there is nothing inherently safe about having one spacer under the stem. some companies do call for having a single spacer over the stem, so the steerer passes fully through the stem, reducing the chance of pinching the top of the steerer, but Cannondale is not one of them. they actually recommend cutting the steerer and running no spacers over the stem once you have your position dialed.

Guymk, you and some others here make it sound like bike fit was an absolute thing. It totally isn't, you can very well work on being able to handle a lower position.

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Bikes: Raceur, Beateur

Good to hear as this is for a CAAD9 and my next bike (as of now) will be an EVO. Thank you.

And to everybody else that's contributed, thanks.

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Project CAAD9 7.2kg
The CAAD Build Thread

If you are worried about the look and weight savings, get rid of that lap top attached to your stem first.

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TIME RXR

Shouldn't that be called a stemtop?

watch youtube while you ride.

I was being sarcastic.....thanks for the input!

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2012 Fuji Altamira SE - 6.42kg

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=111416" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can someone confirm (or deny) the following; I was told by a well respected ex pro cyclist that you should NEVER put the stem directly on the headset....always have a spacer even if it is just a shim. Why is that?

Anyone, anyone?

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It's not how much you spend on a bike it's how hard you can ride it.

It could be that bottom of most stems is not precisely machined and spacer
would even out the pressure on top cap.

To chime in I would only accept -17deg. slammed stems in the stem club and not
those cheating 6-8 deg. stems.

DAMMIT!
More info please.
That looks like the size I'm wanting.

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Project CAAD9 7.2kg
The CAAD Build Thread

You can't run that on your CAAD9. Its made for the 1.5 inch System headtube.

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Can anyone confirm I don't need to run spacers above the stem with a Ritchey WCS fork?

Thanks

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2011 Cannondale Flash F1
2010 Cannondale Caad9
2000 Cannondale Caad 4 aero
1999 Cannondale Caad1
???? Concorde SS

Oscar Freire has to be one of the kings of the slammed stem. Rabobank mechanics had to make a custom topcap to run that stem so low.

http://www.velowire.com/watermark_photo.php?ID=8966

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Ride it like you stole it

A 15-10 mm spacer underneath the stem is not a slammed stem.

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There is nothing lighter than a hole

So the definition of "slammed" sub-10mm?

I like the 10mm max now.

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Project CAAD9 7.2kg
The CAAD Build Thread