Steerer tube question

[jimihendrix]

Just been offered a nice set of forks for my Orange, they have a threaded steerer but at 190mm the steerer tube is way too long for my frame, i'd need them to be about 120mm to the ends of the threads.

What i was thinking is would it be ok to cut the threaded section off the steerer of these forks (38mm) and use the remaining plain 162mm section for an A-head set and stem ?

 

[cherrybomb]

162mm seems very short for an a-head steerer, you sure that's long enough?? :?

 

[cce]

for the OP - yes that should be fine, provided the steerer is of good quality.

re: length

my ahead steerer is 185mm, and that's with a 10mm spacer and a stem of 50mm stack height

162mm sounds like plenty - if i were using a ringle zooka (35mm) i could fit a 162 steerer and still need spacers.

 

[jimihendrix]

162mm seems very short for an a-head steerer, you sure that's long enough?? :?

Friggin eck!!!, just realised i mis-calculated, 190 - 38 = 152 not 162 :roll:

But yeah even 152 would be long enough, frame only has an 85mm head tube, threaded headset that's in the frame just now has a stack height of 125mm, also bearing in mind the steerer tube can sit about 5mm down in the stem, my concern was clamping an A-head stem to a steerer tube intended for a threaded application as i thought most A-head steerers were thicker.

Sould be ok, forks are Tange so good quality steel

 

[cherrybomb]

I forget how short the head tube can be on steel frames.

Sounds like you should be OK then..........which is nice.

 

[jimihendrix]

I forget how short the head tube can be on steel frames.

Sounds like you should be OK then..........which is nice.

Yeah, sorry i should have said steel, they are going on my 17" clockwork

 

[Lid]

Measure twice cut once.

 

[stevet1]

i thought most A-head steerers were thicker.

I actually think its the other way round, threaded steerers were thicker to allow for the threads to be cut. Hence why its not recommened to try and cut threads on an ahead type steerer.

 

[cherrybomb]

i thought most A-head steerers were thicker.

I actually think its the other way round, threaded steerers were thicker to allow for the threads to be cut. Hence why its not recommened to try and cut threads on an ahead type steerer.

Except for Pace Alloy ones, which if they got any thicker than they are would be solid! :roll:

 

[Anthony]

I must confess I don't know why it wouldn't be possible either to:

a. cut back the steerer to the correct length for threaded and have the end re-threaded, or

b. cut back the steerer by less than 38mm to the correct length for ahead, file down the remaining area of threads and clamp the ahead stem half onto smooth steerer and half onto the filed-down threaded area - surely it would hold?