Obligatory Spacer Between Stem and Headset?

Trying to get the bars on my new 29er as low as possible … is it OK to have the stem right on the top ring of the (Hope) headset or ‘should’** there be a spacer between them?

** when I flipped one of my stems (Bontrager) there’s a sticker underneath saying there should always be a 5mm spacer between the stem and the headset. I don’t know if that’s a Bontrager specific issue, generic lawyereze, or a proper generic rule-of-thumb.

ta.

Mine sits directly on the headset.
(Thomson Elite & Cane Creek S3).

Yea its absolutely fine. I would have thought the sticker would be referring to a spacer at the other end – between the stem and top cap to ensure the cap pushes on the stem and not the top of the steerer…

Check the stem won’t rub if you don’t have a spacer

Thomson stem directly onto a King headset here for year with no issues. I even went without the white plastic washer!!!!!

how long til someone invents reverse riser bars to help this 29er problem

I’d run a thin spacer as they’re cheaper than headsets and stems. As for negative rise bars, flip a riser stem and use a flat bar.

Genuine confusion – So 29er riders buy bigger wheels which raise the front then struggle to get the front down low enough to ride comfortably?

Yes, why is that confusing, people don’t buy 29ers because they have a higher front end, it’s a down side of the bigger wheels.

Plenty of people I know running inverted stems and no spacers.

thx all

@csb nothing confusing at all, different bikes are different and new ones take a while to tune the fit. (I’ve also gone to a 90mm stem after swearing blind a few months ago I’d be riding 70mm forever).

As for my 26 with its 20mm of spacers AND a riser bar – now that is starting to look odd.

I would have thought the sticker would be referring to a spacer at the other end – between the stem and top cap to ensure the cap pushes on the stem and not the top of the steerer…

Nope sticker says “5mm spacer below stem.” Anyhoo no matter, using a different stem now.

anyone else starting to see why drop bars are so popular on road bikes…

I think one problem is if the stem is not perfectly flat at the clamp or the shape has ‘features’ which stick down and could catch the headset top cap before the clamp area contacts properly. I always try to run a tiny 3-5mm spacer between them.

I’ll be the judge of what confuses me 🙂

njee20 – So if a higher front end is the downside, what are the upsides for 29? Is it solely the easy rolling? Or the ‘sitting in the bike feeling’?

And OP, why would you not just buy a stem with a steeper rise for your 26?

And OP, why would you not just buy a stem with a steeper rise for your 26?

I decided to keep the stem but switch the bike beneath it.

how long til someone invents reverse riser bars to help this 29er problem

Interbike 2012;

I have a (small) spacer on my 29er just to stop the bottom of the shifters hitting the top tube when I chuck it in the back of the car…

csb – Member

Genuine confusion – So 29er riders buy bigger wheels which raise the front then struggle to get the front down low enough to ride comfortably?

no, some of us buy the correct size bike and are tall enough to need a 29er, spacers under the stem here and v comfy and low enough

how long til someone invents reverse riser bars to help this 29er problem

Niner also do a flat carbon bar with the grip part offset 5mm vertically from the centre line, so it can be run as +5mm or 05mm. (But they’re 140 quid …)

njee20 – So if a higher front end is the downside, what are the upsides for 29? Is it solely the easy rolling? Or the ‘sitting in the bike feeling’?

More grip, more stability, better fitting if you’re tall. For many people these are significantly larger positives than having to turn your stem over. YMMV. 🙄

That’s a genius idea – put the stickers on your bars upside-down and charge people extra for your high-tech 29er-specific lowerer bars 🙂

That’s a genius idea – put the stickers on your bars upside-down and charge people extra for your high-tech 29er-specific lowerer bars

Lol you can imagine the conversation at Syntace:

engineering: “the customer can just run them upside down, it’ll work fine”
marketing: “print the logos the other way round then we have a wider range and force competitor products off the shelf”

on the Niners the logo is printed running around the surface not along it so they are truly flippable, that does seem smarter http://www.ninerbikes.com/carbonhandlebar

I always keep a diddy spacer in place just in case I need some movement when fitting a different headset or if I change the stem.