spacer saving

[Abradable Chin]

I've used up a couple of 1&1/8 " spacers that were in my spare box, and I need another 7" or so on my steering tube. Is there some common or garden item that I could utilise rather than spending money on a huge stack of spacers? I've been eyeing up the vacuum cleaner, and it is now cowering in the cupboard, but I think it is safe for the moment.
I've temporarily fitted two stems, and used an inverted ratchet clamp to put some preload into the headset, but it looks dumb. Are 1&1/8" band clamps available instead of using a stem? What are they normally used for?

[cycleruk]

Is this what you mean ?
Locking Headset Spacer:-
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/search/?ter ... set+spacer

[Abradable Chin]

That would do the very job. It could even be useful to have because the stem could be popped off when desired so the bike will fit in the boot of a car.
Shame about the price, though; I suppose the manufacturers don't sell very many.

edit: I noticed the same people are selling a 28.6mm seat tube clamp for £2.99! I suppose it is just a matter of removing the lip that is present to keep it at the top of the seat tube, then it could be used on a steerer?

[Brucey]

the locking collar ought to retain the headset preload even when the stem is removed, but you will still need some means of applying it in the first place.

IIRC there is a commonly available plastic pipe that might fit; maybe someone else knows what it is, I can't remember; the closest I could find was 32mm OD 10bar rated pressure pipe which is 1.8m wall thickness, i.e. nominally 28.4mm ID, or 0.2mm too small to fit over a 1-1/8" steerer. ...

I don't think a plastic tube will be good enough to keep the load on by itself, but it might be OK above a locking collar.

cheers

[slowster]

Whether or not you get the Problem Solvers stem clamp, you can buy 50mm of spacers for less than £4, e.g.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-Alloy-Black-Headset-Spacers/dp/B013WT8WLO/ref=sr_1_5?s=cycling&ie=UTF8&qid=1501356685&sr=1-5&keywords=spacers

[Abradable Chin]

If I were to pay £12 for a problem solver "locking headset spacer", then a ridiculous number of spacers would be the cheaper route, but now I'm on the right, scent a modified seat tube clamp ought to do the job, and they are just a couple of quid on e-bay. I'm contemplating splashing out £6.99 on a seat collar with rack mounts so that I could use it to hang a light on the front.
I'm sure, though, that I've done this same process in the past. I think maybe I built a bike for a friend and I didn't want to cut the steerer, so I used something lying around as a temporary spacer, and maybe some washers. For the life of me I can't recall what it was. I might buy a cheap seat pin off e-bay to cut down for use as a spacer---perhaps the cheapest route.

[MikeF]

Whether or not you get the Problem Solvers stem clamp, you can buy 50mm of spacers for less than £4, e.g.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-Alloy-Black-Headset-Spacers/dp/B013WT8WLO/ref=sr_1_5?s=cycling&ie=UTF8&qid=1501356685&sr=1-5&keywords=spacers

The OP wants 7" (175mm) or more of spacers. Therefore circa £16.

[slowster]

The OP wants 7" (175mm) or more of spacers. Therefore circa £16.

Indeed, but the Problem Solvers clamp would cost more with postage and packing added.

(I am still trying to envisage a bike with that much steerer uncut: 7" in addition to the couple of spare spacers the OP already has . )

[Abradable Chin]

<double post>

[Abradable Chin]

I am still trying to envisage a bike with that much steerer uncut: 7" in addition to the couple of spare spacers the OP already has .

To aid your visualisation, there is 9" of steerer protruding above the headset, and the top of the steerer is a couple of inches below my saddle...you'll be telling me I have the wrong size frame, next.

[RickH]

If the ability to remove the bars for transit AND a very long steerer are useful. You could maybe consider the QR steerer extension fitted to the Circe Helios tandem (link).

[Gattonero]

If the ability to remove the bars for transit AND a very long steerer are useful. You could maybe consider the QR steerer extension fitted to the Circe Helios tandem (link).

yes, or move back to a frame/forks that would allow significant alteration of the bar height, BITD it was common for me to deal with Dutch-style bikes that would use a very long quill stem, far from "performance" but they did the job very well and good value for money too

[Gattonero]

Back to the OP: as long as at least the first and the last of the spacers are thick enough -some spacers are substantially thick at 3mm average- the middle section of spacer can be anything with 29.0 ID and solid enough. I won't recommend plastic, rather a cut of alluminium, it's essential it is cut properly square.
It all sounds like an exceptional circumstance, and as such it's not easy to sort out very cheap, unless you have a friend who's got a machine shop and can do a 10 minutes work on the lathe

[Abradable Chin]

it's not easy to sort out very cheap

Well, it's not going to be cheap if I follow your process with lathes and wotnot.
How much force is really needed to preload a headset? Two of my ratchet clamps could put in 50kgf of compression, say, or my body mass could provide 80kgf if needed. Surely that would be more than enough? I just won't bother with spacers.

[PH]

How much of a clamp is needed to hold things in place?
I'm wondering if a brake hanger is enough?