It’s recommended to always have a headset spacer (3mm or 5mm is fine) above your stem.
The upper portion of the BITS carrier (what replaces a stem preloaded cap) sits flush. So if you aren’t running a spacer above your stem it will work fine.
As per my comment above, I keep my steerer tubes long to effect swapping between different frames and testing different bars. If they were forever combos I’d trim them.
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I don’t think BITS and EnCase are really comparable products. Or at least, I see different users/use cases for both tools and can’t see anyone being undecided between the too.
To compare to other tools, BITS is certainly in the camp of OneUp’s EDC where EnCase is like Fix-It-Sticks with a handlebar cattier.
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BITS is a 9-function multi-tool with the leverage to tighten loose larger (8mm & 6mm hex head) bolts and perform adjustments. It’s on my Marin as it’s perfect for tuning my shock (3mm), straightening my stem (5mm), and removing my rear axle (assuming it’s properly greased and not overtightened - 5mm or 6mm). The steerer tube mounting system is ~ universal.
EnCase is a 14-function tool with enough leverage to install a set of RaceFace cranks (8mm), to adjust the swingers on my single speed (6mm), to properly crank down rotor bolts (T-25), and extra functions (T-10, Spoke tool, valve core tool) that are handy. It’s on my Walt because I do sometimes tension my chain in the woods (even though I certainly try to make sure my bikes are dialled before leaving home). The ironic thing with EnCase is a lot of people I know who’d have the money to buy the system without a second thought have carbon bars with too narrow an ID to run it.
In terms of use, EnCase takes more fiddling than BITS to use so for someone on the clock BITS is going to be a much faster option. It’s also the simpler tool for folks prone to losing stuff on the trail (I have no doubt folks have lost individual EnCase bits already).
On the other hand, EnCase is much, much closer to being a shop-tool experience on the trail. It’s genuinely pleasant to use. If I was going on a road trip I’d take proper individual duplicates of everything in the BITS tool in my car. With the EnCase that wouldn’t be necessary.
Hope that’s helpful.
July 24, 2020, 7:02 a.m. - Andrew Major
It’s recommended to always have a headset spacer (3mm or 5mm is fine) above your stem. The upper portion of the BITS carrier (what replaces a stem preloaded cap) sits flush. So if you aren’t running a spacer above your stem it will work fine. As per my comment above, I keep my steerer tubes long to effect swapping between different frames and testing different bars. If they were forever combos I’d trim them. - I don’t think BITS and EnCase are really comparable products. Or at least, I see different users/use cases for both tools and can’t see anyone being undecided between the too. To compare to other tools, BITS is certainly in the camp of OneUp’s EDC where EnCase is like Fix-It-Sticks with a handlebar cattier. - BITS is a 9-function multi-tool with the leverage to tighten loose larger (8mm & 6mm hex head) bolts and perform adjustments. It’s on my Marin as it’s perfect for tuning my shock (3mm), straightening my stem (5mm), and removing my rear axle (assuming it’s properly greased and not overtightened - 5mm or 6mm). The steerer tube mounting system is ~ universal. EnCase is a 14-function tool with enough leverage to install a set of RaceFace cranks (8mm), to adjust the swingers on my single speed (6mm), to properly crank down rotor bolts (T-25), and extra functions (T-10, Spoke tool, valve core tool) that are handy. It’s on my Walt because I do sometimes tension my chain in the woods (even though I certainly try to make sure my bikes are dialled before leaving home). The ironic thing with EnCase is a lot of people I know who’d have the money to buy the system without a second thought have carbon bars with too narrow an ID to run it. In terms of use, EnCase takes more fiddling than BITS to use so for someone on the clock BITS is going to be a much faster option. It’s also the simpler tool for folks prone to losing stuff on the trail (I have no doubt folks have lost individual EnCase bits already). On the other hand, EnCase is much, much closer to being a shop-tool experience on the trail. It’s genuinely pleasant to use. If I was going on a road trip I’d take proper individual duplicates of everything in the BITS tool in my car. With the EnCase that wouldn’t be necessary. Hope that’s helpful.