Specialized Headset Bearing Query

Technical question regarding upper headset bearing and slamming my stem - Stock upper bearings on my Specialized are 1-1/8" Cr-Mo cartridge bearings w/ 20mm Cane Creek carbon cone spacer. I want to slam my stem and get rid of the 20mm Cane Creek carbon cone spacer (I’ve just cut it in half at the moment), but the spacer has a groove in it which stops the flop between the stem steerer tube and the bearings. I’ve tried using an FSA I had lying around but becasue that groove wasn’t present as in the Cane Creek spacer it wasn’t much cop.

My current bearings are stamped with ACB 4545 1125 BO - Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can slam my stem without the flop?

Thanks in advance!

You might be able to buy a shorter top cap. Do you have a real bike fit based reason to slam the stem? Why not just use a negative angle stem?

Yeah I can definitely buy a shorter / narrower top cap, the question is what top cap will work with the bearings I currently have or do I have to buy a complete bearing / topcap combo. I asked Cane Creek originaly but their customer support seem to have all gone on long service leave.

For my Allez Sprint i just bought a cheap one from Aliexpress, that would fit a a 1 1/8 steerer. Important is that there is an inner lip , that compresses onto the the small expander insert between the actual bearing and the steerer.

Yeap - It’s that lip that was missing from the FSA caps I had lying around. Any chance you could post or PM me a link to the one you got?

Ta


Got that one lying around and not using it. I can send it to you via post if you want to. Don’t want anything for that . If it doesn’t fit at least you didn’t waste the money.
Otherwise here are the links : https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1PCS-carbon-fiber-bicycle-headset-spacer-mtb-bike-washer-taper-moutain-road-bike-fork-cover-1/32768345795.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dElGCdA
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/Full-carbon-fiber-bicycle-headset-spacer-mtb-road-bike-washer-taper-moutain-bike-fork-cover-1/32754974922.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.3e8d4c4dHYgGJC

Forgot to mention: just to consider, if you ever ride in the wet, you seldom will find a headset cover with a rubber seal on it if they are that low.

Can you not just stick a stem spacer underneath there? Might need a really thin one (1-2mm) but that should be easier to source than a special headset cover.

Thanks, I’m looking for something narrower, literally 2mm, and I’m not sure if the need for the lip / stabilisation will not allow that and if I need a new bearing AND cover.

Here is what I currently have going on:

And here is what I want going on:

No dice, flops around, the cover has a groove which seems integral to the stability.

Ahh I see: check out those then Certified Slammed

Cheers - I’ve sent them a message…no response after a few days.