So resting your forks on the kitchen table and taking a hacksaw to them didnt work quite as well as I'd hoped. One side is about 2mm higher than the other.
Luckily I put a 10mm spacer above the stem for future-proofing so it all fits together fine, top cap doesn't hit the steerer etc.
Will this make a difference?
NO it will be fine as long as the headset top cap is resting on the spacer and not the steerer which it shoudlnt anyway.
^ What he said.
(In fact until I bought a plumbers pipe cutter all my hacksawed steerers were on the piss coz Im ham fisted)
won't make any difference at all
Don't you have a file?
Sweet, thats the answer I was looking for!
No file, will borrow one off my dad next time I go home though.
No, you can't ride it or you'll die! 😉
It'll be fine.
Try and get an old stem to use as a guide for your saw next time. 🙂
I think the traditional solution is to make further cuts in an attempt to square it off.
After the third attempt you realise you now have square cut 165mm steerer that won't fit your frame so you put it on the classifieds as 'been on the wife's bike hence short steerer' and invest in a cutting guide.
One of these (£6 ish) is a good investment.
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I have used pipe cutters for all my steerer's for the past 10 years. Faster neater easier its the holy grail of steerer cutting. Most of the time you don't even need to use a file to smooth it off.
You have ****ed them I will give you a tenner for them.
£6? Where from?
ebay
not recommended for carbon steerers...
all mine are cut wonkey, welcome to the gang 😉
"its the holy grail of steerer cutting"
I still prefer one of these:
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It does the cutting for you!
Why would you think a 2mm slope would make any difference if it's not too short and it's clamped by the stem and has a SFN in the steerer?
Becasuse everywhere you look on the net tell you to cut it dead square. Plus I'd rather not smash my face into the stem if it all goes wrong.
you wouldn't smash your face into the stem.
The stem would have come off by then, still attached to the bars. You'd either just fly past where the stem used to be before smashing your face into the ground, or if desperately unlucky, gouge a large part of your face off with the jagged bit of broken off steerer that's now protruding from the bottom of the stem. Before smashing your face into the ground.
But don't worry, it'll be fine. Probably.
Plus I'd rather not smash my face into the stem if it all goes wrong.
I seriously can't work out your logic on how it would actually fall off/apart due to a minor slant on the steerer. Oh well each to there own. 😆
Dobbo - Better to be safe than sorry.
I seriously can't work out your logic on how it would actually fall off/apart due to a minor slant on the steerer. Oh well each to there own.
Because he wasn't sure and wanted a second opinion on something that could be fairly safety critical? No need to mock him for it really.
That was the sole reason behind this post, thank you grumm.
pipe cutter is the key... or a pucker saw guide
having said that if you you have neither you can use a jubilee clip clamped around the tube as a basic saw guide
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having said that worth getting a decent pipe cutter and some spare wheels as they coming in useful for plumbing, handlebar cutting etc.. also the pointing bits on them ar for deburring the inside of pipes.
Just use an angle grinder, it's quicker than a pipe cutter, makes far more noise and is way more fun.
Woooo sparks!
Don't think any of my forks have ever been square across the top. Spacers are used to take out any slight imperfections. Smashing face on the stem? Can't work that one out. Must be an elfinsafety bod.
Good tips on stw yet again! Jubilee clip is a great idea.
I've used a wickes pipe cutter- but when cutting cro-mo steerers -use patience and some protective eye-wear as the blade can snap and fly!
Just bought a pipe cutter on ebay to do a better job next time.
Not a safety boff, just worried about my handsome face!
