Hi, I've just bought a second hand Marzocchi MX Comp ETA for my XC bike (off the net!), fork is in excellent condition, looks like it's never been used. Only 1 problem the Steerer tube has been cut at an angle, the cut is neat & smooth but it goes down a few degrees from front to back it's not \ but it isn't - either, If I flatten this with a file it'l be about 3 mil to short (Ie about 12-15 mil below the top of my steerer) Now every text I've ever read on fitting a new threadless fork goes to great pains to say it must be straight, but non of them explain why or what will happen if it isn't. At the moment I'm feeling better leaving it off level than making it too short, an ideas from the experts?? I wish people would either learn to cut straight or use a tube cutter :-\
I've just bought a second hand Marzocchi MX Comp ETA for my XC bike (off the net!), fork is in excellent condition, looks like it's never been used. Only 1 problem the Steerer tube has been cut at an angle, the cut is neat & smooth but it goes down a few degrees from front to back it's not \ but it isn't - either, If I flatten this with a file it'l be about 3 mil to short (Ie about 12-15 mil below the top of my steerer) Now every text I've ever read on fitting a new threadless fork goes to great pains to say it must be straight, but non of them explain why or what will happen if it isn't. At the moment I'm feeling better leaving it off level than making it too short, an ideas from the experts?? I wish people would either learn to cut straight or use a tube cutter :-\
It sounds like it's already too short (if I read what you tried to write above, it sounds like it's already 12mm below your "stem"😉. 2-3mm is more appropriate.
Hi, I've just bought a second hand Marzocchi MX Comp ETA for my XC bike (off the net!), fork is in excellent condition, looks like it's never been used. Only 1 problem the Steerer tube has been cut at an angle, the cut is neat & smooth but it goes down a few degrees from front to back it's not \ but it isn't - either, If I flatten this with a file it'l be about 3 mil to short (Ie about 12-15 mil below the top of my steerer) Now every text I've ever read on fitting a new threadless fork goes to great pains to say it must be straight, but non of them explain why or what will happen if it isn't. At the moment I'm feeling better leaving it off level than making it too short, an ideas from the experts??
1. The steerer is already too short.
2. The crooked cut wouldn't keep you from using the fork if the steerer were long enough.
Sounds like you need to shop for a stem and/or headset that will reduce the overall stack.
Now every text I've ever read on fitting a new threadless fork goes to great pains to say it must be straight, but non of them explain why or what will happen if it isn't.
It doesn't have to be dead square because nothing touches the top face, but you don't want it too sloping. There needs to be sufficient material for the stem to clamp on to safely. It might be risky if some is missing. But if the bottom of the slope is above or level with the stem (which I don't think is true in your case), it won't matter as long as the spacer above stem is tall enough to clear the steerer + 2 or 3mm.
If steerer is too short for current stem and there is room for a stem to fit lower down, a good solution would be to use a stem with more rise (or flip stem upside down if it's not already higher at front than back), and level off the steerer. This produces a stiffer and lighter result anyway. This chart might help: www.habcycles.com/fitting.html
Quoted message said:
I wish people would either learn to cut straight or use a tube cutter :-\
