Shim a 35mm stem to...
 

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[Closed] Shim a 35mm stem to 31.8mm?

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Dodgy or not? I see shims are available on ebay, but not sure if they will work acceptably.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 12:24 pm
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To reduce the handlebar clamp size you can use in 35mm stem? Given stems and bars are daily checks I’d either get a new bar or stem.

Planet X do a 35mm clamp /
780mm width bar for cheap usually. El Guapo Saloon bar. Often discounted to £15 and it’s pretty light and if you get it in black with Matt black decals it’s subtle too.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 12:46 pm
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I wouldn't, not on a stem. No reason to back that up, I just wouldn't do it


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 1:45 pm
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I've been riding fleegles with shims for a couple of years with no issues.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 3:02 pm
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I've been riding 25.4mm Jones Loops in a 31.8mm stem - with a Jones-supplied shim for around 8 years.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 3:18 pm
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It's been done for decades with no issues. So if you just have to have that bar / stem combo then I can't see a problem. Having said that, this is a high stress area that relies on tight tolerances so this is one area that I wouldn't want some random cheap Ebay purchase to be fitted. Problem Solvers make the needed shim (although seemingly not available where I live as I was looking for the same thing the other day...)


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 3:20 pm
 croe
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Would depend on the riding for me. A daunder with a bike - fine, ragging it around a trail - no.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 3:21 pm
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I have been using them on my trail bike (with carbon bars). A bit of a faff to get all lined up but no evidence of them creeping out etc. They fit both the bars and stem spot on.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 6:07 pm
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Also I imagine the tolerances for bar diameter are quite loose as that part of the bars is not machined.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 6:11 pm
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To be safe I have gone all in & ordered a 35mm dia 38mm rise burgtec bar.
It was really a test I wanted to try. My 20mm carbon riser bars feel too low & I had some 30mm risers to try, but of course they didnt fit the 35mm stem.
Hopefully this will resolve my issue.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 7:38 pm
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Would depend on the riding for me. A daunder with a bike – fine, ragging it around a trail – no.

Sounds like the OP's found some 35mm bars now anyway but fatty gets hammered and whilst not an enduro/downhill bike it is rigid so probably gets similar if not higher loads.

I did think about it for a while, and concluded that as there isn't a consistent design of stem clamp that it really shouldn't make a difference how the bar is eventually clamped. I was more worried about the stem as it's never normally clamping onto nothing in the center as the shim is made up of 4x parts which have a lip on the outer edge to locate them at the outer edges on the stem.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 8:21 am

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