft collar and the same for shipping. If you can braze or weld you can make your own. Take a piece of tubing (steel if you are brazing) that has an id about the same size as the od of the aluminum tube. Braze two coupling nuts (or relatively long nuts) on opposite sides of the tube such that the opening is 90 degrees to the tube opening. Cut the tube in half through the nuts. You've just made a split shaft collar of sorts. Usually you drill out the threads on one side of the split nuts so it is easier to pull tight when you put in a bolt. You then find another quill type stem and slide it in the other end of the aluminum tube and tighten it. If you are making the split shaft collar it is a little easier to use a thin wall steel tube instead of the aluminum one so you can just braze the nuts to steel tube and not do it in two steps. Check out the builder photos on the bentech site https://www.bentechbikes.com/
10-01-07, 08:41 PM
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10-15-07, 01:03 PM
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It is unlikely you will find a stem that is long enough. One way people do this is to take an old quill stem and cut off the part that normally holds the handlebars. You then go to a hardware store and buy a piece of aluminum tubing that has an id about the same size as the cut stem od. Slit the end (hacksaw) of the aluminum tube and slide it over the cut stem. Some people report using hose clamps to keep it tight. I found that split shaft collars worked much better. If the hardware store doesn't have them try McMaster Carr although the shipping is a little high $5 or $6 for the shaft collar and the same for shipping. If you can braze or weld you can make your own. Take a piece of tubing (steel if you are brazing) that has an id about the same size as the od of the aluminum tube. Braze two coupling nuts (or relatively long nuts) on opposite sides of the tube such that the opening is 90 degrees to the tube opening. Cut the tube in half through the nuts. You've just made a split shaft collar of sorts. Usually you drill out the threads on one side of the split nuts so it is easier to pull tight when you put in a bolt. You then find another quill type stem and slide it in the other end of the aluminum tube and tighten it. If you are making the split shaft collar it is a little easier to use a thin wall steel tube instead of the aluminum one so you can just braze the nuts to steel tube and not do it in two steps. Check out the builder photos on the bentech site https://www.bentechbikes.com/
Thanks for the comprehensive post. I am using your method and was lucky enough to find a seat clamp for $5 that will work for the clamp.
