Bike build dilemma #1

I got one of those Scandal 29ers and I’ve been playing around with the riding position. I think I’ve now got it sussed, so it’s time to chop cables and steerer. Thing is, if I cut the steerer to the top of the stem, it’ll only end up 170mm log. I’m happy to leave a spacer on top of it, so it’ll end up at 180mm.

What worries me is that I might decide to change the frame and then find the steerer too short – or if I decide to change/sell the forks at some point, there will be few takers for such a short steerer.

Is it right to be so cautions or should I just go ahead and chop it and damn the (possibly expensive) consequences? 😛

Give it a few rides ugly and if you like it chop it.

I had the same dilemma on my new forks, so I lost the rise on the stem and some off the bars (from 30mm to 20mm rise) and put a 10mm spacer top & bottom.

Overall I gained 25mm on the steerer length and I figured that to be a less expensive option than what I would lose if I sold the forks with a short steerer.

leave it long and shove an old tennis ball on top

Like meeee !

😳

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P1020155[/url] by scaredypants[/url], on Flickr

It arrived!

Fit it first with extra spacers, see if you like it, go from there, seems to be the obvious thing to do?

NW – still the borrowed frame. I’m assuming that the proper one will be the same geometry 🙂

I just can’t help feeling it’s wrong that I would even consider compromising on the right thing because I’m worried about my next “upgrade” 😳

if you like it, just cut it. You can’t always be thinking about the future. Like I used to helitape my whole frames so I could get the best resale price… then I realised that why am I thinking about selling something when I’ve just bought it? Now I don’t bother and just go enjoy myself.

Cut it, and if you do buy a new frame you can always get a new steerer fitted which isn’t too expensive 🙂

180mm isn’t too bad, especially as a lot of newer frames take internal or integrated headsets saving on stack height. I cut my Lyriks down to 180 a year or so ago and they’ve been fine with most frames (there’ve been one or two over the past year 😳 ). Anything with a 120mm head tube (which is fairly tall) which takes a standard headset, needs a Crank Bros or Eco BMX low stack headset but other than that they’ve been fine.

Ah. In that case- your frame may never arrive so don’t cut the steerer short!

Do you need a hand wiping your bum?

Just trying to protect my investment here Al. It’s alright for those working in the trade though eh? 😉

(Is it Monday you start?)

Northwind – Member
Ah. In that case- your frame may never arrive so don’t cut the steerer short!

There is that possibility – and then I might end up looking at something else….

i’m a serial fork swapper, always leave plenty of steerer for longer headtubes

Never go shorter than 200mm on the first cut, you can always takea bit more off but you can’t add it back.

Plus I normally cut it all wonky and end up having to do it again.

get the stem with the biggest stack height you can find.

druidh – Member

Just trying to protect my investment here Al. It’s alright for those working in the trade though eh?

(Is it Monday you start?)

OMG Al working in an LBS.
Will they be stocking carbon upgrade matting, resin and tea spoons? 😀