To Shim Or Not To Shim Road Bars?

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

I believe that Peter once posted that he didn't think shimming road bars
was a good idea because of the possibility that the bars might slip.
Sheldon has twice cited the fact that LeMond's 89 aerobars were shimmed
with pieces of a Coke can, given advice about how to make a shim from a
Coke can, but also said that he wouldn't do "it" (I think he meant shim
a handlebar) on a customer's bike.

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars. The
only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

Buy a new 26.0 bar, not a lot of $$$ for a lot less aggravation and
danger.

Chris

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

I believe that Peter once posted that he didn't think shimming road bars
was a good idea because of the possibility that the bars might slip.
Sheldon has twice cited the fact that LeMond's 89 aerobars were shimmed
with pieces of a Coke can, given advice about how to make a shim from a
Coke can, but also said that he wouldn't do "it" (I think he meant shim
a handlebar) on a customer's bike.

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars. The
only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

26.0 bars should be easy to buy (either ordering from the LBS or mail
order, if they don't have them in stock), they are a very common size.

That said, shimming works for me. Being a retrogrouch, I'm using old
Cinelli 26.4 mm "1A" stems for aesthetics but newer Cinelli 26.0 mm
bars. I find that Pepsi cans are 0.1 mm thick, so cutting a piece to
wrap completely around the bar adds 0.2 mm to the diameter; two layers,
and I have no problem with slippage once I tightened 'em up.

Details: The cans cut easily with good scissors (beware, the pieces are
razor sharp), so I can easily fit my shims to exactly match the inside
surface of the stem/bar interface. This both maximizes the surface
contact area and keeps ugly shims from showing on the outside.
Roughening the shims with sandpaper is probably a good idea.

Can't remember if I greased the shims in the current setup or not; I'd
suggest trying *not* for starters, then add grease and/or teflon tape
with great care if you have squeakage problems.

Mark J.

"Len Ulmer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars. The only
ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but the
only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a 26.0.
The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for $10!) made
for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

26.0 mm traditional-bend bars are plentiful. Try http://rivbike.com if you
want old-skool. Try the Nitto 176 "Dream Bar" or the 177 "Noodle."

I ride 46cm Noodles myself.

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

I believe that Peter once posted that he didn't think shimming road bars
was a good idea because of the possibility that the bars might slip.
Sheldon has twice cited the fact that LeMond's 89 aerobars were shimmed
with pieces of a Coke can, given advice about how to make a shim from a
Coke can, but also said that he wouldn't do "it" (I think he meant shim
a handlebar) on a customer's bike.

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars. The
only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

I might point out that traditional seven-shaped quill stems are
completely form-over-function compared to stems where the extension
slopes up.

Nate Knutson said:

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

I believe that Peter once posted that he didn't think shimming road bars
was a good idea because of the possibility that the bars might slip.
Sheldon has twice cited the fact that LeMond's 89 aerobars were shimmed
with pieces of a Coke can, given advice about how to make a shim from a
Coke can, but also said that he wouldn't do "it" (I think he meant shim
a handlebar) on a customer's bike.

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars. The
only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

I might point out that traditional seven-shaped quill stems are
completely form-over-function compared to stems where the extension
slopes up.

And??

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

Leaving those questions aside for a moment, I'd be happy to buy a
handlebar and stem that "matched," but I can't find them. Some of you
seem better at tracking such things down on-line, and I would be happy
if you could point me in the right direction.

I would like a standard, traditional drop bar 39-40 cm in width (I can
handle a single groove) and a 13 cm standard, quill-style stem that
looks decent.

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I might point out that traditional seven-shaped quill stems are
completely form-over-function compared to stems where the extension
slopes up.

And??

They have an enhanced ability to inflict groin injuries? BTDT.

Barnard Frederick said:

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I might point out that traditional seven-shaped quill stems are
completely form-over-function compared to stems where the extension
slopes up.

And??

They have an enhanced ability to inflict groin injuries?

Danger! Danger!

Oh, and they're heavier, too!

Len Ulmer said:

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

Leaving those questions aside for a moment, I'd be happy to buy a
handlebar and stem that "matched," but I can't find them. Some of you
seem better at tracking such things down on-line, and I would be happy
if you could point me in the right direction.

I would like a standard, traditional drop bar 39-40 cm in width (I can
handle a single groove) and a 13 cm standard, quill-style stem that
looks decent.

What do you have that you want to use, including shifters? If you have
Campy, why settle for one-groove bars?

A quill adapter would let you use a threadless-style stem, if there's
one of those that suits you. A removable faceplate can be handy, plus
clamping with more than one bolt might work better than one, found on
the older style quill stems.

Or, you might find an older "NOS" 3ttt "84" model stem, in a 26.0
diameter in 130 length on ebay or other source. Bars (non ergo bends)
from Cinelli, 3ttt, Deda can be found in 26.0.

Pointing: Vecchio's. Sheldon Brown (Harris Cyclery). Yellow Jersey
(three regular contributors here). --D-y

Quoted message said:

Len Ulmer wrote:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I would like a standard, traditional drop bar 39-40 cm in width (I can
handle a single groove) and a 13 cm standard, quill-style stem that
looks decent.

Quoted message said:

What do you have that you want to use, including shifters? If you have
Campy, why settle for one-groove bars?

Thanks for your help.

This is a lovely 20-year old bike with Shimano levers and downtube
shifters. It's not my only bike but it's my best-loved bike. The
handlebars came apart and the binder bolt on the stem is broken. (I'm
not entirely sure what happened, but both handlebars and stem had many
miles training and racing on them.)

I don't care if there is one groove because I can fill it with the brake
cable. I'd have to pad out a pair of bars with a second groove.

Quoted message said:

A quill adapter would let you use a threadless-style stem, if there's
one of those that suits you. A removable faceplate can be handy, plus
clamping with more than one bolt might work better than one, found on
the older style quill stems.

I'm not really a retro-grouch, but I'd just like to put the bike back
generally the way it was.

Quoted message said:

Or, you might find an older "NOS" 3ttt "84" model stem, in a 26.0
diameter in 130 length on ebay or other source.

I can find a 3TTT 26.0 stem at a local shop. Two people at the local
shop that is usually best for this sort of thing went through their
stock and the catalog looking for 26.0 bars in 39-40 cm. They said they
found a couple but they were either over $65, featherweight, and/or carbon.

Quoted message said:

Bars (non ergo bends)
from Cinelli, 3ttt, Deda can be found in 26.0.

Quoted message said:

Pointing: Vecchio's. Sheldon Brown (Harris Cyclery). Yellow Jersey
(three regular contributors here). --D-y

I looked at Harris's site and catalog but couldn't find anything.

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

I believe that Peter once posted that he didn't think shimming road bars
was a good idea because of the possibility that the bars might slip.
Sheldon has twice cited the fact that LeMond's 89 aerobars were shimmed
with pieces of a Coke can, given advice about how to make a shim from a
Coke can, but also said that he wouldn't do "it" (I think he meant shim
a handlebar) on a customer's bike.

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars.

'Traditional", ya mean not anatomic? Lots of 26mm hbars non anatomic.
Ritchey, Profile, TTT, Newer Cinelli...

The

Quoted message said:

only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

Speedgoat.com carries lots of different Salsa stems and Road bars all
in 26.0. Just got a Salsa SUL stem and a Bell Lap bar in 46cm.
Wow...what a difference being opened up and relaxed makes for a ride.

T

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Len Ulmer said:

Two questions, First, if I use "real" stainless steel shims, is it okay
to shim a 25.4 handlebar to fit a 26.0 stem? Second, is there an easy
way to get the shims in and centered on the bar and stem?

I believe that Peter once posted that he didn't think shimming road bars
was a good idea because of the possibility that the bars might slip.
Sheldon has twice cited the fact that LeMond's 89 aerobars were shimmed
with pieces of a Coke can, given advice about how to make a shim from a
Coke can, but also said that he wouldn't do "it" (I think he meant shim
a handlebar) on a customer's bike.

I have trekked around town looking for "traditional" drop bars.

'Traditional", ya mean not anatomic? Lots of 26mm hbars non anatomic.
Ritchey, Profile, TTT, Newer Cinelli...

The

Quoted message said:

only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

Len Ulmer said:

Thanks for your help.

'Nada. I'm doing a bar/stem thrash myself. Something of a PITA but the
end result is satisfaction...

Quoted message said:

This is a lovely 20-year old bike with Shimano levers and downtube
shifters. It's not my only bike but it's my best-loved bike.

Quoted message said:

I'm not really a retro-grouch, but I'd just like to put the bike back
generally the way it was.

Quoted message said:

I can find a 3TTT 26.0 stem at a local shop. Two people at the local
shop that is usually best for this sort of thing went through their
stock and the catalog looking for 26.0 bars in 39-40 cm. They said they
found a couple but they were either over $65, featherweight, and/or carbon.

You like the 3ttt stem? Price is right? Grab it. AFAIK, the little
button plug stays in those OK <g>.

Heck yes: matching brand/size, no shims.

I looked on ebay for 3ttt bars (see "thrash", above <g>😉. Slim pickins
at the moment. Call Peter C. at Vecchio's (stated as contact preference
on his website) and get this project done (!) if that local stem is the
"right" item for this bike.

(Where lies true happiness? <g>😉 Were the original bar/stem Nitto? NOS
Nitto is on ebay, from Ben's Cycles-- not a regular helper here on rbt
but IME a good place to shop.

Good luck! --D-y

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Len Ulmer wrote:

Quoted message said:

'Traditional", ya mean not anatomic? Lots of 26mm hbars non anatomic.
Ritchey, Profile, TTT, Newer Cinelli...

The

Quoted message said:

only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Peter, you have always been helpful, and I confess I am probably an
inept dolt, but _I_ cannot find a non-anatomic, non-ergonomic 26.0 bar
in a narrow width in a local shop or on the internet.

On the 3ttt site, I can't find one. Richey seems to have a 210g (which
seems ultralight), one-groove model ($70, which seems alot, from
Nashbar. I could do this but only if the things would last of a good
long while and 210g seems pushing it) and a carbon one (presumably a
billion dollars.) I couldn't find one on the Cinelli site (though I
can't say I'm certain one isn't there.) The closest thing I can find on
the Profile site is a "coming soon" "semi-anatomic" bar for $169.

Len Ulmer said:

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Len Ulmer wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

'Traditional", ya mean not anatomic? Lots of 26mm hbars non anatomic.
Ritchey, Profile, TTT, Newer Cinelli...

The

Quoted message said:

only ones I can find are 25.4 (Nitto bars like on the Harris site), but
the only reasonable looking stem I can find (it must be a quill) is a
26.0. The shop with the bars carries Nitto stainless steel shims (for
$10!) made for shimming a 25.4 to a 26.0.

Quoted message said:

Peter, you have always been helpful, and I confess I am probably an
inept dolt, but _I_ cannot find a non-anatomic, non-ergonomic 26.0 bar
in a narrow width in a local shop or on the internet.

Deda 215, $75
ITM Millenium - get the rounded ones, $75 (about 220 grams)
Most Nitto's are 26.0, just search at www.qbike.com, $40 but 300 grams.

If you can only find 25.4 bars, A beer can makes a great shim, I'd
trim it properly and sand the edges smooth so it doesn't bite into the
bars or stem, since scoring is what's going to make the bar/stem
interface fail.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Len Ulmer said:

Should I shim away? If so, is there an easy way to get all 4 pieces (2
shims, handlebars, and stem) in the right places?

For me it was either shim or get new bars or a new stem. For me to make
a shim it only cost me a little time. New bars would have set me back
about 50 bucks or a new stem (threadless) that weighed less than a 150
grams about 75 bucks. So guess what I did? Yeah, right I'm a penny
pincher, but it worked and the saved moola is being spent on new tires
and brake pads. I used metal from a three piece beverage can for my
shim.