Threaded versus threadless headset

Hi,
What's the advantage of a threadless headset over an oldfashioned threaded
one? Is the threaded one stiffer/lighter? Would it improve my riding in any
way going from threaded to threadless?
Hjalmar

hjalmar- What's the advantage of a threadless headset over an oldfashioned
threaded
one? Is the threaded one stiffer/lighter? Would it improve my riding in any
way going from threaded to threadless? BRBR

The advantage goes to the fork makers on this one. They save $(not passed on to
you, BTW) by making forks with only one steerer length versus threaded that
came in many.

Threadless does not offer any performance or strength advantages or a well made
threaded setup. However, as the bike industry merrily rolls along doing things
that may save $, masking it in 'performance enhancing' marketing drivel,
threaded forks are becoming scarce indeed.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

I like threaded stems for a few reasons. There is more adjustability *
without* changing stems or stacking spacer washers on top of the stem. They
look better (IMO). They don't have clamp bolts on the back of the stem.
Because they are out of style they can be had rather inexpensively...

Most of my bikes have threadless though. They are generally easier to change
stems and do maintenance on the headsets.

Maurice

"Hjalmar Duklæt" a écrit dans le message de
...
Hi,
What's the advantage of a threadless headset over an oldfashioned threaded
one? Is the threaded one stiffer/lighter? Would it improve my riding in
any
way going from threaded to threadless?
Hjalmar



No difference at all as far as riding is concerned. Differences are in
construction, cost, flexibility and durability.

- With threadless headset, the manufacturer may manufacture a very long for
and cut or (or have it cut by the LBS) to the required length. Less
inventory.

- Threaded is nicer. Highly subjective, but it's more gracious on a nice
road or touring bike.

- Threadless headset is less adjustable. With threaded, one may slide in and
out the quill to raise handlebars; with threadless, you need to move spacers
around (not as nice) or use an adjustable quill, which also change the
reach.

- In theory, threadless is lighter. But if you get a stem with any kind of
adjustability, you forego any weight gain.

- Threadless is easier to fix on the road as you don't need to carry a
cumbersome headset tool.

- With threadless, there is one less joint to crack. So if you hear
handlebar noise, it's easier to find.

- A threadless headset is stronger, but I think it's much more due to the
fact typical threadless is 1 1/8" whereas threaded is 1" in nominal
diametre. The added strength is more important for off-road riding than
on-road riding. Threaded headsets worked for many years on road and touring
without problems, however.

Michel

David L. Johnson wrote in message ...

With a quill stem (that is, with a threaded fork and headset),

Dave, when was the last time you saw anyone
riding with those old things, these days
everyone ride threadless.

And if you do see guys with quill stems on the
next ride then find another group to ride with,
because they are the 'B' group. Those are
probably the same lamers that are running
conventional 32 spoke wheels. Not the types
you want to been seen with!

In article ,
Hjalmar Duklæt wrote:
What's the advantage of a threadless headset over an oldfashioned threaded
one?

* Lighter weight
* Some types of forks easier to find threadless
* Headset can be adjusted with an allen wrench on the road

Disadvantages -

* Some sucky threadless headsets defy proper adjustment
* If you take the stem off you have to readjust the headset

Is the threaded one stiffer/lighter?

The threadless one is usually lighter.

Threadless can be stiffer, although the stiffness difference is
irrelevant to most riders. And if you replace a steel fork with a
carbon one as part of the change, you will lose more stiffness than
you'll gain.

Would it improve my riding in any
way going from threaded to threadless?

The weight reduction is the only appreciable benefit, and you
will find it does not affect your speed by much. But if tinkering
with your bike makes you happy, it may improve your riding.

--Paul

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 16:41:24 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni"
wrote:


David L. Johnson wrote in message ...

With a quill stem (that is, with a threaded fork and headset),

Dave, when was the last time you saw anyone
riding with those old things, these days
everyone ride threadless.

And if you do see guys with quill stems on the
next ride then find another group to ride with,
because they are the 'B' group. Those are
probably the same lamers that are running
conventional 32 spoke wheels. Not the types
you want to been seen with!


Is my irony meter is broken? I get mixed readings on this one...

In article ,
David L. Johnson wrote:
Very few new bikes have a
spacer on top of the stem, so adjusting the bars upward is only possible
if flipping the stem over raises the position.

Or if you use a steer tube extender. Which works fine and costs
little but is admittedly hideous. But it's nicer than a quill stem in
the sense that you can add rise to any threadless stem, a lot cheaper
and easier than you can find a replacement quill stem with more rise.
If what you want is proper fit, it works fine.

In the case of someone doing a fresh conversion to threadless however,
this really isn't an issue - just buy the right fork.

--Paul

"Hjalmar Duklæt" wrote in message
...
Hi,
What's the advantage of a threadless headset over an oldfashioned threaded
one? Is the threaded one stiffer/lighter? Would it improve my riding in any
way going from threaded to threadless?

The single big advantage of threadless is that they don't corrode themselves
stuck like quill stems (and seat posts).

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 12:07:00 -0400, "David L. Johnson"
may have said:

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 13:59:04 +0000, Richard Ney wrote:

Hjalmar Duklæt writes:

What's the advantage of a threadless headset over an oldfashioned
threaded one? Is the threaded one stiffer/lighter? Would it improve my
riding in any way going from threaded to threadless?

There's no movement in the threadless steerer-stem connection, as there is
in a stem using a wedge.
The threadless stem clamps directly to the steerer.

Along with lots of other imaginary advantages. Would it improve your
riding? No. Is there movement between the stem and steerer tube in
threaded fork? If you grab the front wheel and twist the bars, maybe, but
you do not twist the bars like that when riding. Remember, you can
control your bike riding no hands, so the amount of stress your stem will
be under in turning the bike is very, very small. Most stress on any stem
is just from you resting part of your weight on the bars.

As one who has yanked the quill entirely out of the tube, I can tell
you that this is a dangerous assumption to make. Riders can and will
*pull* on the bars when pedalling hard. Sometimes hard *vertically*.
This remains true whether it's advisable and safe or not. This would
seem to mitigate in favor of the threadless design; the attachment
method is probably stronger, but as you note, the reality is that
threadless fork setups can be a pain to get matched to a rider.

And, unfortunately, at present, threading the tube is stinking
expensive.

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