Originally Posted by registered usar
I bought a used kestrel frame and it has an carbon fork....the part where you clamp on a stem is carbon. I've read that you don't use a hacksaw to cut carbon and I kind of want to leave it alone. Is it considered cheap or amateur to have some space on the top above the stem? I won't be using a spacer so that means there's a gap above the stem making it not perfectly flush.
Not at all. How much is sticking up though? I see lots of bikes with spacers above the stem, it makes selling the fork easier later on. If you don't put spacers above your stem with the fork tube sticking out, please don't ride your bike. You will die on turn 1. You want the spacers to go about 1-2 mm above the carbon fork tube.
And another question. The frame came with a king headset. The fork is attached. But on the top I guess I'm missing the cap I see on all bikes. The round top thing (metal) with the screw in the middle... Is this an expensive part to replace and can I get it just by itself? So basically looking down on the tube there's empty space and nothing covering the top but I still have a fork attached to the frame.
Your LBS will have these. Price depends. Just don't use a star nut.