Quill stem limit in headtube

[BigDaddySmooth]

Guys,
I have a 54 CSI and the headtube is 5" long. My Nitto Deluxe stem inserts 3.5" into the HT with 4" rising above the headset. The stem will not insert anymore and I don't want to force it. Does that seem right?

Thanks.

[Louis]

What do you see when you look down the steerer tube? How long is the steerer tube?

[BigDaddySmooth]

The headtube looks clear and at the very bottom appears to be the screw that attaches the front brake. It just seems to me that I sould be able to insert it another 1-1.5"


The fork is threaded BTW.

[Louis]

Sounds to me like you're defying the laws of physics.

[eddief]

Sounds to me like you're defying the laws of physics.


you can't convict. you need a salsa quill.

[Vientomas]

Butted steerer tube with decreased inner diameter near the bottom?

[Louis]

One option:

Make a tube by rolling up a sheet of paper to an OD just a bit less than the ID of the steerer at the top, then try to inset that and see what happens. If you hit something mark where that is on the paper then reduce the OD of the paper tube until it will go farther. That should allow you to kind of map the ID of the tube. (Obviously it won't work if the obstruction is in the middle.)

[choke]

Butted steerer tube with decreased inner diameter near the bottom?That would be my guess as well.

[Louis]

^^^ If that is the case, the solution is relatively simply - another stem with a shorter quill.

[christian]

Butted steerer tube with decreased inner diameter near the bottom?This. Pretty much all good steel bikes have this.

[Vientomas]

^^^ If that is the case, the solution is relatively simply - another stem with a shorter quill.

I took a stem to a machine shop and had them lop off a couple of inches at a 45 degree angle to match the wedge. Make sure the bolt has enough threads for the shorter length.

[oliver1850]

Here's the bore of a Colorado steer tube, I assume a CSI is similar. The bore is finished only part way down, the bottom section has reinforcing spirals. On this fork they extend up about 2.2" from the crown surface at the end of the bore.

Your options have been covered. Either shorten the quill or get another stem.

[oldpotatoe]

Guys,
I have a 54 CSI and the headtube is 5" long. My Nitto Deluxe stem inserts 3.5" into the HT with 4" rising above the headset. The stem will not insert anymore and I don't want to force it. Does that seem right?

Thanks.

Lower part of the steel steerer is butted, smaller diameter. Common on most steel threaded steerers.

[temeyone]

Exactly what I was going to say ^

That, or there may be corrosion/imperfections lower in the tube that could be cleaned out to allow further insertion. I've had the latter problem before. Steerer tubes get nastaaay after a while.

[ultraman6970]

Butted steerer tube with decreased inner diameter near the bottom?


In small frames you have this issue, not an issue if you use an italian stem tho.