Alright guys here it is:

I just purchased a Fox Float 100RLC which i will run at 80mm on a nrs air, my question is this why would I ever cut the steering tube?

My bike is made to run a 80mm fork I bought the 100mm so that i can swap it out to other bikes that may require more travel.

Why would I cut the tube when i can just add a few carbon fiber spacers and be able to use it on multiple bikes??

Do guys do this just for the infinatley small amount of weight savings you would get???

Am I crazy or just too new to see the error of my ways.

Thanks

you cut the tube because it comes too long. unless you want to add like 100 spacers to it, and ride the handle bar at about upper chest level, then you will need to cut it. think of it this way:

each fork, regarless of travel comes with a specific amount of steerer tube length. you need to cut the tube and add spacers in order to suit your riding style, flexibility, and comfort on the bike. the only difference between the 80 and 100 travel is your handling, and it wont be a huge huge difference either. it will take maybe 10 mins to notice and compensate your style to the difference. you will just be higher up on the front end, and steering will be slighly slower.

good luck, and by the way, unless you absolutely positively 100% know what youre doing, then its definitely worth it to get the dealer to cut and install your fork. its not worth a bad cut for a $500+ fork, trust me. most dealers only charge about $40 for this and can be done while you wait, about 10 minutes.

good luck to you.

100-spacers? how long is was the steer tube on your fork. Maybe I should refrase my question. I am talking about the excess steer tube which sticks out of the top of the headset when fork in installed.

Then you place some spacers my happen to be carbon fiber on top of that then your stem, then bolt down the top cap.

what I want to know is instead of cutting the steer tube you would only have about 2" of excess tube out the top of the stem, no biggie why cut it just throw on 2 more large spacers and the cap. Done and Done, right????

So why cut the tube?

Steertubes come long so they can fit all frames, ie: small thru XL. XL frames have X-Long steertubes. Cut the steerer tube on the fork so you have "some" adjustment(say to later on change stem styles, bar type, stem height, swap the fork to another frame, or sell it, etc). Leaving lots of steertube to stick up is ugly, dangerous, and also heavier then a tube cut to fit YOUR frame. Thats all there is to it.

Your bike...your fork...cut away.

100-spacers? how long is was the steer tube on your fork. Maybe I should refrase my question. I am talking about the excess steer tube which sticks out of the top of the headset when fork in installed.

Then you place some spacers my happen to be carbon fiber on top of that then your stem, then bolt down the top cap.

what I want to know is instead of cutting the steer tube you would only have about 2" of excess tube out the top of the stem, no biggie why cut it just throw on 2 more large spacers and the cap. Done and Done, right????

So why cut the tube?

People die from traumas to the chest...it can shock and stop the heart, or even tear the aorta. Going chest first into the handlebars will happen eventually. Best not to have a heart stopper there waiting for you.

100-spacers? how long is was the steer tube on your fork. Maybe I should refrase my question. I am talking about the excess steer tube which sticks out of the top of the headset when fork in installed.

Then you place some spacers my happen to be carbon fiber on top of that then your stem, then bolt down the top cap.

what I want to know is instead of cutting the steer tube you would only have about 2" of excess tube out the top of the stem, no biggie why cut it just throw on 2 more large spacers and the cap. Done and Done, right????

So why cut the tube?

Well contrary to what the others write(and mr. chest injury too) 2" isn't much and adding a few spacers is just fine. There are some steerers that extend quite a bit more than 2" above the headtube and need to be cut as it would appear you have a telephone pole where your steerer ought to be.

For the chest worry guy...the kind of mountain biking most folks do here is inherently as dangerous as a slightly long headtube. That will be the least of ones worries in a crash.

Silly me. I was thinking it was 2" above and beyound the top of the stem, which i've seen worse as well.

A.D.D. I tell ya...or all those 1970 drugs coming back to haunt me.

be careful cutting. My self and my friend have both cut stear tubs too short. I had to send the fork back to Marzocchi to have them press in a new stear tube. Measure twice, cut once.

Well contrary to what the others write(and mr. chest injury too) 2" isn't much and adding a few spacers is just fine. There are some steerers that extend quite a bit more than 2" above the headtube and need to be cut as it would appear you have a telephone pole where your steerer ought to be.

For the chest worry guy...the kind of mountain biking most folks do here is inherently as dangerous as a slightly long headtube. That will be the least of ones worries in a crash.

It probably isn't such a big deal to put a half inch spacer above the bar but most of the uncut steerers I've seen would end up 2 or more inches above the bar. That is asking for trouble.

I think a better strategy is to cut the tube to a length that will work with your longest bike then adjust from there with spacers and stem. You can even choose to flip a stem over so that it is moving the handlebars down, vs. up. At least this way you are hitting a lager surface area, the whole stem, vs. a 1 and 1/2 inch rod.

It probably isn't such a big deal to put a half inch spacer above the bar but most of the uncut steerers I've seen would end up 2 or more inches above the bar. That is asking for trouble.

I think a better strategy is to cut the tube to a length that will work with your longest bike then adjust from there with spacers and stem. You can even choose to flip a stem over so that it is moving the handlebars down, vs. up. At least this way you are hitting a lager surface area, the whole stem, vs. a 1 and 1/2 inch rod.

he said he has about 2" that stick up above the headset, not the stem. That means he'd have the stem and a few spacers. Now if he'd said 2" above the stem I'd be a little concerned, but he could put the spacers then the stem on last and it'd be no different than a high rise stem.

...................................instead of cutting the steer tube you would only have about 2" of excess tube out the top of the stem, no biggie why cut it just throw on 2 more large spacers and the cap. Done and Done, right????

So why cut the tube?

why not pull the seat off of your post while you are at it..... :rolleyes:

measure twice then add 1/4" just to be sure

I have one bike I deliberately kept a longer steerer tube on, so that fork can be back up to another bike (two Hecklers of different years, different headtube lengths) if needed. I bought one of those bmx nard protectors to cover the small stack o'spacers sticking above the stem (looks better too). Might be something to consider if your fork is going to move along to another frame...

If you've got a lot of spacers in between the stem and the headset then this affects your geometry.

If you want a relxed gemoety this may work for you. Others like different (lower)positions. Unless you're planning on swapping out the fork on a differnt frame, or you're trying out different stems, theres really no need to have 2" of spacers above the stem.

If you need them below the stem to get a desired ride height then its no big deal.

Not totally the same but why don't people run the seat posts full length? because people have different inseams and require longer/shorts seatpost lengths. Same reason for the fork being cut down, fits better on certain people.

Not the best pic but this is how it turned out.

luckly I didnt cut because I decided to go with a flat bar over the monkey riser and need to raise the stem up some in order to keep geometry correct.

anyway im happy with it and for sure this fork will eventually see action on another bike. Adding the padding is not a bad idea i may look into that.

take care

Not the best pic but this is how it turned out.

luckly I didnt cut because I decided to go with a flat bar over the monkey riser and need to raise the stem up some in order to keep geometry correct.

anyway im happy with it and for sure this fork will eventually see action on another bike. Adding the padding is not a bad idea i may look into that.

take care

all i can say to that picture is ouch!

'correct' geometry? you should be riding what feels the best for you, and not what you read/hear about

I would say cut the damn thing. It looks like you have at least 2 inches of spacers below the stem as well. Unless you have another bike that has four inches more headtube than the current bike, you don't need that much. Your bike will look better, be lighter, and be safer; win that way all around.

That's what I would do, but it is your bike.

Not the best pic but this is how it turned out.

luckly I didnt cut because I decided to go with a flat bar over the monkey riser and need to raise the stem up some in order to keep geometry correct.

anyway im happy with it and for sure this fork will eventually see action on another bike. Adding the padding is not a bad idea i may look into that.

take care

I'm sure that my medical bills would be higher if I was riding a unicorn.

Does anybody happen to know what the stock steerer tube lenght is on a med 18.5" NRS frame? I don't currently have access to my bike right now but I need the information. :confused: