Fitting a 1¼" Stem to 1⅛" Steerer: Is it possible?

[Kneedown]

Bought the wrong size stem in haste.

Is it possible to buy a spacer that would allow 1¼" to onto a 1⅛" steerer?

And if so, where do I get one? LBS had nothing.

Thanks in advance!

[}SkOrPn--7]

Type "Problem Solvers" minus the quotation makes into ebay and you will find what you need.

[Uncle Grumpy]

http://problemsolversbike.com/index.php ... tube_shims

Hmmm, not for 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 though. Mind you, you're planning to shim up 1/8 of an inch, so it might be worth trying, the thickness would be the same if you could get it around the steerer tube and could live without the extra bit of diameter of steerer being covered. I wouldn't do it, I tend not to like bodgying fixes with stems and bars. Something about keep my teeth. Not saying it wouldn't work, just saying I wouldn't risk it when gees, a new stem of the right steerer diameter is far cheaper than dental work, and it would creak and groan under load a lot less too.

Or... go buy a vintage Klein with the 1 1/4" steerer! I love those old flouro colours!

Actually, you might be able to get away with a seatpost shim cut down in length to fit. Check the maths, but I think you'd need a 28.6mm to 31.8mm.

Grumps

[Kneedown]

Thanks guys

Checked problem solvers and they don't have an exact fix.

Was trying to find a temporary quick and easy solution until I got a 1 1/8 stem which is a few weeks away.

Looks like too hard basket.

Cheers anyway.

[}SkOrPn--7]

Here you go KD this might sort out the problem.

http://problemsolversbike.com/index.php ... e_reducers

[Uncle Grumpy]

Nah, totally different animal.

If I'm reading it right, Kneedown has a 1 1/8" steerer and went and spent his beer vouchers on a 1 1/4" stem. He needs a steerer tube shim but they don't make them for that fix unless he was to cut down the right size seatpost shim or go and do something totally off balls like buy the right size stem.

Those headtube reducers are for installing into the headtube to allow a larger headtube to take a 1 1/8" steerer fork.

While the rest of the world went from 1" to 1 1/8", some zany companies like Klein went for a 1 1/4" thinking it would take off. It didn't. But people still wanted to put a modern fork onto their flouro Klein frame, so the headtube reducer came to be. Then there's Cannondale that went for a 1.5" with their Headshock (and Lefty). Of course, in the case of the Headshock, they lasted 2 months before they needed servicing and the sight of those 8,000,000 needle bearings sent bike shop mechanics into seizures, so everyone converted to 1 1/8" regular forks, thus requiring the headtube spacers to allow a regular 1 1/8" headset into the larger headtube.

Grumps

[}SkOrPn--7]

All you need to do Grumps is machine/cut a piece out then sit one on the top of the stem and one on the bottom and the stem will clamp up around his 11/8" steerer tube and still be as safe and sound as getting the correct part.

[Uncle Grumpy]

So, bodgying a fix then? I'm all for bodgying a fix, especially when it involves power tools and throw sparks.

They still won't work. The inner diameter of the spacer allows for the fitting of the headset cups, and is 34.0mm. The steerer tube is less than that. You could cut a slot out to allow it to wrap but those spacers are solid items and not designed to bend to wrap.

Muchly simpler to just get the right stem. Not as if 1 1/8" stems are hens teeth.

Grumps

[}SkOrPn--7]

If what your saying is right then they have it wrong because there measurements don't add up.

1-1/4 to 1-1/8" (37 to 34mm)

1-1/4 to 1-1/8" is really (31.75mm to 28.557mm) and that would mean that this shim would or should just slip in his stem and slip over his steerer tube so if you were to place a cut in it then the stem would be able to be tightened as normal?

Are you saying that the headset gets placed inside these shims?

[Uncle Grumpy]

Their measurements are right.

It would slip over his steerer tube but the stem wouldn't just slip over it, 37.0mm being a bit bigger than 31.8mm.

Again, those cups are solid items, you cut a slot in it to allow it to wrap as it is tightened up and you're going to crack the spacer.

The bottom line is there is nothing specific to allow that conversion adn the OP is best off buying the right size stem.

Grumps