daveed

Is it a hard-and-fast rule that the stem wedge inside a 1-inch fork should always be tightened against the solid part of the steerer tube and most definitely not against the threaded portion?

Well, gentlemem, just how dangerous is the situation if the wedge in fact is tightened against the threaded portion of the steerer tube?

evictionsurplus

There are ladies here too...

dannyg1 

This is one of those questions that only Sheldon could answer, at least to my satisfaction........

Danny

Otis

If it's that high up in the fork you need a bigger frame or a longer stem. Dangerous and negative 1000 style points.

unworthy1

if there's any place the steerer is sure to break, it's on the portion where the threading cuts into and weakens the tube (well, also where it's brazed into the forkcrown, too, but that more due to over-heating). Also the wedge is more likely to cause a bulge in the tube there, where it's weakened, too. You might get away with it, but it's a bad place for a break if you don't: think endo and face plant.

daveed

Thanks everyone, including the ladies (lady?). The stem isn't that high up in the tube. I failed to mention the fork is a "replacement" and the threading extends halfway down the tube. (A Nitto Technomic might solve the problem but bring about another.)

Why use such a fork in the first place? In a word: Chrome. It looks oh so good on my '77 Peugeot fixie. Speaking of stems, I had to saw through the original having discovered it was seized in the fork after picking the bike off the scrap heap.

I'l find another more stylish -- and less dangerous -- option.

McDave

Forum member cudak888 has photos of a fork failing from this very situation. It wasn't pretty.