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-   -   Steerer too short. (https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/783296-steerer-too-short.html)

groceries 11-23-11 02:49 PM

Steerer too short.
 
I've never felt quite right on my Surly LHT. Mostly i ride it to work (through the city) and i noticed in a relaxed up right postion i wanted the bar closer. Recently I had butterfly bars put on and they bought a hand position considerably closer. Unfortunately with drops I had had the bar lower and had left some steerer sticking up. On fitting the butterflies I jumped the gun and had the excess stem cut off. I'm now wanting them raised. As an alternative to a new fork could it be welded back and lathed???
:(

fietsbob 11-23-11 03:53 PM

a whole stem raiser thread was just , I think , last week, search it out..

Given It's an LHT, You can just order an uncut fork, and replace it.
they are not precious..
a second Crown race and they can be swapped in a few minutes..

gyozadude 11-23-11 04:03 PM

Straight welding is likely to create a superficial bead, which you noticed will need to be lathed/ground away so all the threadless stem and washers can slide down and have a round cylindrical surface to clamp to. Grinding, though, would weaken the joint unless reinforced from the inside. But it's hard to weld inside a tight barrel unless the portion is very shallow and you're just adding a cm or so. I guess it's possible to melt the entire edge and have no voids if you machine and bevel the lip perfectly and MIG/TIG weld raw steel together from the outside. This might create a bead that is molten and even protrubes a little onto the inside all the way around the circumference. And grinding will still leave the equivalent amount of metal equal to the wall thickness of the original steel. But as this may take quite a bit of stress, I'd want to heat treat that steel again.

A better solution might be to get a 2 inch long section of tubing, also steel, which will fit directly inside the steering with minimal clearance. Clean the surfaces, add flux, and braze the section first to the fork, then clean up the excess and grind away solder, and then clean, add flux, slide the extension over, and braze that in place. When done, if you want to weld the seam and then machine away the bead for a completely smooth finish, then yes, that might work and now provide a reinforced joint.

dsbrantjr 11-23-11 04:25 PM

groceries: +1 on the replacement fork. After cutting, grinding, brazing more grinding, more brazing, etc., etc., you will still have a patched-together steerer which may or may not be satisfactory. You screwed up, just take your medicine and buy a new fork. Ride the bike for a while and be VERY sure it's right before you start cutting again.

It's a cheaper lesson than the one you will get if the patched-up steerer breaks under load. Having the handlebars come off in your hands is a lot funnier in the cartoons than on a fast downhill run.

HillRider 11-23-11 04:36 PM

+1 on the new fork. Properly correcting your mistake on the old fork will take way more time and expense then just buying a new one. Next time remember the rule; "measure twice, cut once".

LesterOfPuppets 11-23-11 07:31 PM

I'd just get a stem with some rise.

They're readily available up to 35 degrees, even a few 45 degrees but you probably don't need one that steep.

http://bikestore.oversupplywarehouse...//2667/big.jpg

Check chart below to help decide on angle and length you want:

http://www.habcycles.com/stemfit.jpg

ultraman6970 11-24-11 03:10 PM

U have to cut the tube not so long and not so short just in case u have problems with the new position :) Always measure twice and cut only once and always leave 1 or 2 cms extra just in case u want to sale the bike too, sadly u just cut that neck out w/o apparently figure it out if you were going to get used to the new position or not :)

Many bikes get lower interest because of the steering tube cut way to low. Well good luck ok just wanted to give some advice to the saw and dremell ayatollahs because this is the typical screw up :D

Good luck op :)

ps: hope u dont care about how your bike looks :D

JohnDThompson 11-24-11 04:23 PM


Originally Posted by gyozadude (Post 13526943)
Straight welding is likely to create a superficial bead, which you noticed will need to be lathed/ground away so all the threadless stem and washers can slide down and have a round cylindrical surface to clamp to.

Not to mention the difficulty in ensuring that the added section is coaxial with the original steerer.

Paul01 11-24-11 06:05 PM

You need one of these:

Dimension Steerer Extender

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...MYDTRYQ8MP8CBX

groceries 11-25-11 03:40 PM

Thanks.
I have had my bike for a while now and had the bars low with an unsightly knob on the steerer. The reach was wrong for riding in an upright position, (although it is impossible to work out the correct angles, your body tells you where it wants the bar). When I added butterfly's it bought the reach about 2 inches towards me. I was so chuffed I ordered the knob to be cut off the stem. It wasn't until I rode it that for quite a few k that I realised my torso needed to be off balance to reach the bar.. (propped by it).

fietsbob 11-25-11 04:40 PM

Did a Blurb on the BBB BHP 21, a good internal quill based adjustable height stem raiser..
for threadless steerers,
on anotherPosting of a it's too short complaint, .. It the BBB part, worked quite well .


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