gcl8a

To all you would be home mechanics: when cutting your steerer tube to length, if it's already installed, remember to drive the star nut further down before you start sawing.

Not that I would screw that up. No, certainly not me.

justinb

Conversely, don't drive it too deep.

I've "heard" that sucks too.

forensicchemist

Measure twice.....no make that "measure 3 times"!

leob1

Now here is a good idea for a thread, advise for things we ourselves didn't do.
Like not tightening the nuts that hold on the front wheel and trying wheelies, not that I was ever so stupid a teenager to do that.
When you kiss the street, it don't kiss back.

DeadSailor

hmmmm my advice? dont

move the spacers around if you want to drop the stem. try a few combinations before you commit to cutting it.

capwater

Toss the spacers on top of the stem and ride it some, then decide to cut when you are fully satisfied with the height.to

roadfix

I think what's worse is drilling through drywall and right through some copper piping.

soloban

Thats like when I left the brake cable in the housing when I cut it to length......WHOOPS........

probable556

When it comes to cutting measure 3 times. When it comes to buying star nuts- BUY 2!

HillRider

Ouch. That bring back a bad memory. Years ago, I was helping a friend remodel his office. We were drilling holes for moly bolts to put up some shelves and he did exactly that. At least the hardware store was still open and we were able get a saddle clamp on the wounded pipe.

Another bike related thought: measure brake and shift housing several times and be sure they are long enough to turn the bars completely from side to side before cutting them to length.

gcl8a

Is two years in the same position long enough?

gcl8a

Oh, that's good. I'm surprised I've never managed that one myself.

BananaMan

Or forgetting to reattach all four brake blocks after a refurb then taking the bike for a test ride around a hilly block. That would be REALLY stupid.

wethepeople

I have had this happen to many times.

But now I do have quite a few spare front brake cables.

Sir Stuey

Are you saying "move the spacers around" or "don't move the spacers around"?

I'm honestly confused here.

porky-1

LOL! LOL!

bac

+ MANY!

Don't ask me how I know.

... Brad

HillRider

The "don't" referred to cutting the steerer, i.e. don't cut the steerer. "Movethe spacers around" meant to move the spacers to adjust the stem height so you have a chance to determine what works first before committing to the hacksaw.

tellyho

How about getting a Sturmey-Archer AW hub back together and realizing you put the pins holding the pinions in backwards?

CdCf

Leave the star nut in place unless you think you'll cut through it. It's easier to get in straight if you take it out from the cut-off part and insert it into the cut tube.

I cut three inches off of my steerer tube on my new bike. I now have just under an inch of spacers above the stem to play with. Don't think I'll ever need to raise it, but moving the stem to the top of the stack and flipping the stem up should give me something like 2" shorter distance.

Little Darwin

I have heard that when tightening nuts and bolts very tightly that you can actually tighten them so tight that they suddenly become loose again.

Does anyone have any validation of this nasty rumor that when tightened too much that some bolts strip and others break?

Not that I would ever tighten anything that tight.