Originally Posted by
jonwvara
I've never bought a new bike with a threadless stem--just that one Surly frame, which came with an uncut steerer--so this is an honest question: when you buy a new bike from a shop, do they start with an uncut steerer which they cut to any length you request, or do they provide a precut and preassembled steerer in a length that the manufacturer has decided will suit most riders for that frame size? Or does it depend on the shop?
I really have no idea how it is now. I'd guess they come precut nowadays (?), as it's no great hassle to cut them to length in a factory, and it would eliminate the possibility of the bike shop messing it up.
I quit working in shops in the very early days of threadless steer tubes. At that time you had to cut them. If you buy a custom frame, it will most likely come with an uncut steerer. Mine did.
IMO whatever your issue is, it's probably going to be easier to solve with a different stem or whatever than by sweating in a new steer tube. Also, I can't imagine 1 1/8" threaded headsets and stems will be very easy to come by. They only existed for a few years -- a short blip in time.
As long as everyone is weighing in, my preference is for threadless. It's stronger, lighter and better.
I do like the adjustability of the old quill stems though. It was useful for me to have a quill stem on my Rivendell Clem, since I hadn't ridden north road type bars for any great distance since I was like 12. It helped me dial it in. For road bikes, I kind of know my position, and am not inclined to change it.