Toptube Tuner Cups - change toptube length

I enjoy my circa 2005 intense uzzi. My only complaint is its a tad short in the toptube. I recently got a screaming deal on a totem 1 1/8 steeertube, so that got me thinking about a way to solve my slightly too short frame, and thought this would be a cool project.

We've all seen the reducer cups, as well as the reducer headsets, well how about an OFFSET REDUCING CUP?

From Concept

To Proto

Installation:

Ready to ride:

Depending how you install it, it will either lengthen or shorten YOUR 1.5 HEADTUBE BIKE by about 5.5mm or almost a 1/4". You obviously must run a 1 1 /8 fork.

They need to be installed straight, just like is done with anglesets.

I was running a 60mm stem on my uzzi and i felt cramped, I switched to a 65mm stem and felt more comfortable, so yes 5mm does make a difference. Problem is i didn't like the extra stem length for DH and the trails I ride.

After one ride I'm very happy with the results. Cups are rock solid and havnt moved, and I felt more comfotable on the bike - both climbing and descending. The stock medium uzzi had a paltry 22.75" toptube, and now its pretty well a standard 23"

Anyhow, I have some extras made so if this appeals to anyone I would be willing to give these away for FREE (maybe).

Bike sizing is always a compromise for those on the cusp in betweeen sizes. A cool niche product!

Id like to run these on my santa cruz driver 8 please! :)
This is a cool idea. Props to you for bringing this to real life!!

i'd say take this down and go patent that shit.

then turn around and sell the patent to cane creek or whoever for a flat fee or $X per unit sold.

then come back here and host a HnB party for us all.

props for going out there and getting it done.

Can you really notice 5.5mm? You can get more than that out of stem/seat adjustments and bar positioning.

Can you really notice 5.5mm? You can get more than that out of stem/seat adjustments and bar positioning.

When you're at the edge of fit, sometimes 5mm can make enough of a difference. Take the saddle position out of the equation as the feel while descending is the reason people want a 50 instead of a 60 stem, and so on.

Very impressive.

Can you really notice 5.5mm? You can get more than that out of stem/seat adjustments and bar positioning.

the op stated that he could notice the 5mm in the stem but preferred to have the length in the TT. When one gets to these small changes, I totally agree that it might get hard to notice, but any step(even though it may be small) in the right direction……is still a step in the right direction.

At the end of the day, only the OP knows if it was worth it. If he made the reducers on his own time, I say it was totally worth it.

I did the offset reducers on the shock and while I think the change is minimal, I do "feel" as though the bike handles better.

I've been actually thinking of making some offset reducers for my PF30 bb. I could shorten or lengthen the chain stay or raise or lower the BB height….mmmm…need lathe at home and not work, seeing how I'm not often at work.

The market for this has to be quite small. Full length 1.5 headtubes are in decline, taper is spec’d more and more. It would be cool if the flush onepointfive headtube (56mm ID) gained some momentum, with this concept you could get a full 8-9mm extension/shorten - that’s a 16-18mm adjustability in marketing speak.

Bike fit is such a personal, biometric thing. Having one bike size (example being a medium uzzi) that’s designed to fit riders from 5’7” to 6’0”, compromises will be made.

I was quite surprised at how much 5.5mm changed how it felt. I’ve owned this bike for years and the difference was definetley noticable. As I said, I tried longer stems, to the point where they compromised handling. And sliding the seat back further just messed up climbing position.

A good lesson in learning about headtube and headset cup tolerancing. Cane creek has some good info online.

I didn’t anodize them, just coated with grease. Will they cold weld or gall to the frame over time?

and for the record I'm 5'10.5", 32" inseam. Long-ish torso.

Newer generation medium uzzi has a 23" toptube, just like my bike now:lol:

I was quite surprised at how much 5.5mm changed how it felt. I’ve owned this bike for years and the difference was definetley noticable. As I said, I tried longer stems, to the point where they compromised handling. And sliding the seat back further just messed up climbing position.

Good to know. Quite often a small change can make a big difference, but it's hard to seperate physical change with any perceived or psychological effect. Some people are definitely more in tune with their bikes. I have a hard time finding bikes that fit, I have relatively short arms and legs, so I tend to go for a slightly smaller frame, but it's rare that I find anything that fits me perfectly.

Like Bryan, I also did the offset reducer mod, and I was amazed at the change that it made on the bike. It felt like an entirely new bike to me, something I wasn't expecting at all.

that's DAMN cool!

5 bucks says DW is slapping a patent on it as we read this.

Nice work.

Very cool, I was just thinking of the same thing the other day! I'm effectively doing the same thing on my Santa Cruz Chameleon with the eccentric bottom bracket rotated to its most rearward position to get a steeper seat tube angle.

If I had a straight 1 1/8" fork I would consider doing this on my Nomad. At 6'5" tall I'm at the upper range of the XL size and don't have the option of going to a larger frame. 5mm definitely does make a difference to me.

Edit: I'm thinking that I could use my tapered steerer tube with an EC44 lower cup adapter. Even better would be to machine a set to allow the bearings to sit directly in the adapter cups.