Klein headset change?

[IanC]

Hi guys, this is my first post here and just have a quick question that I think I probably know the answer to but wanted to make sure of.

I have a Klein Quantum Pro that I bought from a mate a couple of years ago and have been having neck problems over the last few months. The frame is too big for me at 60cm as I am a 54 really so I'm currently looking at a smaller replacement.

Anyway, before buying a different bike and getting rid of my beloved Klein I'd like to try changing the stem to something shorter and more upward but unfortunately the bike uses a 1 1/16 stem (MC3) rather than the standard 1 1/8. Is there anything I can do or am I stuck with having a get a new bike?

 

[The_Don]

You might be interested in my post I made on saturday explaining how to do the very same thing you want to do in the Road forum.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=149742

By the way, how tall are you? I'm 178cm or 5' 10" on the Queen's scale and mine is a 57cm but I usually ride a 56cm frame with 10cm stem.

I swapped my stem for a 9cm stem and short reach drops and am loving it!

But you are talking a frame that is really quite big. Why not ebay it out and use the money to buy an Ebay Klein pro in your size?

 

[IanC]

That is a cool thread, the world needs more people like you my friend. Are you sure it's safe though, would be slightly worried it slipping off.

Was it necessary to change the forks? I also notice that your MC2 looks identical to what I have on my Pro but BikePedia lists it as MC3, what do you think?

I'm 5'8 so should have a smaller frame ideally but i'm quite attached to the bike so a simply solution like yours may be worth trying first.

 

[The_Don]

It's very secure with the shim. Klein used to sell a shim for the task, almost identical in thickness to the seatpost shim I used.

I have tried twisting my bars and it is not coming off.

Also, the fork is glued into the headset bearings. So does not come off easily.

 

[IanC]

Sounds like I'll have to get myself a headset tool, do you know if the tool for MC2 will fit MC3 at all? I can never see the MC3 tool about but there's always an MC2 tool on Ebay.

 

[The_Don]

Mc3 uses Allen keys, just like the modern threadless stems.

Only mc2 requires a special tool. Yours should only need to take off, cut a shim to size and put on a new stem.

Take off the stem and post a photo to confirm.

 

[IanC]

It sounds like mine is MC2 afterall then, looks identical to yours. I can't undo the stem without the tool unfortuantely, will post a picture up tonight when I get home from work.

 

[The_Don]

PM'd you

 

[IanC]

Bump.

 

[IanC]

Sorry, needed that so I could get to 5 posts and post a link.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i26/I ... 1_2141.jpg

Here's the stem, I actually managed to loosen it off with mole grips (shock horror) without damaging it but it only went a turn or two before stiffening up again so I gave up. Still attached to the fork solidly.