Manonabike
Über Member
Is it possible to pair a 25.4mm stem and a 26.00mm bar? The difference is so small that I'm so tempted to go for it 
25.4mm stem and 26.0mm handlebar
- Thread starter Manonabike
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Yeahbut ... if you have a problem as a result, there's a good chance that it will be a big one!Is it possible to pair a 25.4mm stem and a 26.00mm bar? The difference is so small that I'm so tempted to go for it
I had a stem fail on my MTB once; my handlebars suddenly rotated through 90 degrees. Fortunately a high speed rocky descent had just finished and I was only doing about 5 mph when it happened ...
OP
OP
Manonabike
Über Member
OK thanks.
There's some info in the net about this very topic and some people are arguing for and others against - the most important thing was to understand why it can be potentially dangerous and take that into consideration together with the use it will be under when making a decision. I cannot find a 26.00 mm stem with the specifications that I need so I will have to go for it, having said that, I will make sure I file round the sharp edges first.
There's some info in the net about this very topic and some people are arguing for and others against - the most important thing was to understand why it can be potentially dangerous and take that into consideration together with the use it will be under when making a decision. I cannot find a 26.00 mm stem with the specifications that I need so I will have to go for it
, having said that, I will make sure I file round the sharp edges first.MartinC
Über Member
- Location
- Cheltenham
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Rip-off city, UK - flipping heck, £14.99 for a pair of shims!
andrew_s
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gloucester
With a 25.4 stem and 26.0 bars shims are no good. Negative thickness shims don't exist.
There are 2 possible problems
a) the stem face plate cracks in two. The bars go loose and rotate freely. If you are on flat bars and holding the normal grips or on the centre of drops it's not too much of a problem. If you are on bar ends or on the brake hoods with drops, the sudden rotation could lead to you losing your hold on the bars completely. If you are leaning on the bars (braking?) it could be a nose on the front tyre moment.
b) the clamp puts a slight crease in the bars as it compresses them, and one side of the bars snaps off some fairly long time later. If it does, there's a fairly high chance of a nasty crash.
There are 2 possible problems
a) the stem face plate cracks in two. The bars go loose and rotate freely. If you are on flat bars and holding the normal grips or on the centre of drops it's not too much of a problem. If you are on bar ends or on the brake hoods with drops, the sudden rotation could lead to you losing your hold on the bars completely. If you are leaning on the bars (braking?) it could be a nose on the front tyre moment.
b) the clamp puts a slight crease in the bars as it compresses them, and one side of the bars snaps off some fairly long time later. If it does, there's a fairly high chance of a nasty crash.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Oh, well spotted - I read it as the other way round! No, that would definitely be a dodgy thing to do and it's not as if the consequences of stem or bars failure would be minor ...
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Its beyond me why people bother trying to make things that arent compatible sit together, personally, if it isnt designed for a given task, I wouldnt use it for said task. Call me overly cautious but if it fails, you have no comeback whatsoever.
MartinC
Über Member
- Location
- Cheltenham
Zoiders
New Member
- Location
- Ice Station Zebra
Is this a single bolt quil stem by any chance?
People do it all the time, as long as you aren't mountain biking on it it won't be an issue as the the older stems were reliant on having a bit of give to them anyway as part of the clamping arangement.
If it's a newer stem with a removable face plate I would not mess with it though.
People do it all the time, as long as you aren't mountain biking on it it won't be an issue as the the older stems were reliant on having a bit of give to them anyway as part of the clamping arangement.
If it's a newer stem with a removable face plate I would not mess with it though.
OP
OP
Manonabike
Über Member
Actually it is a single bolt quill stem and no, no mounting biking
mainly flat terrain.ColinJ, I woke up this morning imagining what it would have been like having your bar turning 90 degrees......
Yesterday I did a fair bit of reading on this topic and it seems to me that quite a few people do this with a quill stem and never report a problem......
I'm glad to say that I have found an identical bar but in 25.4mm so it's now on its way here
Thanks for all the suggestions.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
It shook me up!
I'd just descended this bridleway as fast as I dared. It gets steeper, rougher and rockier than that further down the valley!
OP
OP
Manonabike
Über Member
Ouch I think I will sleep better now that I know a 25.4 it's on its way now
I think I will sleep better now that I know a 25.4 it's on its way now 
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I was walking down there once and I met an old guy riding up it on a touring bike with big panniers on. I was quite impressed with how well he got up it.Colin as much as I like Paris-Roubaix, I hope we don't detour up there on any future CC rides!
