Steerer extenders

[jimo746]

I know, they're a workable solution to an awkward problem.
Not ideal, but what you gonna do??

Anyway, steel 1"1/8 threadless steerer is a tad on the short side, not by much, but only half the stem fits on the steerer.
Balls :facepalm:
But a quick rummage turned up a BBB ahead steerer extender, result!
1"1/8 stem fits atop the spacers (tried it, no problem) , the remainder can be inserted down the steerer and the wedge expanded.

Except it can't, as it won't fit down inside the steerer !! . Tried it on another set of threadless 1"1/8 forks, same result. Tried it down a 1"1/8 threaded steerer and it would fit, just! It was rather snug...

What's going on? And how can I fix this?


(I want to keep the forks. My thinking at the moment is to turn/file/sand the adapter down enough to slide inside the steerer....).

https://bbbcycling.com/uk_en/bhp-21-extender

 

[regan_ev]

Interesting. If you have a caliper, measure everything and see what tolerances you're working with on the components in hand, that might give more clarity as to the problems experienced.

From personal experience, some of these cheaper mass produced items can vary considerably within their manufacturing tolerance parameters, such as some cheap 40mm headset spanners I bought from ebay a few years ago, one would fit the headset nut, one was super tight and needed some filing. Maybe that's what's going on here.

 

[jimo746]

I'll get the calipers out tomorrow. Very odd. Thought it'd be a 2 minute job!...

 

[regan_ev]

I'll get the calipers out tomorrow. Very odd. Thought it'd be a 2 minute job!...

Ahhh, that's where it all went pear-shaped. You tempted fate and fate obligingly intervened

Not wishing to hijack anything here, but perhaps add to the discussion on different brands of steerer extenders/quill-to-ahead converters. I have recently been seeking a uniform 28.6mm quill-to-ahead for a tini Yeti ARC I'm building for my daughter (which won't fit hear for at least a year, maybe two or three) so in anticipation of the fitment I've decided to fit a 10° rise, 90mm Ringlé Zooka, (which was not available in 1¼", so I have to use a 1⅛" Zooka Clamp-on), but I have to retain the 1¼" fork and threaded headset. My thinking is that the short reach will be ideal, and can even be fitted inverted to lower the front end even more. As she grows, other stem lengths/rises can be swapped out easily.

But I can only find one 28.6 quill-to-ahead converter which is in the US, made by Nitto, so by the time it's imported it's rather expensive. I thought of buying a 100mm length of 28.6 OD aluminium tube from ebay, cutting the angle with a hacksaw and mating that to a 1 ¼" quill wedge I have in a spares box. But I've been urged to proceed with caution by a framebuilder friend due to the unknown properties fo the tubing.

Opinions? Here's the links to the ebay tubing and Nitto converter... anyone offer advice?
NITTO 1¼-1⅛" converter
Aluminium tubing

 

[longun]

Re:

They only fit down threaded steerer tubes as the thickness internally is different iirc. Had the same issue on a few of mine.

 

[jimo746]

Re: Re:

They only fit down threaded steerer tubes as the thickness internally is different iirc. Had the same issue on a few of mine.

I figured it wouldn't fit an alloy steerer, but thought it'd be ok with a steel one, kind of what it's "supposed" to do !

Maybe a lower stack 1"1/8 aheadset & stem might just get me out of this situation without the need for the daft extender , current headset is just some cheapo external cup aheadset... Something else to measure tomorrow then, doesn't need to be retro
So that leaves a few options.

 

[longun]

i got a really low stack ACOR one from ebay for my rts, did the trick well enough.

 

[mamadirt]

Which forks are you using? I've used a steerer extender in the past many times (the head tube length on tiny frames seems to vary enormously :facepalm: ), including the BBB one.

Sorry if this sounds obvious, but make sure to loosen the wedge as much as you can before fitting - unlike good ol' quill stems, the extenders do seem to be a tight fit. If you remove the quill altogether and test fit just the extender part, you should find that it fits.

If all else fails, then a low stack stem and cheapo steel aheadset like this one (https://www.rippedknees.co.uk/eco-threa ... id=1295665) should do the trick.

Those cheap loose-ball headsets have a stack height of around 25mm (maybe less) and are surprisingly durable if you keep them greased . . . and did I mention all the lovely colours?

 

[jimo746]

Re:

Cheers, yeah I did remove the wedge and bolt completely, just to rule out my own stupidity but it was still a no.

The forks are Manitou SX, going on a '97 Lava Dome singlespeed.

Current headset looks similar to the ones pictured, stem has a 40mm stack height.
I think even if I get lower stack parts I'll still end up with a stem slammed on the headset, and tbh I'd rather have a few spacers under the stem to raise it a bit.
I can live with the extra weight of the extender for now.

The fact the extender fitted inside a threaded steerer gives me hope that the difference in diameter is only tenths of a mm, nothing too drastic, and I should be able to remove excess material and use the extender.
I'll have a go at it this evening.

 

[hamster]

Those cheap loose-ball headsets have a stack height of around 25mm (maybe less) and are surprisingly durable if you keep them greased . . . and did I mention all the lovely colours?

Also, fitting a length of old inner tube as a boot over the lower part of the headset keeps all the muck out.