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Speed Concept can't handle drop bars???
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I've had issues with the internal steerer/stem on my Speed Concept grinding/wearing out. I got the local Trek dealer to contact Trek to help diagnose the issue, and they are telling me it's because I have drop bars attached. (I use drop bars + clip ons)

I guess what I don't understand is that if I switched to a base bar, my hands would be at the exact same spot as the hoods on my drop bars. I have my bars on the high side, and I think the drops are also within a reasonable range for where someone might have their base bar, so I'm pretty skeptical of this argument.
I also use 38cm drop bars and the bike originally came with 42cm, so I think that would also mean less leverage/torque.

Is there some other reason I'm missing as to why drop bars cause more wear on the steerer?

(The severity of the issue is such that I just replaced everything between the handlebars and fork, and it lasted about 3 months before there was major creaking and visible wear on the internal steerer)
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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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AngrySaki wrote:
I've had issues with the internal steerer/stem on my Speed Concept grinding/wearing out. I got the local Trek dealer to contact Trek to help diagnose the issue, and they are telling me it's because I have drop bars attached. (I use drop bars + clip ons)

I guess what I don't understand is that if I switched to a base bar, my hands would be at the exact same spot as the hoods on my drop bars. I have my bars on the high side, and I think the drops are also within a reasonable range for where someone might have their base bar, so I'm pretty skeptical of this argument.
I also use 38cm drop bars and the bike originally came with 42cm, so I think that would also mean less leverage/torque.

Is there some other reason I'm missing as to why drop bars cause more wear on the steerer?

(The severity of the issue is such that I just replaced everything between the handlebars and fork, and it lasted about 3 months before there was major creaking and visible wear on the internal steerer)

Send them a video of one of their WT riders racking the absolute shit out of those base bars coming out of a slow corner or over a slow riser in a prologue TT and then ask them to re-asses their position about the stress from the bar.
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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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AngrySaki wrote:
I've had issues with the internal steerer/stem on my Speed Concept grinding/wearing out. I got the local Trek dealer to contact Trek to help diagnose the issue, and they are telling me it's because I have drop bars attached. (I use drop bars + clip ons)

I guess what I don't understand is that if I switched to a base bar, my hands would be at the exact same spot as the hoods on my drop bars. I have my bars on the high side, and I think the drops are also within a reasonable range for where someone might have their base bar, so I'm pretty skeptical of this argument.
I also use 38cm drop bars and the bike originally came with 42cm, so I think that would also mean less leverage/torque.

Is there some other reason I'm missing as to why drop bars cause more wear on the steerer?

(The severity of the issue is such that I just replaced everything between the handlebars and fork, and it lasted about 3 months before there was major creaking and visible wear on the internal steerer)

which speed concept do you have?

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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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Can you give more info on your SC, maybe post a pic?
What year/version is it? How do you have the bars attached? Is yours a SC9 and you are using the topper to attach a normal stem to? Or is it one of the older 7 series models that used just regular stems?
I'm thinking maybe what they meant wasn't so much the drop bars themselves, but the way they are installed (ie. the stem interface), but need more info from you.
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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [SBRcanuck] [ In reply to ]
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I think it's a Speed Concpet 7.5, but I'm not sure of the exact model.

I don't have a picture of the whole bike handy at the moment, but this is the stem i'm using:





This is what happens to the internal steerer:


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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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I don't have a picture of it handy at the moment, but it's this model:

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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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This is an inane and insane explanation, handlebars shouldn't make any difference at all. However, if you are using a special adapter for your drop handlebars, what trek might be saying is that there is a flaw in the design of that drop bar adapter.

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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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That looks to be the adapter that Trek provides with the SC frames to allow you to use a regular stem.
To me it looks like the adapter is somehow not holding tight to the top of the steerer, and/or you have a ton of sweat getting in there - saying this because of how bad the bearing race looks. That doesn't look to me like some grinding, it looks like corrosion all over the race. Perhaps that top adapter isn't installed properly, all the way on, not sealed at bottom? Not sure as I've never used on myself.
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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [SBRcanuck] [ In reply to ]
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I've had the bike for 3 years, and I've had the issue every year. I think over the years sweat has gotten in, but this past year I replaced everything (in March, and it started to creak early July).
I never used the bike on the trainer, but I am a salty sweater.

First I tried just replacing the internal steerer,
Then I tried replacing the steerer & stem,
This year I replaced everything between the fork & handlebars

Looking up close to the old steerers I have, it really looks like the anodized layer has worn off to me as opposed to corrosion.
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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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AngrySaki wrote:
I've had the bike for 3 years, and I've had the issue every year. I think over the years sweat has gotten in, but this past year I replaced everything (in March, and it started to creak early July).
I never used the bike on the trainer, but I am a salty sweater.

First I tried just replacing the internal steerer,
Then I tried replacing the steerer & stem,
This year I replaced everything between the fork & handlebars

Looking up close to the old steerers I have, it really looks like the anodized layer has worn off to me as opposed to corrosion.

Looking at it, it appears that may just be a design "feature". There are a lot of separate pieces taking the place of what is normally just one tube. I can't tell without actually holding it. There may also be a specific order that you need to install the cap and tighten the bolts to properly align and load everything. If the anodizing is wearing off, that seems like a flex / alignment issue to me?

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Re: Speed Concept can't handle drop bars??? [AngrySaki] [ In reply to ]
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AngrySaki wrote:
I've had the bike for 3 years, and I've had the issue every year. I think over the years sweat has gotten in, but this past year I replaced everything (in March, and it started to creak early July).
I never used the bike on the trainer, but I am a salty sweater.

First I tried just replacing the internal steerer,
Then I tried replacing the steerer & stem,
This year I replaced everything between the fork & handlebars

Looking up close to the old steerers I have, it really looks like the anodized layer has worn off to me as opposed to corrosion.

Well just looking at what appears to be a bearing race in your pics - it looks brown/rusted.
When I had my gen 1 SC, the upper and lower headtube bearings were completely shot after two seasons, meaning they were probably ready to be replaced after one season....its just an area that naturally is gonna have sweat and sports drink spilling into it.
What I'd try - start fresh again with a new steerer rod (or whatever it is called) and bearings. Re-use everything else. Make a point of lifting off the stub every 2-3 months and drying/cleaning/lubing in there.
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