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cutting carbon steerer

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  • April 20, 2012 at 7:09 pm #15594
    lazyusername

    I’ve got to cut the steerer tube on a new build shortly, it’s carbon. Have never cut the steerer tube myself before, is it going to involve more than a hacksaw and a pipe cutting guide to get it straight?

    Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of?

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Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 23 total)
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  • August 3, 2017 at 2:12 pm #675475
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    Jimmy Ray Will

    I’ve used an old stem clamped

    I’ve used an old stem clamped on the steerer below the cut to provide both a guid, and also support for the steerer. Never been a problem.

    I would also highlight that carbon dust is not the best thing in the world to be inhaling, so I’d advise a dust mask whilst cutting. 

    August 3, 2017 at 2:03 pm #675473
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    StraelGuy

    Carbon steeres can’t use a

    Carbon steeres can’t use a SFN, they’re only for metal steerers. They use a sort of expandable bung type of thing that are quite annoying to work with (ask me how I know).

    August 3, 2017 at 1:53 pm #675471
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    kil0ran

    This is one where bunging

    This is one where bunging your LBS a tenner would seem to be the best option. Get them to whack the star fangled nut in whilst you’re there. Some might baulk at installing parts you’ve bought off eBay but this stuff is bread and butter to most. Cake often helps 🙂

    August 3, 2017 at 12:39 pm #675469
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    Lincolndave

    I just se an ordinary 32tpi

    I just use an ordinary 32tpi hacksaw blade, I mark the steerer fix it securely and cut, then go around the cut with a fine file

    August 3, 2017 at 12:16 pm #675467
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    LastBoyScout

    You can get the Park blade

    You can get the Park blade Dave mentioned quite cheap if you shop around online – I bought one and it works really well. Fine wet and dry sandpaper for finishing off.

    Used an old alloy spacer taped into place as a cutting guide.

    Measure twice, cut once and definitely don’t cut too much off at a time. Allow for at least a 5mm spacer on top of the stem to move the stem clamp away from the end of the steerer – the hoop strength is better that way.

    I’ve cut my steerer twice and it’s still got about 20mm of spacers above the stem!

    August 3, 2017 at 11:59 am #675465
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    antigee

    cut many a steerer by hand –

    cut many a steerer by hand – they don’t actually need to be dead straight – remember for the stem bolts to be equally loaded then a spacer above the stem should be the norm and will sort a mil’ or so of sloppy cutting, having said that I picked up a similar product to the planet X one in a bargain bin and find it doubles up for cutting ice hockey sticks to length by junior antigee – which is now a job I don’t have to do mail

    August 3, 2017 at 11:13 am #675463
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    StraelGuy

    Just a heads up – I used one

    Just a heads up – I used one these. They’re very well made and currently selling for £7.99 at Planet X. I’ve used it quite a few times and it’ll probably see me out.

    August 3, 2017 at 11:05 am #675461
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    Scoob_84

    One thing i may add, for the

    One thing i may add, for the benefit of those who may read this thread in future, its not terribly important to cut the steerer tube straight or square. There will always be a slight gap between the top of the steerer and the upper surface of your top spacer (the surface in contact with your stem cap, so don’t beat yourself up if your cut is slighlty wonky. 

    August 3, 2017 at 7:52 am #675459
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    CXR94Di2

    I use masking tape to give a
    I use masking tape to give a line to cut down. Then big file to smooth edge, vacuum to extract dust.

    August 1, 2017 at 6:43 pm #675457
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    Jack Osbourne snr

    Hope you were wearing a

    Hope you were wearing a decent dust mask…

    August 1, 2017 at 6:40 pm #675455
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    StraelGuy

    Sorry for the serious thread

    Sorry for the serious thread revival but my Strael arrived today. I’ve just done a preliminary steerer trim of the carbon forks so I could get the thing together and a normal fine toothed hacksaw blade worked perfectly. I used a Planet X cutting guide and held the blade by hand rather than fitted to the handle and took my time and didn’t exert much pressure. it took a while but the cut is absolutely perfect, no feathering or splitting or anything – exactly like cutting metal. I just knocked the edges off with some dry wet’n’dry and it’s absolutely spot-on. It does leave a large pile of what feels like gritty soot though so might be worth having some Swarfega handy…

    July 4, 2014 at 4:17 pm #675453
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    Bikeylikey

    You can avoid cutting at an
    You can avoid cutting at an angle by installing two Jubilee clips on the steerer a few mm apart to allow the cutting blade through. I’ve done this successfully, it seems to work as well as a steerer cutting guide.

    June 5, 2012 at 10:27 am #675451
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    02curtisb

    Having just given this a go i
    Having just given this a go i would add two points which may/may not be useful or obvious!

    1. A new fork is really long so have a practice further up!
    2. If you cut from one point all the way through its very hard to not cut at an angle. So the shallow cut all the way around and Trikeman’s point about revolving the tube as you cut is definately helpful

    April 21, 2012 at 8:29 am #675449
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    SideBurn

    Just a word of warning don’t
    Just a word of warning don’t be too keen to cut your steerer. After cutting mine down I rode the bike for a while and thought it was a bit too low. Which is a bit tough after you have cut it! On my other bike I cut it longer and left some spacers on top of the stem to get used to it before deciding to cut to size.

    April 21, 2012 at 6:57 am #675447
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    Amos

    Just cut my steerer, as
    Just cut my steerer, as suggested here I used a high TPI blade. As a guide I used and old defunct stem seem to work perfectly.

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