thook

i have an old one from years ago that fits on fine. i just needed one with less reach, so i bought this 80mm off ebay. i can return it i'm sure, but i wondered if anyone else has gotten a new one and run into the same issue?

by comparison, the new one has a bulkier clamp head and the chamfered portion that normally would allow the head to slip around the bar's bends has a wider cross section. i'm sure this is the issue. and, yes, i have tried wedging the stem clamp open to no avail

perhaps it is what it is and should just return it getting something else, but nitto stems are just so much pricier and i'm admittedly a little attached to this old school/riv type set up style i was going for. maybe there's another brand making the same style of stem? haven't seen one, yet, but maybe there is

btw, i'm trying to install it on some mid 80's SR road champions, so it's not that the bar bend is really all that tight

amillhench

Sakae made some dirt drop quill stems which show up for less than their Nitto counterpart from time to time.

That Kalloy stem was probably designed around flat bars. That’s a shame; I was looking at them, too.

halb 

Don't know if you're game, but I was face with the same problem.
Using a standard road stem as a model, I sawed a small slice off each side of the clamp.
Filed the cuts smooth and polished the surface. No problems in a few years of use.

thook

re: sakae.....sure, i've seen them some. often the reach is 10cm or more, though. and, then...you know....there's the waiting...and waiting.....haha. meh....i just found this '93 mongoose crossway 625 at a thrift shop that'll fit 45's comfortably. i'm trying to set it up dirt drop style vs a hybrid and excited to ride it sooner than later. so, there's reluctance to wait

yeah, it is a shame. i guess kalloy decided to change the design a bit. beef it up or something. it's not like the older vintage more slender design ever had problems

clubman 

There's more than a few marques that have the same problem.Flat bars only or gouge your bars trying to install.

thook

what did you use? a band saw? i have thought about putting it to a grinder (don't have a band saw), but it's a bit of work when i was shooting for plug and play. and, when i have several things on the plate as it is. otoh, in part of an afternoon i could have it together

thook

hmmm....shucks :/

due ruote 

Technically this technique should be used only on a steel stem. But it does work and I have done it (delicately) on a Kalloy and I am still here. Grinding a bit of material away may be the safer route.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/...&preview=true/

thook

well, thank you! that's worth a shot! very clever. i'll give it a go and report back

again, thanks!

tricky 

I don't know if an open faced stem is a non-starter for you but these Sunlite stems are surprisingly nice and are 80mm. I used one on my girlfriend's bike and was impressed. They look to be sold out of silver at a lot of the big retailers but maybe you can find one somewhere.

sd5782 

I have one of those stems and went at it with my belt sander. Had to get pretty aggressive for the first bit and less aggressive later for a better finish. Use a regular stem a bit as a guide to have a taper toward the inside radius that can go around the tight bend like the road stem.

thook

does the finish look any better in person than in that image? i'm not opposed to a removal plate at all!

edit: just ran a quick search and modernbike has them for around $18 + shipping.
you wouldn't happen to have a photo on the bike would you? thanks so much!

thook

that's a good idea! i do have a belt sander. if the coin trick doesn't work out, i'll definitely consider it. seems a less brutal way than with a bench grinder. otoh, the sunlite posted above might an option if i can find one. if so, i may use this kalloy on one of my wife's bikes. i thought about it the returning of it and just shipping it back would be nearly half of what i paid for it. and, that makes no sense to me. i'd rather modify it than lose on that, i guess

halb 

Honestly, a hacksaw. Drew a line with magic marker, and did my best.

thook

lol....i don't quite see how i'd get much of good bite angle with a hack saw, but i will chalk it up as an option. just found a good bolt and nut to try this coin trick thingy. report coming soon enough

thank you all for the great input thus far!

thook

success!!!

the dime i tried to use failed miserably under the screw, so i had to use a steel fender washer instead. once i had the gap wide enough, it went on with little fuss even around the tighter transition to the bar top. i couldn't even get the stem clamp passed the drop bend at first attempts!

anyway, thanks so much, again, gentlemen. i dare say this method will work for any quill and classic bar combo. in fact, i will always do this method from now on. so much easier

due ruote 

Glad it worked, and as I said I have done it and lived. I do feel the obligation though to point out again that the bending limit of alloy is nowhere near that of steel, which is why I said grinding is probably the safer route. One makes one’s own choice, but understand the risks. It’s not a part you want to have fail. In my case it was for a town bike that never gets ridden hard, so I wasn’t very concerned.

thook

yeah, i'm not worried about it, but thanks anyway

ofajen

Here is that stem on my daughter’s bike. It has a brushed metal finish.



Otto

thook

thanks, otto! yeah, that looks pretty snazz. i will definitely keep it in mind for the possible future

tricky 

Thanks Otto! I hadn't seen the pic request until now. The finish is better in person.