Threaded or threadless?? what to go for??

[MorganIRL]

I've acquired an old frame, I think early '80's Japanese or Taiwanese (thanks to nfmisso for his help there!) and I'm planning on building a single speed out of it. This is my first bike build so its a learning process for me, I'm pretty excited about the whole learning thing I must admit! I have a million and one questions to ask you bike guru's about bike building etc!
I plan on building the bike on a relatively low budget so I'll be looking on ebay for second hand parts etc. I want to keep the bike looking like an old bike not a new build where possible (as original as possible but not too bothered if its not the exact part that should have been on the bike, more important that it keeps the old school look if you know what I mean).
So my first question is about headsets and forks. I'd like to go for the quill stems as they are the look I want to go for.
The head tube will take a 1" fork, and my question is, do I go for threadless or threaded forks/headsets? Whats the advantage over the other? As I will be buying these I can go either way and was wondering which one to go for and what to look out for?

[DaveM]

Good project! Either style will work fine. Here's some plusses/minuses
- Quill stem/threaded fork will certainly look more classic and period appropriate. You can only use a quill stem on a threaded fork, so if that look is important, you don't have much choice.
- Quill stems allow you easier height adjustment without changing the stem
- threadless is a little bit lighter and rigid
- threadless is easier to change the stem if you want to swap lengths, angles, styles.
- threadless will have more choice of parts and might be a little cheaper.

Clamp diameter where the stem grabs the bars can be confusing. Most older style quill stems for drop bars will be 26.0 mm. Some modern drop bars have a much bigger diameter. Straight bars are typically 25.4 mm. Make sure you get matching bars and stem.

When stems list a length like "80 mm", it generally refers to the horizontal length from the center of the binder bolt to the center of the bar clamp area. 80 - 120 are pretty standard lengths. The length controls how stretched out you'll be on the bike. Hard to know exactly what is the "right size". If someone else has a bike you like the fit of, try measuring from the middle of the seat to the clamp on the bars. Then measure your frame and try to estimate how long a stem you'll need to replicate it.

[MorganIRL]

(07-11-2013, 05:48 AM)DaveM Wrote:  Good project! Either style will work fine. Here's some plusses/minuses
- Quill stem/threaded fork will certainly look more classic and period appropriate. You can only use a quill stem on a threaded fork, so if that look is important, you don't have much choice.
- Quill stems allow you easier height adjustment without changing the stem
- threadless is a little bit lighter and rigid
- threadless is easier to change the stem if you want to swap lengths, angles, styles.
- threadless will have more choice of parts and might be a little cheaper.

Clamp diameter where the stem grabs the bars can be confusing. Most older style quill stems for drop bars will be 26.0 mm. Some modern drop bars have a much bigger diameter. Straight bars are typically 25.4 mm. Make sure you get matching bars and stem.

When stems list a length like "80 mm", it generally refers to the horizontal length from the center of the binder bolt to the center of the bar clamp area. 80 - 120 are pretty standard lengths. The length controls how stretched out you'll be on the bike. Hard to know exactly what is the "right size". If someone else has a bike you like the fit of, try measuring from the middle of the seat to the clamp on the bars. Then measure your frame and try to estimate how long a stem you'll need to replicate it.

Thats great help DaveM, just what I was looking for, thanks!!

[nfmisso]

I'd go threaded, something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Threaded-Length-Chrome-Non-Canti/dp/B000AO9NTU/

double check the measurements before you purchase.

[MorganIRL]

(07-12-2013, 05:59 PM)nfmisso Wrote:  I'd go threaded, something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Threaded-Length-Chrome-Non-Canti/dp/B000AO9NTU/

double check the measurements before you purchase.

Thanks nfmisso, found one similar on eBay :-)

[MorganIRL]

Quick one for ye, I've been told that I need an oversized 1 1/8" headset for my frame, going by Sheldon's headset table, would this be correct? Are they readily available if so?

My dimensions are as follows:
Head Tube Inner Diameter: 30.0mm
Head Tube Outer Diameter incl Lug 35.1mm

---

something like this?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/400531942898?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[nfmisso]

(08-16-2013, 02:12 PM)MorganIRL Wrote:  Quick one for ye, I've been told that I need an oversized 1 1/8" headset for my frame, going by Sheldon's headset table, would this be correct? Are they readily available if so?

My dimensions are as follows:
Head Tube Inner Diameter: 30.0mm
Head Tube Outer Diameter incl Lug 35.1mm

---

something like this?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/400531942898?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

The dimensions you list are those of a 1" headset.

FYI; 1 1/8" is not oversized, it is the standard now.

[MorganIRL]

(08-16-2013, 02:27 PM)nfmisso Wrote:  

(08-16-2013, 02:12 PM)MorganIRL Wrote:  Quick one for ye, I've been told that I need an oversized 1 1/8" headset for my frame, going by Sheldon's headset table, would this be correct? Are they readily available if so?

My dimensions are as follows:
Head Tube Inner Diameter: 30.0mm
Head Tube Outer Diameter incl Lug 35.1mm

---

something like this?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/400531942898?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

The dimensions you list are those of a 1" headset.

FYI; 1 1/8" is not oversized, it is the standard now.

I'm confused.... 25.4mm = 1 inch?

[DaveM]

(08-16-2013, 02:35 PM)MorganIRL Wrote:  I'm confused.... 25.4mm = 1 inch?

Yes. 25.4 = 1"

The important dimension is the inner diameter of the headtube of the frame. The headset cups are press fitted into the headtube, so the inner diameter of the frame matches the outer diameter of the headset cups.

"oversized" was a general term used for 1 1/8" back when 1" was standard. Now there's a wide variety of "standard" sizes so saying oversized doesn't really mean anything.

An older steel, lugged frame is almost always going to be 1", but you should measure (and understand what you need to measure) before you order because there are always oddball frames out there.

[should also measure the diameter of the fork steerer where it meets the crown of the fork. This is where the lower race of the headset will be pressed on. Most likely you have the common diameter here, but again you never know.]