# Headset spacer limit on carbon steerer??



## 10kman (Nov 20, 2002)

So, I'm about to start final adjustments on the new build (will soon be bike porn), and was wondering what (if any) the limit is for headset spacers on a 1 1/8" carbon steerer tube.

I googled, and got limits on 1" steerers, something about 3-4 cm max, but couldn't find 1 1/8" limits. 

More of a curiousity thing, but i do run spacers, and wanted to get some comments.

10k


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## theOldMan (Mar 25, 2004)

Check with the company that made your fork. Some say 3cm, some are 3.5cm, others 4cm and some have no published amout. As a rule of thumb on a carbon steerer, 3 cm is the max I would use. But before cutting, e-mail or call the company that made or is marketing the fork.


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## shokhead (Dec 17, 2002)

Think i have around 2 inches in spacers.


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

Giant said 50mm max on the TCR fork. I would check with the specific manufacturer of the fork as another poster mentioned.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

Soon to be bike porn? Brace yourself for all the "your bike is too small" comments from the stem/spacer police


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## 10kman (Nov 20, 2002)

LOL, oh I know. I'll maybe put a "censored" box over the area, that'd be a riot. 

I think I may just do that actually. If I get her together this weekend I'll photoshop it together......


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## LiteSpeeder (Jan 28, 2004)

Reynolds recommends 3.5 cm max on thier web site for carbon steerers. This is actually quite a lot of spacing and I wouldn't recommend going beyond 3.5 on any carbon steerer.


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## 10kman (Nov 20, 2002)

*Have an answer.....*

Called around, confirmed with 2 different places.

For carbon forks, the spacer stack height should not exceed the diameter of the steerer. 

So, for 1 inch forks, 2.5cm of spacers max, for 1 1/8, about 3cm.

Good rule of thumb both places said, made sense.

Just a little trivia if it ever shows up on Jeopardy.

10k


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

10kman said:


> Called around, confirmed with 2 different places.
> 
> For carbon forks, the spacer stack height should not exceed the diameter of the steerer.
> 
> ...


That's a nice little mnemonic, easy to remember.

Alpha Q though likes to mess with your head - they recommend a maximum of 40mm - due to their unique aluminum insert.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

10kman said:


> LOL, oh I know. I'll maybe put a "censored" box over the area, that'd be a riot.
> 
> I think I may just do that actually. If I get her together this weekend I'll photoshop it together......



Do yourself a favor and post it here and not in the Gallery section. People still don't have to logon to post a reply in the Gallery. The comments are brutal.......... At least here, people have to logon.


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*don't forget stem angle...*

If you really need more than 3cm of spacer, you should strongly consider a stem with a higher rise. An 84 degree Ritchey is abut 1cm higher than an 80 degree ITM and a 90 degree, like the Eastom EM90 will raise the bar nearly another 1.5cm more than the Ritchey 84 degree. Flip a Ritchey 84 degree stem to 96 degrees and it will eliminate 2cm of spacer.


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