Current Projects chat and miscellany

It'll be 9 cogs with 10 speed.

Help!
I've got a gitaine branded ITM quill stem, and some new deda piega bars.
Shop said everything was compatible, but I have a feeling I've squeezed 26 bars into a 25.4 stem.
Whilst it hasn't killed me yet, I'm concerned, and also the whole setup seems really flexy. (admittedly this is my first experience with a quill setup, having previously used 1 1/8th stem to 25.4 cinelli stem and nitro bars.)
I'm a heavier rider at 85kg, and probably wrench on the bars a fair bit, so any suggestions on a new 1" quill and bar setup that would be less flexy? Stem is already comfortably slammed, and bars are a bit small for me at 40/42cm

Aluminium or steel itm stem?

Alu, according to a weak magnet (that sticks to the frame)
If I knew for sure that they were compatible I wouldn't worry so much. Tbf I've ridden them for a year, albeit on a short commute mostly, and again, not dead yet.

You’re worried for a good reason. Stay away from that solution, get a matching combo.

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/794237-26mm-bar-25-4mm-stem.html

I won't name and shame I guess, but feel ripped off by the bike shop who sold them as the same size. I just accepted they were untill I was looking at swapping out my bars and realised I'm running this off combination. Is there any way I can measure the stem clamp size now? Or likely to be deformed by the larger bars?

is it a welded stem? I always found those to be pretty flexy and even a bit ... ehem ... snappy

Forged 1 piece stems are a lot better

FTFY> Forged 1 piece stems are a lot stronger but less stiff...

wrong thread lmao*

I won't name and shame I guess, but feel ripped off by the bike shop who sold them as the same size.

If I've understood what you've written correctly, you've no reason to feel ripped-off.

What makes you think they're different sizes? What have you actually measured?

25.4mm was the British standard (later adopted in the Far East) and ITM are Italian, so 26.0mm is more likely.

Quill stems are inherently flexible. If you want something stiffer, you want Ahead.

Well, I bought a frame, and needed a stem. they sold me the stem, and in the same transaction discussed needing bars for the build too, so they sold me the dedas. all in one package.

A year later, when I'm looking into some new (wider) handlebars, I'm finding what was sold to me as compatible, is potentially not?

hopefully the ITM is infact 26.0, and I'm not totally sure how to accurately measure that after the fact of having had the 26.0 bars installed.

https://www.cyclollector.com/gb/stems/1259-quill-stem-itm-400-racing-cycles-gitane.html

lists it as 25.4... either way, it's knocked my confidence in a potentially face mashingly important part of my bike, and I'm a bit miffed if the shop has sold it to me as a compatible cockpit.

ITM makes loads of stems in 26mm.
I think it's most probable that your setup is a correct match and that the flexiness is down to the fact that it's an old alu quill stem.

To get a stiffer front end the best course is to try to find a 1" threadless fork, matching headset, 1 1/8" OS stem with a shim and oversize bars.

I'm not totally sure how to accurately measure that

Pick up some callipers. Take a bunch of measurements across the area. It’s not hard.

As said already ..... most ITM were 26.0mm stems and deda plenty of bars with that clamp area size. Cinelli and 3TTT sold a lot of 26.4 too.

They do all feel a bit flexible compared to modern kit.

it's pretty easy to know when you're squeezing 26.0mm bars into a 25.4mm stem, it really doesn't want to go (i've done it). So if your bars move around fairly freely then the stem is probably fine.

It's quite hard to see what you're actually miffed about? Just buy some wider Dedas seems like all you want to do?

Quite a contrast to all the practical looking bikes around it!

This is great

Another long term project that's finished. Pete did an excellent job on lacing these difficult hubs. He spend fair amount of time, parts and frustration to get them build.

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Those hubs look wild. What are the wheels going on?

Thanks, these will be used with my Eddy Merckx. Will post a pic soon

Waaa cool job !

This happened

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What happened? Your bike fell over and broke the seatpost so now your saddle is stuck at a stupid angle?

Oof!

Sounds like you should have stayed in bed.

:) xx

I am still in bed! It was written with a smile, not malice :)