# Cannondale tapered steerer tube spacer removal?



## fueledbymetal (Sep 24, 2007)

I'd like to completely drop my stem (no spacers). On both my Supersix & CAAD9 the last spacer is a tapered 2.5cm spacer. I haven't tried removing it yet though because the way it's tapered makes me think it might be shielding the headset bearings. Can I just pull that tapered spacer or do I need some sort of bearing shield to drop my stem?


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## goodboyr (Apr 19, 2006)

Under that spacer ( nested inside) is a low profile one.


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## fueledbymetal (Sep 24, 2007)

Awesome! Going to slam them tonight! This autumn has been windy as hell, so I've been especially motivated to get as low as possible to minimize drag.


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## Horze (Mar 12, 2013)

goodboyr said:


> Under that spacer ( nested inside) is a low profile one.


Not on the CAAD9.


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## fueledbymetal (Sep 24, 2007)

Horze said:


> Not on the CAAD9.


Confirmed - the tapered 2.5cm spacer on my CAAD9 was one piece but the tapered spacer on my Supersix had a flat bearing shield. So one bike is slammed and I'm going to order up another bearing shield from my LBS.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

This might work:
aroundthecrankwego: finally slammed. CAAD9...


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## goodboyr (Apr 19, 2006)

Geez. Good old cannondale bothers to use different spacers on different models. Why? I guess because they can........


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

CAAD9 were designed a long time ago, different headset of a different diameter from a different era, but as models got updated/re-designed, they all moved to the 5mm tall headset cover under the taller cone spacer...


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## Horze (Mar 12, 2013)

goodboyr said:


> Geez. Good old cannondale bothers to use different spacers on different models. Why? I guess because they can........


Specialized do it too. Specialized have greater variation in upper bearing covers compared to C'dale.

The reason is simple. It has to do with the amount of carbon real estate around the head tube and thereby having to have a neat finish at the headset.


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## fueledbymetal (Sep 24, 2007)

Update - talked to the LBS and Cannondale has a 5mm dustcover/top spacer available for the CAAD9, so I've ordered that up.


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