Shims on OS stems? Can you do it?

[d_douglas]

Is it advisable and/or safe to use a 26.0mm handlebar with a 31.8mm stem?

I use a 46cm bar, and they are a bit hard to come by in silver and with a classic bend, plus I happen to have a NOS 46cm Nitto that is sitting in a box that was for another project.

I do not want to use a standard size stem on this frame, so I am wondering if anyone makes a high quality, totally safe shim that would be used with a Deda Zero stem and this Nitto B176 bar.

Any thoughts?

[keno]

While I wouldn't shim a handlebar, if I did I would use a shim serrated on or for both sides for better grip. Some stems have serrations on the inside of the clamp, but then there is the shim to bar contact.

I had a handlebar that loosened on a fast downhill. Once was enough for me, and that did not involve a shim. Shim on me.

Also, depending upon how aggressively you ride the risks will be relative.

keno

[Ken Robb]

I care more about having bars that I like (Noodles are my favorites) and would not think of having a particular stem of the wrong size. It's one thing to shim .5mm but 5mm is more than I would try. Heck, even if it seemed to work wouldn't it look funny with either a gap or bulging shim showing at the stem-bar interface. What's so special about your stem?

[alancw3]

i would agree with the other comments. safety over looks and aesthetics. like above i once had a bar come loose at the stem on the downhill just after i passed the summit never again! i actually check my stem bolts every month or so. those four bolts and the clamp take a tremendous amount of strain. i would not use a shim on a stem. i know people that have actually fractured the fiber face plate.

[d_douglas]

I think I agree. Safety trumps style.

It will be an OS stem for sure, so I will track down an OS bar. I think Bontrager makes a decent one that would suit my needs. Bontrager stuff is pretty bombproof.

[dancinkozmo]

Jenson USA sells a 26.0 to 31.8 handlebar shim made by "problem solvers".

I dont see how shimming your bar would be a safety hazard. What new stresses are being introduced into the bar or stem that would cause them to fail ? You might object to doing it for asthetics but I disagree that it would be unsafe....

[martinrjensen]

Jenson USA sells a 26.0 to 31.8 handlebar shim made by "problem solvers".

I dont see how shimming your bar would be a safety hazard. What new stresses are being introduced into the bar or stem that would cause them to fail ? You want to might object to doing for asthetics but I disagree that it would be unsafe....
+1
I agree completely. If you torque the clamp down properly, the bars will not come loose, plain and simple. If they do, you have a broken part, or you didn't tighten the clamp enough, which is a different matter altogether.

[xjoex]

I used a shim on an OS WCS stem to a 26.0 bar and raced cross on it. No problems to report.

I switched back to a 26.0 stem so I don't use it anymore.

-Joe

[RPS]

Jenson USA sells a 26.0 to 31.8 handlebar shim made by "problem solvers".

I dont see how shimming your bar would be a safety hazard. What new stresses are being introduced into the bar or stem that would cause them to fail ? You want to might object to doing for asthetics but I disagree that it would be unsafe....The first one that comes to mind is that if not installed correctly, you can indeed add extra stress to the stem.

In theory if the split is not placed right you'd have to tighten the face plate more to prevent slipping. That of course would increase the chance of failure.

Also in "theory" because OS bars are larger in diameter they may be designed by the manufacturer to require less clamping force to prevent slipping. Once the spacer is installed, that amount of clapping force may prevent the spacer from slipping on the stem, but may not be enough to prevent the smaller-diameter bars from slipping in the spacer. Highly unlikely it would make much difference unless it's a large and/or powerful rider.

Personally I would use one, but I'm not that big.

[Ken Robb]

I'm too dense to understand what's so special about your stem that you would choose it over the bars you really want to use. For the most part to me a decent stem is pretty much like any other decent stem but the right bars are a BIG DEAL.

[vg681963]

I'm definitely going to bookmark you!







__________________________________________________ _________________
Runescape Gold (http://www.vgoldzone.com/runescape-buy-cheap-gold-231.html)
Guild Wars Gold (http://www.vgoldzone.com/guild-wars-buy-cheap-gold-169.html)
Wakfu Kamas (http://www.vgoldzone.com/wakfu-buy-cheap-gold-1697.html)
Maple Story Mesos (http://www.vgoldzone.com/maple-story-usa-buy-cheap-gold-201.html)

[palincss]

Is it advisable and/or safe to use a 26.0mm handlebar with a 31.8mm stem?

I use a 46cm bar, and they are a bit hard to come by in silver and with a classic bend, plus I happen to have a NOS 46cm Nitto that is sitting in a box that was for another project.

I do not want to use a standard size stem on this frame, so I am wondering if anyone makes a high quality, totally safe shim that would be used with a Deda Zero stem and this Nitto B176 bar.

Any thoughts?

Nitto sells shims to fit 25.4cm bars into 26.0 stems, doesn't it?

[woolly]

Jeff Jones uses shims as the standard method to get his H-Bars to fit 31.8 stems. If those wide monsters can take the stresses of MTB thrashing, I think the same practice would be OK for some road bars. I would myself anyway (well, probably not for carbon bars).

http://www.jonesbikes.com/h-bar.html

[Tobias]

Jeff Jones uses shims as the standard method to get his H-Bars to fit 31.8 stems. If those wide monsters can take the stresses of MTB thrashing, I think the same practice would be OK for some road bars. I would myself anyway (well, probably not for carbon bars).

http://www.jonesbikes.com/h-bar.htmlNot certain how wider bars would allow a rider to place much more stress on stem clamp. You'd have to first overcome more resistance, and where would it come from?

The location and direction of the load on the bars is more important IMO.

[Ahneida Ride]

I am using a shim with no problems at all.

Initially the bar slipped a bit, this was easily corrected by
tightening the faceplate a bit.

Now, I use the Stem and Bar I WANT !!!!

The Thompson stem really did stiffen up the front end !!

[RPS]

I am using a shim with no problems at all.

Initially the bar slipped a bit, this was easily corrected by
tightening the faceplate a bit.As I stated above, that's something that can be easily anticipated by someone with proper training. That it hasn't been a problem doesn't mean it may not be one day. Hopefully it will never be a problem for you.

However, the fact that you had to tighten it more than what you normally would have should be a bit disconcerting to some.