Originally Posted by
NormanF
Before 2000, every bike had threaded stems. It meant adjusting stem height was relatively easy even though it was a pain to change bars and configure cables.
Threadless stems made the latter easier at a cost. The bike factory usually cuts the steerer too low to fit most riders so a bike shop cannot customize a steerer to size. A stem riser is a kludge to do what the bike factory messed up in cutting the steerer to a predetermined size.
Four problems with your post:
1. You are around 10 years late on the introduction of threadless forks. Diacomp filed the patent for the Aheadset in 1990. Threadless was very common by 1995.
2. The threadless headset isn't a conspricy by bicycle companies to force a bad product on the public because it costs less. It really is a superior product that offer many benefits over threaded systems. The
only advantage that threaded has over threadless is the ability to easily adjust the stem height. The disadvantages of threaded headsets are many. They are more involved to install and adjust. They are prone to loosening especially in mountain bike applications. They are less stiff and prone to bending and flexing during hard out of the saddle efforts. And you've already alluded to one of the old goose neck style's big problems
3. So what if the threadless stem costs less? That cost savings is passed on to the consumer.
4. Finally, your post has nothing to do with steve-in-kville's problem. He doesn't need to extend a steer tube that has been cut too short. He needs a 1" stem for a threadless fork. What he doesn't need to some retrogrouch railing against new fangled parts. At almost 25 years old, the threadless headset is hardly "new fangled".