Deshi

The bike in the link you posted has no longer of total steerer length than the OP's bike. Also, making his bike to small for him.

Direct from Thomson.

https://bikethomson.com/category/blog/

I do agree that 30mm of spacers is very small number for a max height but I do not see how what looks to be 100mm of spacers on the OP's bike can be anywhere near safe. The leverage that has been created on the steerer tube now is quite a bit more than the steerer tube was intended to be. The spacers do very little in helping stop the flex.

Still waiting on the OP to chime in with the model of fork so that I may check with the manufacture as to the safe amount of stack on their steerer tubes.

AsanaCycles

30mm of carbon steertube is the limit.

I'm not sure about steel.

either way... i wouldn't ride it.

Grim

Yes I did read that and thats a common recommendation for carbon steer tubes. Steel, as I suspect that bike has, with a long one piece spacer I think is not a problem but I will tell you this. If you image search the "Solo" model...his is unusual to have that short head tube.

puppypilgrim

Wow such a hornet's nest of a discussion. I guess armchair quarterbacking must be fun.

- The steerer tube is steel. Where the stem clamps onto is an additional shim or collar.

- The frame size is XS resulting in the short headtube.

- A more informative comparison with DF bikes would be the saddle to tube drop. Comparing geometries with a conventional diamond frame design is fruitless. Might as well compare it with recumbents...

- If you look at the seat to saddle drop, it is setup similar to a touring bike. Mine is setup to commute 40 km a day. Therefore the setup is for comfort and not all out speed. I like touring setup for visibility as I ride in traffic.

- Deshi, I am somewhat irritated at your attitude which I think could have come across more helpful. Regardless of your intent, you come off as a component-safety enforcement officer instead of a friendly forum member.

I think Grim and Griddlecakes understand the Softride's design well.

Deshi

My initial quote said nothing about wha you doing was wrong. I Simply said "good luck with that". No where did I say you should change it. Hell, its your bike. I would not tell you what t do with your bike. I said that "It looks downright dangerous." as it does look that way to me. Would I ride it? Not a chance. It is not my bike however and im not the one to make the call on that. Everything I have said about your supersized steerer tube is what iv read. None of this has been "my opinion" so to say.

The bike looks good with the bars that high. It looks natural. It still seems sketchy to me personally. .

I would still like to know the manufacture of the fork if you would be so kind.

Edit: You say there is a shim where the stem bolts onto the steerer. Does that mean this is a 1" steerer tube?

AsanaCycles

bicycles are things we build
when we create things with our hands, we have literally made something
so we take comments personally

heck... the other day i was talking to a guy who rode a bike without brakes

Deshi

My comment was no where near personal or a hit towards him. As I have stated multiple times already, The bike looks good. There is no doubt about that.

AsanaCycles

a couple of my commuters

puppypilgrim

Asana, Love the cargo bike. Another bike in my stable is a Brodie Force built with an Xtracycle. Seems I can't have a "normal" bicycle. LOL.

AsanaCycles

a bolt-on convert is not a solid one piece frame.
Surly did its homework on this one.

puppypilgrim

Yeah the Big Dummy is an excellent cargo bike. People don't believe how intuitive it is to ride a long tail cargo until they actually try it. I'm glad to see the proliferation of all kinds of cargo bikes from Bilenky to Madsen. Its good for the biking world to have more cargo bikes.

AsanaCycles

I've had the dummy for over 2 years now, before that I had an XtraConvert, which was ok, and of course all sorts of variations of racks, panniers, trailers, etc...
this one is now 5 years old

puppypilgrim

Take a look at a Dahon folder.



Dahon is one of the largest folding bicycle manufacturers in the world. Together with companies who make bikes using DLT (Dahon Licensed Tecnhnology), Dahon is the largest folding bike maker in the world with engineering prowess.

If you think the steer tube on my Softride is bad, consider the Dahon. The entire portion indicated by the yellow line is hollow AND tapered. It is tapered so the handlepost can telescope in height and be secured via a quick release. At the bottom of the handlepost is a hinge which allows the handlepost to fold!

By Deshi's and Jdean4's reckoning wouldn't this be an excessively long "steerer tube" which is prone to failure? It is made of aluminum, contains a telescoping portion AND A FREAKING HINGE. There are a few million Dahons out there. All this shows is that applying conventional bike wisdom to non-traditional designs is trying to compare apples and oranges.

Deshi

Nice to see you trying to prove me wrong without even providing me with the info that I kindly asked for to do the homework myself.

Also, I never said that a long steerer tube was prone to failure. Do not put words in my mouth like that. Every single folding bike I have ridden feels very "loose" and flimsy. This is including Dahons. I would not own a folder myself.

AsanaCycles

well... I tried to divert you guys on a Big Dumb tangent...

Deshi

I appreciate that Asana.

AsanaCycles

offering an out...
https://www.theonion.com/audio/bicycleriding-circus-bear-pedals-back-to-natural-h,12479/

Deshi

Haha, interesting.

AsanaCycles

aka: run for the woods

Deshi

Here is my commuter.

Mardmakarm

I use it daily in Bangkok.


Gios ****io - city commuter by Madanial, on Flickr

puppypilgrim

Nice Gios!

puppypilgrim

Frankly I don't need your endorsement to ride a bike with a tall steerer tube. So funny...trying to be an enforcer for (of all things...) steerer tubes? LOL. If you cannot see the flaw in your logic after pointing out a folding bike's tall handlepost, you don't show enough of an open mind to different bicycle designs that don't fit your expectations.

Have good day.

Deshi

I was simply trying to warn you. All I wanted was a little bit of info about your fork so that I may do some research about it. If you not willing to provide that info, fine. I was never trying to tell you what to do. You would have gathered that if you would have read any of my posts.

Since you are unwilling to provide me with the details of your fork and choose to keep provoking me, I must say that im done talking to you.

Good luck yet again with that bike.

Fizzaly

Come on guys shake "hands" and get over it, this is the commuting forum not the MTB