Help Please w/ Stupid Question About Quill Stems & Forks

[John Phillips]

   I feel I have forgotten an important piece of bicycle wisdom:

    My Tallux stem can only go about 125mm into the fork on my Hunqapillar, but is it safe to tighten the stem where it bottoms out, or should I raise the stem above this point before tightening the stem bolt?

    If so, how far, in mm's or cm's, should I raise the stem before it's safe to tighten the stem bolt?

Sorry for the stupid question, but thanks for any advice/help you can give me.

John

[Drw]

I believe the area you want to avoid tightening it is where the threads are, and right at the point where it bottoms out. I think raising it a tiny amount above the bottoming out point is safe. That’s my recollection, at least.

[Joe Bernard]

Yes, you want to raise it enough to avoid the butted section right at the bottom. The headtube narrows down there; you want the wedge fully gripping straight walls.

[Kainalu V. -Brooklyn NY]

1 millimeter will do, but if that doesn't get you where you want to be, shortening the quill's no big deal.

-Kai (who iften wishes this were an issue for me (my head tubes are bottomless))

[John Phillips]

  Thank you everyone, much appreciated!

John