Do you have to run a spacer on top of your stem?

For safety or something? Thinking carbon steerers here. Anyone know?

Yes, but mainly because my steerer is slightly too long!

Heard that also but I never do – looks shite!
‘Slam that stem’ – now where have I heard that?

you dont on steel ones nor do you need a top cap really as the stem does everything.
I have ones without but I dont own carbon ones
I dont know if there is a difference but they recommend bar ends for carbon bars iirc.

Can’t imagine it’s a safety thing but, yes, to preserve resale value and/or useability of the fork when it comes off that frame

Yeah, does look a bit rubbish. I’ve heard it as well though, and am wondering if there’s anything actually to it.

I’m not your stwer who gets bored of a bike/fork after 2 weeks and sells it on, so I don’t care about resale value.

Lot’s of bikes seem to get sold with the stems at the top, but I’ve heard if you run your stem without spacers below, you have to run one on top, but I can’t think why, hence the question.

No, you don’t ‘have’ to. The idea is to get the stem clamping around the headtube without crushing the top, but often these days carbon forks come with a solid star fangled nut replacement which essentially supports the headtube from inside.

Like this..

Just checked my steerer, I do have one of those things. So cut away?

Be sure to get the proper slotted cutting guide and fine toothed saw if cutting carbon steerers, they fray like mad otherwise.

I’ll probably get the bike shop to do it TBH, be cheaper then buying the bits myself.

Nah! Get your hacksaw out. It’s a doddle!

I’ve only got a really cheap ebay hacksaw that can make a right meal of a metal steerer, don’t fancy trying it on a carbon one. Especially when a mistake would be quite expensive..

Use your stem and a pencil to scribe a true line around the steerer and carefully cut with a fine blade hacksaw – what is there to go wrong! 😯

Just leave it and ride it, it may make you feel somewhat uneasy but you will get used to it…

Just leave it and ride it, it may make you feel somewhat uneasy but you will get used to it…

That was the plan, and it was working, until I built up a new winter bike that has no spacers on top of the stem, and it looks lovely..

Or…and I appreciate this may cause distress….. Just put the spacer you have on under the stem; it will be a little spacer right?

Job done and you might stop with all that slam it business. 🙂

Just put the spacer you have on under the stem

what

I’d always choose to use a top cap, just in case I end up landing on the stem in an off. The bloody allen bolts hurt enough in that situation without the top of the steerer tube coring a hole through my gut.

It is best practice,that way you ensure maximum clamping area between stem and steerer.

You have the headset, then the stem, then a spacer, then the top cap.

Change it to: headset, spacer, stem, top cap.

No top cap? What are you on!

Fine toothed hacksaw and a bit of oil to minimise carbon dust ‘ll be fine – Just cut it straight – a fine file can also level it – I use and old stem to cut it level 🙂

Eh? Can all the people who are getting confused between top caps and spacers please give over?

If you leave the steerer a bit longer it gives some scope to adjusting bar height without needing to buy another bar or stem. Leave it

Me no confused! Top caps are ace, and err essential!

top cap, spacer, stem, spacer, means the stem is clamping onto a good section of the steerer tube and not the top edge.

top cap, spacer, stem, spacer, means the stem is clamping onto a good section of the steerer tube and not the top edge.

But see above; with an aluminium insert in the stem which supports it from the inside, there is no need to worry about clamping the top edge.

I like to run a 7.5mm spacer, because sometimes I just have nothing to do and it means I can take myself off to my garage and swap it from under to above. It’s nice to earn your lunch.

[top cap, spacer, stem, spacer, means the stem is clamping onto a good section of the steerer tube and not the top edge.

But see above; with an aluminium insert in the stem which supports it from the inside, there is no need to worry about clamping the top edge. ]

Yes I fully understand what you mean but I would still run it with a spacer below the top cap, usually a 5mm – 10mm one.

But why? Do you tighten the stem bolts to gargantuan loadings that can crush the steerer!

You have the headset, then the stem, then a spacer, then the top cap.

Change it to: headset, spacer, stem, top cap.

If you leave the steerer a bit longer it gives some scope to adjusting bar height without needing to buy another bar or stem. Leave it

double what

I do this, but there is a significant style issue which RealMan has to cope with…

I’ll take a photo to help you…

Pre-emptive strike against whatever you’re going to post

Spacers above and below stem….

Think you may have your saddle too far forward, and the wrong way round.

..and that looks rubbish!

Get your seat back and down and get some bars that aren’t as deep as the ocean…

Trek state that you must run a spacer on top of the stem on all carbon steerer road forks or no warrenty!

No spacers above stem. Sorry about the grey stripe, it seems to be a feature of uploading from my phone to picasa.