Help me out here

[dsteady]

I'm building up my cross bike and have a question:

The steerer and fork are steel. The steerer is 1"

The stem is 1 1/8" -- I have an aftermarket shim for it to fit the 1" steerer.

As it is, the steerer has 2.5 mm clearance above the stem. BUT, the shim is 2 mm below the top of the stem.

So all of the clamping force is happening below the top of the steerer, but some of it ( ~2mm) is over the top of the shim (in between the stem and steerer).

Is this a dangerous situation?

I don't want to cut down the steerer, and I've exhausted the spacer combinations.

thx,
dn'l

[soBRIquet]

but some of it ( ~2mm) is over the top of the shim (in between the stem and steerer).

I'm trying to picture how there can be any clamping force in between the stem and the steerer if there's no shim there.
If there's just a gap, as I suspect, I think you'll be fine. You're talking about 38mm of clamping (for instance) instead of 40.
On steel parts, that shouldn't be a very big deal.

[dsteady]

I'm trying to picture how there can be any clamping force in between the stem and the steerer if there's no shim there.
If there's just a gap, as I suspect, I think you'll be fine. You're talking about 38mm of clamping (for instance) instead of 40.
On steel parts, that shouldn't be a very big deal.

Yes. You got it right. And that's what I was thinking too. Just wasn't sure. I'll roll with it and see if I keep my teeth.

[justinf]

No worries. At least, with respect to this issue.

[soBRIquet]

Yes. You got it right. And that's what I was thinking too. Just wasn't sure. I'll roll with it and see if I keep my teeth.

I've been doing that on my road bike for over a year now, with zero issues.
Cross is different, but I don't think it's stressful enough to cause a problem.
Besides, teeth are replaceable; our youth is not!