Ti frame headtube extension removal question

[Liberace]

I acquired a great ti frameset from Dave Thompson, his Quiring, that has fit great until a couple weeks ago. After putting in some good mileage this fall and winter, and working on my flexibility, it seems that I cannot get enough drop on the front end. The frame has a 3cm headtube extension( 23cm headtube) and I'm considering getting 2.5cm removed of it.

Do you you think it's worth it? Any idea where I should take it? I'm located in Northern NJ.

Sean

[Ken Robb]

have you tried a -17 degree stem?

[Liberace]

I did pick up a Ritchey Pro 73 degree stem that I'm going to try this weekend.

[Dave Kirk]

FWIW removal is pretty straight forward on something like this. Hacksaw first to remove 22mm of the extension and then ream and face it to the final length. Not a home operation for most but simple for a builder. Do you have anyone local you can have deal with it?

Plus 1 on what Ken said.


Dave

[steve575]

I've done it on a steel frame (at home). I used the Park headset facing / reaming tool after carefully sawing. It worked fine. No problems. I went very slow and used cutting oil to keep the heat down. Didn't even damage the paint.

[Pete Mckeon]

Make an appointment with Serotta and drive it up to Saratoga.

[Liberace]

Maybe I'll take it to Cylcesport and have them fix me up on a new Legend.:biggrin:

[zank]

The only caution I would add is that if the head tube is machined to be thinner in the middle section, it would probably be best to leave it alone. For instance, the Seven Alaris has a straight guage head tube while the Axiom has a machined head tube that has material removed from the front of the tube in the center section but is full thickness for about a cm at each end. This area of full thickness lends some support to the headset cups. If the HT extension were long enough, you could probably remove enough off the top of the HT to be in the machined area. I would generally not suggest doing this.

[Liberace]

The only caution I would add is that if the head tube is machined to be thinner in the middle section, it would probably be best to leave it alone. For instance, the Seven Alaris has a straight guage head tube while the Axiom has a machined head tube that has material removed from the front of the tube in the center section but is full thickness for about a cm at each end. This area of full thickness lends some support to the headset cups. If the HT extension were long enough, you could probably remove enough off the top of the HT to be in the machined area. I would generally not suggest doing this.

Good point!

[steve garro]

I acquired a great ti frameset from Dave Thompson, his Quiring, that has fit great until a couple weeks ago. After putting in some good mileage this fall and winter, and working on my flexibility, it seems that I cannot get enough drop on the front end. The frame has a 3cm headtube extension( 23cm headtube) and I'm considering getting 2.5cm removed of it.

Do you you think it's worth it? Any idea where I should take it? I'm located in Northern NJ.

Sean

hey, man - if it's a MTB and that 30mm of headtube extension is BELOW the bottom of the downtube then it's likely that long to keep the knobs of your susp. fork from hitting the downtube {this is bad} check it out before you proceed. if this is the case you would be sad when you ruin your frame. steve.

[steve575]

True Zank.
Mine was lugged steel with an extension brazed to the to of the head tube lug. I took it down to the braze joint and measured wall thicknes with a micrometer first.

[zank]

Good point!

Do you owe me some pictures of a built up bike? :omg:

[Liberace]

Do you owe me some pictures of a built up bike? :omg:

:adore: It will be cabled up tomorrow evening. I just need to get some neon purple bar tape. Any idea where?