jonny7

My 1994 Cadex CFR3 has, for some reason, a longer steerer, hence the spacers on the picture:




I am not the first owner, so I thought the PO probably had a reason for this, but browsing the internet I noticed that most Cadexs have this peculiarity. Was there a purpose to having a longer fork?

Also, and more importantly, I want to install a stem adapter in order to have a more modern cockpit, while I'm searching for a nice black quill stem/handlebar combo. Now because of the lenght of the fork, the minimum insertion mark ends up just above the head tube. Which forces me to wonder, does this line relate to the fork steerer or to the head tube? Naturally I would think A and not B, bt maybe it's supposed to be both?

Andrew R Stewart 

The OEM spacer is to allow a higher bar height and is also easily undone by cutting the steerer down and removing the spacer. What most quill stems (and extenders too) have is a minimum insertion line to insure that with the usual steerer, and upper headset stack, the stem's wedge sits below the steerer's threaded portion. With this bike's taller threaded portion that insertion line is no longer a valid indicator to the stem's wedge not being within the steerer's threaded length.

So options are to make sure the stem or extender bottom/wedge does reach below the steerer's threads, to remove the fork and cut down the steerer to no longer require that spacer or to find a stem (quill) that doesn't need and extender, sits deep enough and has the bars where you want them to be. Andy

jonny7

Thanks for the clarification! I didn't know this.

Andrew R Stewart 

The expansive force a stem and wedge can place on the steerer can and does bulge the threaded portion of an steerer over time. This can lead to cracks and broken steerers. Andy (who broke his first back in 4th grade).