<<hi , i noticed in one of bob hanson's pics of his very nice world travele r that the stem limit line was about a 1/2 " above the top nut of the headset.is it ok to disregard that limit line a bit?i have a 57 cm c-c fram e that i would like to get the bars up about that much higher. yes ,no, maybe?>>
Kevin,
It's not a good idea to disregard it. The stem limit line is an attempt to ensure that the expander is below the threaded portion of the steerer. The steerer can split apart with the combination of an overtightened stem wedge within the threaded portion (especially if it also has a long keyway,) and the additional leverage created by the longer quill section now above the headset.
A quick sampling of forks and stems here showed a range of 1" to 2-1/2" of threads on steerers, with an approximate median of 1-1/2". Stems' minimum i nsertion lines ranged from about 1" to just about 2". Most, again, were in the 1-1/2" range.
The limit line, then, appears to be only an approximation of an average. If your steerer has a short threaded section, and your stem a long section be low the line, you could conceivably insert it with the line showing. I woul d measure it though, to be sure. Twice.
<<i know they make extension tubes though never have seen one.>>
Extension tubes are available, but most are rather cheap and cheesy-looking affairs. Better to get a stem with a longer quill if one is available.
Greg Reiche CyclArt Vista, CA USA
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