Hi all, I’m new to the forum (so go easy), I hope this is in the right page?

I have bought a new frame fitted a new headset and put my old forks in and they are slightly too short by 10mm! (no spacers)

I have read that 5mm below the top of the stem is acceptable or normal but I can’t afford new forks.

So my questions are: Can I get away with this being 10mm below the top of the stem? Will the extra 5mm make a massive amount of difference?
Would a longer top cap bolt help?

Can I buy a shorter stem height? Mine is 40mm high if I could get one 35mm this would cure the problem – if so can anyone recommend one?

Thanks for your time guys, I look forward to hearing your replies!!

Google is your friend 😉

Kevins Funnduro has a 32mm stack height and there are a few that are 30mm Both of mine are 35mm.

could you fit a semi integrated headset?

like this:

rather than this:

for example

On one do a cheap 35mm stack one

10mm gap is definitely not ok. You want about 3mm ideally, as above if 10mm shorter than the TOP of your stem, then you need a stem with a stack hight of about 33mm or below.

Ragley Stubbing stem…30mm stack height

Googled the On-One stem… Ultralight CNC Stem @ only £19.99. This could be a very realistic option!!

What about a steerer tube extender? It’d give you more adjustment possibilities; nice and rangey.

Extender is still not going to help if the extender clamp area is more than the available steerer.

You could run with no top cap on your headset (just fit the expander ring jobby and then the stem) but you will need to check the bearings more often.

Or just get a shorter clamp stem as you are already thinking which would be my choice. You may need a stem with rise or some riser bars though if you find the front end too low but if the position was fine with the forks on another frame then probably not.

Found the funnduro on CRC for £31.99. If anyone has anymore brands in mind let me know as both of those are affordable. Think a shorter stack on the stem is the way to go!

My donor bike was an integrated stem but this frame is not compatible, I am using an FSA Orbit XLii headset also.

Thanks guys, keep ’em coming!!

A crank bros headset is 21mm stack as opposed to the 29mm on the xlii

What headset is on there? You might be able to use a lower stacking headset or even just get away with a low stack cap. If it’s a carbon steerer you can get it extended with a stepped insert bonded into it.

Please can we get a picture of your current set up, there are a few solutions to this problem but it is impossible to advise on the best without a picture.

Instructions for posting a picture are in the forum help section.

I won’t be able to post a pic until Monday night though. I will though!

Also, don’t forget that the top cap doesn’t really contribute to the strength of the connection – it is mostly to preload the stem/bearing combination before clamping the stem in place.
In addition to this, the distance between top of stem and steerer is less important than the distance between the top stem bolt and the top of the steerer.
Does sound like a shorter stack steerer is the answer, though.

Xl2 headsets are fairly short already but you can get shorter. That said, while I have a super short headset spare (21mm) I would suggest the shorter stack stem as there are loads about and your current one at 40mm is fairly long.

Also specialized do stems with stems and go up to around 30 degrees. Looks a lot neater than some others.

Cant find a specialized one!? Apparently a tioga task force y stem is only 25.4mm stack height…. But I can’t find one anywhere!!

Apparently a tioga task force y stem is only 25.4mm stack height

Whilst it does look short, the 25.4mm is referring to the bar diameter and I would think you have OS bars (31.6mm) so you may solve your stack height problem but create a new problem in needing new non-OS bars!

DMR Defy stem is 31mm stack height. Seems to be going for about £40, would be a bit cheaper with topcashback and maybe a CRC voucher or something.

Ragley evo stem is 30mm too its £44.99 though so not the cheapest option so far but the shortest stack height!

Didn’t i say that ^ up there…Ragley Stubbing (evo) stem 😕 . There £40.49 on CRC

Sorry nuke it was in response to you I just didnt quote you!

I had this problem a couple of years back – my (controversial)solution was to fit a Convict BMX stem and Renthal 7/8 inch (22.2mm) motocross bars (after removing crossbar which weighed 200grams on its own). I needed more rise and width, and the stack height of the BMX stem was lower than any mtb ones I could find at the time. I think you could save weight if you used a BMX stem and Renthal jumpbars but you’d need to check bar diameter. Liked it so much that I’ve keep the arrangement on my new Pikes. The Renthal Motocross bars still weigh 600 grams without the crossbar, although they are 820mm wide and the wall diameter is twice that of any mtb bars so hoping they will last forever. BTW BMX stem £20, Renthal MX bars £40, so overall same price as Renthal MTB bars.

OK guys thanks for all your time and help!!

To summarise in case anyone else has similar issues and stumbles upon this thread…

Funnduro £31.99 CRC
Steerer Clamp Height: 30mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1-1/8″
Rise: 0°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Extension: 45mm or 60mm
Weight: 123g (w/ steel bolts)

Ragley Stubbing Evo £40.49 CRC
Steerer Clamp Height: 30mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 0°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Length: 40mm, 60mm, 50mm
Weight: 147g (40mm)

Sunline V-One (V-1) £59.99
Steerer Clamp Height: 34mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 0°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Weight: 144g for 50mm

DMR Defy
Steerer Clamp Height: 31mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 5mm rise
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Length: 50mm
Wieght: 235g
Stem cap included

Fire Eye Talon 318 £27.99 CRC
Steerer Clamp Height: 30mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 0°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Extension: 40mm or 50mm
Weight: 160g (40mm)

On-One Ultralight CNC £19.99
Steerer Clamp Height: 35mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 6° (revsersible)
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Weight only 110g (60mm length)

Azonic Pleasure Dome £59.99
Steerer Clamp Height: 35mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Length: 50mm extension
Rise: 0°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Weight: 210g including screws

Spank Spike £53.99 CRC
Steerer Clamp Height: 35mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 0°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Length: 50mm, 35mm
Weight: 158g without top cap / 168 with top cap

Superstar CNC DH
Steerer Clamp Height: 37mm
Steerer Clamp Diameter: 1.1/8″
Rise: 5°
Bar Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm
Weight : 50mm – 252g

DMR Sect £39.99 CRC
Low stack (not specified)

Octane One Chemical Pro £31.49 CRC
Low stack (not specified)

Funn Rippa and Funn Strippa both low stack but think they are discontinued as I can only find used ones.

Most Expensive…
XAMS OS Stem 45 £96.99

Shorter stems are used for Dirt Jump, Down Hill and Enduro so search for those too!

Also possibly consider…
FSA and Specialized?

Could also possibly search for a BMX stem?

A lot on note taking and copying and pasting going on there so don’t take my word as gospel before ordering!

Feel free to add anymore!!

Truvativ XR stems (the older version if you can find one) are also very short stack and having a single bolt fixing also help for short steerers.

Or FSA 115 OS stems are 35mm IIRC

FWIW a mate of mine blames his funnduro for cracking his raceface carbon bars and raceface seemed to agree. Maybe he gorrilla’d it, I don’t know but it does have fairly hard edges around the clamp.

The other option o’course is a longer steerer- I’ve got a set of Revs that I cut fairly short, it’s annoying me now so I bought a used CSU to swap in. It’s not going to work out massively more than a stem.

Would this work?

Steerer extender twelve quid from Wiggle…

Does anyone have the new Easton havoc? If so what is the stack height/ steerer clamp height? It looks quite small and has a 10 degree rise.

I did this, friction fit, allowed me to tighten the top bolt without pinching it closed. worked a treat.

[img]http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb11369801/p4pb11369801.jpg[/img]

Sorry iffoverload what have you used in there? I can’t quite work out what you’ve done or how!?

I turned a small piece of aluminium down to be a friction fit into the steerer and extend about 12mm above it effectively extending the steerer by about 1/2″

the outside diameter of the top part is equal to that of the extenal steerer, and the lower a tight press fit into the internal part.

the last photo shows the stem fitted and tightened, without the small extender the upper clam used to pinch shut before it was properly torqued to 8Nm

not shown is the required 5mm spacer and top cap to preload the bearings.

I prefer to set up the stem so that the steerer is always slightly above to reduce any chance of the stem trying to “walk” up the steerer and place stress on the preload bolt/starnut.

How is that going to help anything other than preventing the stemp clamp being overstressed?
The bung isn’t structural is it?
Unless Im not understanding what you’ve done properly?

not sure what you mean?

it is an extension to the steerer as it was a touch too short for a new frame. re the OP “steerer too short”

you can do the same thing with a more depth and height and use a proper epoxy to bond it into the steerer as well, but you need to do that very carefully or obviously it is stupidly dangerous, especially on an off road bike.

[img]http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb11369798/p4pb11369798.jpg[/img]

but you seem to be recommending it as a solution to the OP 😕

could you fit a semi integrated headset?

That’s dictated By the frame, not something you choose.

With craftsmanship that good and precise iffoverload you must be some kind of engineer? It looks so well done it looks like it is shop bought/manufactured!!

Maybe you should make and sell them!?

Was thinking to do the same myself but fit a couple of counter-sunk threaded machine screws through the steerer rather than rely on the friction alone.

You’d probably find that the machine screws would shear, or that they would weaken the existing steerer.
I really would be be comfortable relying on friction alone either, you can generate some pretty meaty torque through wide bars to the steerer.

Wouldn’t be, I assume you mean?