Look 585

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

Is that 45mm of spacers on top of the dust cover or including? You typically include the dust cover in the 'safe' amount of steerer above the head tube afaik. So if you're at 45mm of actual spacers, and then ~15mm of dust cover you're in the danger zone.

I personally would go a 0 degree or flipped stem in place of that many spacers. The aesthetics aren't great in either situation (spacer or positive stem) and that's fine - it matters far more how a bike feels than how it looks, but its more about safety and confidence/peace of mind for mine. For every degree you reduce on a 73 degree head tube, you are effectively adding about 2mm of stack.

• Going from -6 to 0 degree will allow you to remove 12mm of spacers on a 73 deg head tube
• Going from -6 to +6 (flipped) will allow you to remove 24mm of spacers on a 73 deg head tube

If you insist on keeping it as is, I'd suggest tracking down an 8cm Colnago steerer tube bung/expander (here, here or here).

Also noting that, while it might be a priority, it might be worth keeping an eye out for a Look 585 Optimum. They are a Look 585 but with a shorter top tube and taller head tube, 'sportive' geo.

For any given size you get ~15mm more head tube and ~15mm less effective top tube. So to keep your top tube constant, you size up and get an extra 30mm of head tube.

They are relatively rare but like the 585 itself, don't really command a price premium. You just need to keep an eye out for the 'Optimum' graphics on the seat tube, sellers often just list them as a 585.

Anyway, food for thought. Happy riding.

Thanks for the feedback and info, Jimmy. I definitely would have sprung for an Optimum if they were even marginally less rare than toothy hens, as that geometry was closer to the sportive ride I was looking for.

As you suspected, I’ve got 45mm of spacers above the headset cone. I mistakenly thought those recommended measurements started from the top of the cone. Definitely food for thought. An inverted stem (and fewer spacers) was my initial plan until I found myself getting attached to the hilarious carbon thing that came pre-mounted.

Gonna ask a truly naive question: are broken steerer tubes really a thing? I know manufacturers are obliged to err on the side of extreme caution for legal reasons when they publish their numbers. I ask because I can’t get even get this thing to flex even a little despite its semi-ambitious height. It feels extremely sturdy. Don’t get me wrong, I respect physics. I just want to know how big a risk I’m actually taking by riding this setup on familiar, relatively well-maintained roads.

[parallelfish]

Originally Posted by johnnylarue

Gonna ask a truly naive question: are broken steerer tubes really a thing? I know manufacturers are obliged to err on the side of extreme caution for legal reasons when they publish their numbers. I ask because I can’t get even get this thing to flex even a little despite its semi-ambitious height. It feels extremely sturdy. Don’t get me wrong, I respect physics. I just want to know how big a risk I’m actually taking by riding this setup on familiar, relatively well-maintained roads.

When you begin nit-picking manufacturer’s specifications, and adding qualifiers to usage (...relatively well-maintained roads), you already know the answer.

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by parallelfish

When you begin nit-picking manufacturer’s specifications, and adding qualifiers to usage (...relatively well-maintained roads), you already know the answer.

I mean, I’m nit-picking because I genuinely want to know. Until Jimmy pointed out the dodginess of my numbers I felt completely secure on this thing.

[jimoots]

Someone else can jump in if they think my understanding is wrong, but the 'bracing point' of the steerer is against the bearing, not the dust cover, so anything from bearing up would be 'caught' in the recommended 30-40mm.

And yeah, unfortunately carbon steerer breakage is a thing. I was tempted to post some images in here but felt it would go way off topic, feel free to do a google image search if you want to make yourself feel a little bit sick!

Given how catastrophic a catastrophic steerer tube failure could be, it's not something that I would personally chance.

I'd just bite the bullet and stick the appropriate inverted stem on there to get the fit right. Not pretty (and you lose the Look stem) but as noted 45mm of spacers isn't great either - and I say that with a full understanding that a bike that fits is better than a bike that looks good.

Of course all of this is up to you, its your bike and we all calculate risk in our own way. I just don't see the downside of switching to an inverted -6, you lose 25mm in spacers and are in a better spot on that steerer. And aesthetically I think it's a wash.

If you do drop down on the steerer, make sure that the expander plug is long enough to provide support against the clamping forces stem. If it isn't long enough you can buy a longer one - Deda make a 50mm one which should cover you. Some plugs are smaller, I've seen some 30mm ones.

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

Someone else can jump in if they think my understanding is wrong, but the 'bracing point' of the steerer is against the bearing, not the dust cover, so anything from bearing up would be 'caught' in the recommended 30-40mm.

And yeah, unfortunately carbon steerer breakage is a thing. I was tempted to post some images in here but felt it would go way off topic, feel free to do a google image search if you want to make yourself feel a little bit sick!

Given how catastrophic a catastrophic steerer tube failure could be, it's not something that I would personally chance.

I'd just bite the bullet and stick the appropriate inverted stem on there to get the fit right. Not pretty (and you lose the Look stem) but as noted 45mm of spacers isn't great either - and I say that with a full understanding that a bike that fits is better than a bike that looks good.

Of course all of this is up to you, its your bike and we all calculate risk in our own way. I just don't see the downside of switching to an inverted -6, you lose 25mm in spacers and are in a better spot on that steerer. And aesthetically I think it's a wash.

If you do drop down on the steerer, make sure that the expander plug is long enough to provide support against the clamping forces stem. If it isn't long enough you can buy a longer one - Deda make a 50mm one which should cover you. Some plugs are smaller, I've seen some 30mm ones.

Appreciate it, Jim. And apologies to this fine thread for the detour.

[jimoots]

No probs. Hope you’re able to tune the fit, enjoy the bike.

[CBSears]

Any idea if this is a small, medium or deal breaker problem?

[jpang922]

Originally Posted by CBSears

Any idea if this is a small, medium or deal breaker problem?

Looks like just the chain stay protector peeling off, no?

[CBSears]

Yeah, that makes sense. The carbon bottom bracket shell is further inboard.

[CBSears]

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bi...281439345.html

[flying]

Originally Posted by CBSears

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bi...281439345.html

Good price on that one

[CBSears]

BTW, the price is for the frame; I guess the owner is parting out the bike.

It has the HSC 4 fork. Replacement? Does that easily fit in the FSA + HeadFit headsets?

[rePhil]

I would be curious as to why it has a HSC4 fork. The HSC4fork I had weighed 421.5 grams, My HSC5's weigh 271.5 & 274 cut & the latest one weighed 279 with 8" of steerer.

Originally Posted by CBSears

BTW, the price is for the frame; I guess the owner is parting out the bike.

It has the HSC 4 fork. Replacement? Does that easily fit in the FSA + HeadFit headsets?

[Elefantino]

Here's an XL.

[saab2000]

Hmmm…. Just my size!