Steering tube

[Grant Prince]

Been to a reputable bike shop last weekend and noticed all the steering tubes cut off reasonably short. Shorter than what I prefer the stem height should be. I also ride with a short stem, so the angled stem wont help in my case. Not sure why they cut is off so short. Any ideas to extend this? Saw some videos of an extender with aluminium gripping parts going into the tube and expanding when tightening the screw, but also saw that they slip inside the tube due to being aluminium and not gripping tight enough.

[droo]

On a new fork the steerer is pretty long, but if it's part of a complete bike it'll generally be cut to leave about 30mm of adjustment - this is about as much as is recommended by frame and fork manufacturers.

If you need your bars to be higher you can change to a riser bar - Burgtec for one do a 50mm - or you can replace the steerer tube on suspension forks. Extenders are a bit hit and miss - you do get decent ones, but it'll depend very much on what kind of riding you'll be doing.

[bleedToWin]

1 hour ago, Grant Prince said:

Shorter than what I prefer the stem height should be.

How short is short? Perhaps you are looking at bikes not suited to your riding style and trying to fix the fit with a high steering tube where a better suited frame would have a higher stack height and work well with a short steering tube.

[Martin PJ]

2 hours ago, Grant Prince said:

Been to a reputable bike shop last weekend and noticed all the steering tubes cut off reasonably short. Shorter than what I prefer the stem height should be. I also ride with a short stem, so the angled stem wont help in my case. Not sure why they cut is off so short. Any ideas to extend this? Saw some videos of an extender with aluminium gripping parts going into the tube and expanding when tightening the screw, but also saw that they slip inside the tube due to being aluminium and not gripping tight enough.

I have an aluminium / steel extender which I bought from Aliexpress and never used (as you describe). It looks pretty solid, but would not use it on an MTB or road bike meant for proper riding. Some things you don't mess with. Not worth the risk.

Edit: I bought it to use on a bike that was going to be set up on an indoor trainer.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Martin PJ

[Grant Prince]

Thanks all, think 30mm adjustment is reasonable, the bikes I saw had no room for adjusting the hight, stem is basically fit right above the frame.

Currently have a hard tail MTB, looking to upgrade to full suspension. More or less same geometry, but my stem is lifted with spacers abour 30 to 40mm.

Will look into possibility of replacing the steering tube.

 

[Martin PJ]

18 minutes ago, Grant Prince said:

Thanks all, think 30mm adjustment is reasonable, the bikes I saw had no room for adjusting the hight, stem is basically fit right above the frame.

Currently have a hard tail MTB, looking to upgrade to full suspension. More or less same geometry, but my stem is lifted with spacers abour 30 to 40mm.

Will look into possibility of replacing the steering tube.

 

I had a mate lengthen a steel steerer tube for me once, did a great job. I am not so sure about Aliminium. I have seen a carbon steerer tube lengthen (one that broke afterwards, unfortunately but no injuries). The Cervelo forks have carbon steerer, with aliminium sleeve, so I suppose if you lengthened your carbon fork steerer and put an aliminium sleeve inside for reinforcement, it would be very strong.

[bleedToWin]

1 hour ago, Grant Prince said:

Currently have a hard tail MTB, looking to upgrade to full suspension.

https://geometrygeeks.bike/

Compare the two bike for stack height to see how much steering tube you will need on the new one.

[Jimmy 2.0]

Hi what fork is it? I can assist with a steerer tube replacement to fit a longer steerer tube.

[dasilvarsa]

Shorter Steerers Look Cool.

[openmind]

1 hour ago, Grant Prince said:

Thanks all, think 30mm adjustment is reasonable, the bikes I saw had no room for adjusting the hight, stem is basically fit right above the frame.

Currently have a hard tail MTB, looking to upgrade to full suspension. More or less same geometry, but my stem is lifted with spacers abour 30 to 40mm.

Will look into possibility of replacing the steering tube.

 

Why not just fit a riser handlebar? It would look cooler than a flat bar to boot. 

[dasilvarsa]

2 minutes ago, openmind said:

Why not just fit a riser handlebar? It would look cooler than a flat bar to boot. 

Not The Same Thing.

[openmind]

1 minute ago, dasilvarsa said:

Not The Same Thing.

A 30mm riser bar will put your grips in the same position as 30mm of spacers under a flat bar, surely?

[Grant Prince]

It is a Fox rhythm 32 shock. Will be interesting to know how the tube is replaced

Guess it looks cool, but not everybody want to sit in that position for hours. I think this can be a real deal breaker for some buyers. If you buy a new bike, surely you want to be able to do a propper setup? Not clever move to cut is too short from the start in my opinion.

will have a look at riser bars, but I often ride with my hands more inwards on the bars, to hide from the wind, so I prefer the bar to be straight

thanks all

[dasilvarsa]

6 minutes ago, Grant Prince said:

It is a Fox rhythm 32 shock. Will be interesting to know how the tube is replaced

Guess it looks cool, but not everybody want to sit in that position for hours. I think this can be a real deal breaker for some buyers. If you buy a new bike, surely you want to be able to do a propper setup? Not clever move to cut is too short from the start in my opinion.

will have a look at riser bars, but I often ride with my hands more inwards on the bars, to hide from the wind, so I prefer the bar to be straight

thanks all

Riser Bars is Not The Answer @droo can replace the Steering Tube to put in a Full Length One.

Edited September 28, 2023 by dasilvarsa

[droo]

10 minutes ago, Grant Prince said:

It is a Fox rhythm 32 shock. Will be interesting to know how the tube is replaced

Easy enough, press the old one out and a new one in. Just needs a few tools and some retaining compund, both of which I have. 

[BaGearA]

2 hours ago, openmind said:

A 30mm riser bar will put your grips in the same position as 30mm of spacers under a flat bar, surely?

Nope Sweep on both bars might differ 

 

and even if they match then 

 

using the headangle of the bike and the center of the bar at the original or new height you can determine the diff using good ol hypotenuse