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Source for 1" steerer tubes?

2K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  Evil4bc 
#1 ·
I bought a straight blade fork that I intend to have the 1" diameter steerer tube extended via welding on a new section. The steerer is short, but that's okay since the joint will be between the top and bottom headset bearings. I intend to have the welded section turned smooth on a lathe.

I'm looking for a source of high quality cromoly steel 1" steerer tubes. Alternatively, will any high quality 1" diameter cromoly tubing suffice for this application?

I've seen RST steerer tubes for about $15 from Airbomb, but this retailer is not the most reliable, I've heard.

FYI - It's for my '90's era Litespeed Mountain, reincarnated as a rigid SS.

Thanks in advance - JMJ
 
#2 ·
You may want to google 'framebulding' to see if any frame tubing suppliers pop up. Cr-MO tubing might work too, onlinemetals.com has a good selection, but getting it welded and aligned on to your fork might be tough to do properly, then you'll always be worrying about the integrity of the weld. Steerer tubes are one of the few things that will always cause a crash if they break.

One other thing to look at -- does the head tube have pressed in aluminum shims? Many 90's era litespeeds do (my '97 does). A buddy of mine had an older litespeed mtn frame with the 1" pressed in shims, and litespeed was able to remove/replace them with shims to accept a 1 &1/8" headset.
 
#3 ·
Steel steerer extension

Zanetti said:
... getting it welded and aligned on to your fork might be tough to do properly, then you'll always be worrying about the integrity of the weld. Steerer tubes are one of the few things that will always cause a crash if they break.

One other thing to look at -- does the head tube have pressed in aluminum shims? Many 90's era litespeeds do (my '97 does). A buddy of mine had an older litespeed mtn frame with the 1" pressed in shims, and litespeed was able to remove/replace them with shims to accept a 1 &1/8" headset.
I was planning on inserting a steel sleeve inside the joint prior to welding to strengthen the joint.

About the Litespeed - it does in fact have aluminum sleeves bonded into the frame, but removing them and reaming to fit 1 1/8" would probably cost more than what I paid for the frame.

I'll look into onlinemetals.com

JMJ
 
#4 ·
I've bought 1" steer tubes from http://www.henryjames.com/
I wouldn't tell them what you want to do though. I'm sure they would highly recommend not attempting it. The risks if the joint fails are to high.

jw

Birdman said:
I'm looking for a source of high quality cromoly steel 1" steerer tubes.
 
#5 ·
I wouldn't do it. But if you're going to, here's my advice.

Like you said, a steel sleeve inside is the way to go. Put a large chamfer on the steerer tube, and on the new one. Leave maybe an 1/8" gap between new and old. Weld right down the seam.

I would also recommend drilling one hole in each of the steerer tubes, still over the sleeve inside. Plug weld in that spot.

Last step - go buy a new fork and forget about this nonsense.
 
#6 ·
mckeand13 said:
I wouldn't do it. But if you're going to, here's my advice.

Like you said, a steel sleeve inside is the way to go. Put a large chamfer on the steerer tube, and on the new one. Leave maybe an 1/8" gap between new and old. Weld right down the seam.

I would also recommend drilling one hole in each of the steerer tubes, still over the sleeve inside. Plug weld in that spot.

Last step - go buy a new fork and forget about this nonsense.
Funny, that's exactly what I was going to do, except of course for the "go buy a new fork and forget about this nonsense" part since I don't have $250 to drop on a custom 1" steerer straight blade fork.

JMJ
 
#7 ·
Birdman said:
I was planning on inserting a steel sleeve inside the joint prior to welding to strengthen the joint.

About the Litespeed - it does in fact have aluminum sleeves bonded into the frame, but removing them and reaming to fit 1 1/8" would probably cost more than what I paid for the frame.

I'll look into onlinemetals.com

JMJ
You might save money on the fork but dental work can be expensive. I don't think anyone who has ever seen a fork fail would try this.

Why do you need a custom fork? Plenty of 1" forks of good quality can be had for less.
 

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#9 ·
You can find sweet 1" forks on ebay for under $100. Good ones for less than $30. Look out for some Tange Switchblades or IRD's, old FAT Chance, or even Ritchey Logics. Theres alot of nice 1" rigid forks for cheap. I wouldn't F with trying to do what you described.

BTW that picture is g-narly. Checkout his front tire and his chain.
 
#10 ·
holden said:
That pic of the rider about to biff it big time...ouch. I wanna see more like that !!!!!!

Morbid...

I wonder what happend next. Front wheel twist, he falls forward then summersaults with bike clipped in? His face hits front wheel as his stem/fork snapped?
I pulled the photo off the velonews photo contest. They had some follow up letters. One expressed that the guy was alright and was more concerned with his bike being rebuildable.
 
#12 ·
Birdman said:
I bought a straight blade fork that I intend to have the 1" diameter steerer tube extended via welding on a new section. The steerer is short, but that's okay since the joint will be between the top and bottom headset bearings. I intend to have the welded section turned smooth on a lathe.
J
Your just asking for trouble .
I build frames and do prototyping for larger companies , I would NEVER do this for any customer I dont care how much $$$$$ you pay me .

This is a good way to cause failure in the streerer

"The steerer is short, but that's okay since the joint will be between the top and bottom headset bearings."
Can you can oops my stem came out on a long decent !
 
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