Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Mixing Threaded/threadless stem components?

Search
Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Mixing Threaded/threadless stem components?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 12-19-10 | 04:47 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 8
Mixing Threaded/threadless stem components?

Just a curiosity really, but would this crazy idea work...

Threadless fork, install a really deep star nut, use a long bolt to pretension and clamp a stem on as usual.
!Then, remove the pretension bolt and top cap.
Install a quill stem into the fork above the existing threadless stem.

(yes, Im aware that this would require dissasembly for future headset adjustments)

So, how well would that work? Quill capable of supporting handlbars and associated weight? Threadless fork capable of supporting quill wedge without wall deformation? Etc....?

Possible applications include:
using the normal threadless stem as headlight mounts
poor-man's stem riser
frankenbike points
xenologer is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 04:59 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
Likes: 3,865
From: New Rochelle, NY

Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter

Originally Posted by xenologer
Just a curiosity really, but would this crazy idea work...

So as I see it, you'd have 2 stems on the bike, since you can't remove the threadless one which is keeping the headset adjustment. I won't comment, since you already categorized it as crazy.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site

An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.

Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.

“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN

WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FBinNY is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:14 PM
  #3  
TimeTravel_0's Avatar
commuter
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 536
Likes: 0
sounds awful.
TimeTravel_0 is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:19 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,657
Likes: 1,119
From: Pittsburgh, PA

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Originally Posted by TimeTravel_0
sounds awful.
+1. What possible benefit does it have?
HillRider is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:21 PM
  #5  
AEO's Avatar
AEO
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,257
Likes: 5
From: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON

Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin

there are products you can mount to your bars, which are cheap and hold heavy lights securely.
The most ideal position for a light is just to the left or right of the top of the front wheel is anyways.

check this out
__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
AEO is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:27 PM
  #6  
LesterOfPuppets's Avatar
The space coyote lied.
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 48,713
Likes: 10,973
From: dusk 'til dawn.

Bikes: everywhere

If I wanted a twin stem bike, I'd just get an uncut threadless fork and drop two stems on it. Maybe even put a lock collar below the bottom stem so that I could rearrange stems without affecting the headset adjustment.
LesterOfPuppets is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:28 PM
  #7  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by HillRider
+1. What possible benefit does it have?
You get a second stem for your second set of handlebars.
xenologer is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:31 PM
  #8  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
If I wanted a twin stem bike, I'd just get an uncut threadless fork and drop two stems on it. Maybe even put a lock collar below the bottom stem so that I could rearrange stems without affecting the headset adjustment.
Indeed this is ideal, done that before.
But this question is mainly a curiosity for what to do with an existing short cut fork, whether a quill stem would be workable or if the wedge would just deform the steer tube.
Are threadless forks made thinner walled than threaded ones?
xenologer is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 05:36 PM
  #9  
LesterOfPuppets's Avatar
The space coyote lied.
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 48,713
Likes: 10,973
From: dusk 'til dawn.

Bikes: everywhere

Originally Posted by xenologer
Indeed this is ideal, done that before.
But this question is mainly a curiosity for what to do with an existing short cut fork, whether a quill stem would be workable or if the wedge would just deform the steer tube.
Are threadless forks made thinner walled than threaded ones?
I imagine non-carbon threadless steerer tubes could handle a quill wedge. If you can put the wedge where the threadless stem is that would give you some peace of mind. If your upper bar is for accessories, you wouldn't really need to reef on the quill bolt much.
LesterOfPuppets is offline  
Reply
Old 12-19-10 | 06:37 PM
  #10  
Jeff Wills's Avatar
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
Titanium Club Membership
Sheldon Brown Memorial - Titanium
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 10,155
Likes: 1,122
From: other Vancouver
Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
If I wanted a twin stem bike, I'd just get an uncut threadless fork and drop two stems on it. Maybe even put a lock collar below the bottom stem so that I could rearrange stems without affecting the headset adjustment.

Like this: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/surly-rohloff/

__________________
Jeff Wills

Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
Jeff Wills is offline  
Reply
Old 12-21-10 | 03:06 AM
  #11  
DannoXYZ's Avatar
Senior Member
Titanium Club Membership
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,754
Likes: 26
From: Mesa, AZ

Bikes: Moots RCS, tandem, beach-cruiser, MTB, Specialized-Allez road-bike, custom track-bike

Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
I imagine non-carbon threadless steerer tubes could handle a quill wedge. If you can put the wedge where the threadless stem is that would give you some peace of mind. If your upper bar is for accessories, you wouldn't really need to reef on the quill bolt much.
What is ID of the fork's steerer tube?
DannoXYZ is offline  
Reply
Old 12-21-10 | 03:33 AM
  #12  
LesterOfPuppets's Avatar
The space coyote lied.
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 48,713
Likes: 10,973
From: dusk 'til dawn.

Bikes: everywhere

dunno. I've heard it can vary. I've only 1 1/8 threadless forks around, but no 1 1/8 quill stems, so I can't test fit here.
LesterOfPuppets is offline  
Reply
Old 12-21-10 | 03:53 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
I have a great fascination with "Frankenbike's".

Sheldon has been probably the most useful single source of information, but not all of his contributions can be found on his site.

I recall he had mounted an ahead stem on a long quill stem; someone, with his guidance, had mounted a threadless stem on a threaded stem riser, which would seem to allow the use of two stems; and he had used a threadless fork without a star nut (I believe that is on his site).

A long steerer tube would still seem like the best option, but there seem to be numerous ways to mount two (or more) stems, and various other ways of mounting accessories.
NightShift is offline  
Reply
Old 12-21-10 | 07:57 AM
  #14  
TimeTravel_0's Avatar
commuter
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 536
Likes: 0
to answer the OP's question: no, it wont work at all.
TimeTravel_0 is offline  
Reply
Old 12-21-10 | 10:12 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
You'd need a really long head tude in order to use a really deep star nut. If you can deal with installing the fork and stem without the star nut (much more difficult to get proper preload) a quill stem CAN be used in a (steel) threadless fork.

With the right tools many (not all) threadless forks can be converted to threaded. If you do a forum search you should find the relevant info. The install depth for the quill should still place the wedge in the head tube, so you'd need a fairly tall stem, but that's not that unusual an item.
NightShift is offline  
Reply
Old 12-21-10 | 12:01 PM
  #16  
Banned
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast

Bikes: 8

Forget the jamming the star nut in, instead, find a Bike shop with a Bike Mine account,
BM in the US distributes BBB parts a NL based company,
Their BHP21 is a quill type internal or stem raiser.
It replaces the star nut, , so the star nut is not needed , their design uses a stem bolt,
of their design, which is threaded inside it's hex socket.
so the headset pre load adjustment is retained via bolt thru top cap.

I got one to restore height to a steerer tube cut too short for my needs,
and I got to add a 2nd stem to mount my handlebar bag upon.

BBB likely contracts thru Taiwan too, thats where the bike manufacturing capital is..
so retail price was about $23, same as other stem raisers on the market..

https://www.bbbparts.com/headparts_bhp21.php

as I used it, : https://www.cyclofiend.com/working/20...clark1008.html

Last edited by fietsbob; 12-21-10 at 12:10 PM.
fietsbob is offline  
Reply
Old 12-22-10 | 01:16 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
Thanks fietsbob.
I hadn't seen the threadless steerer extension before.
I'd seen a threadless stem riser, which clamped over the steerer and had an area for the stem to clamp above, and I'd seen threaded to threadless adaptors (which were basically the same design as what you posted), but I hadn't seen anything advertised as a steerer extension.

I would imagine that, as with a threaded stem or threaded to threadless adapter, this would be slightly less rigid/solid than a standard threadless setup (but not to an unsafe degree). Is there a perceptible difference in feel?
NightShift is offline  
Reply
Old 12-22-10 | 01:29 PM
  #18  
Banned
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast

Bikes: 8

I dont have the Luxury of 2 nearly identical bikes but for that one difference,
in order to have a proper comparison, I used the BHP21 to regain the height lost to the hacksaw
in a distant prior build up, of this bike ..

The Quill is a strong extruded tube with a keyway slot,
and the stack of shims are made with the matching key tab.

Another solution, common in most Wholesale parts inventory a LBS can order
is a steel tube made to have a smaller diameter on the bottom .. ID of fork
and a larger OD at the top.. you could insert another quill stem, or you could
add a few shims and clamp a threadless stem around that .

from Harris site probably from QBP, wholesale
Stem Raisers for Standard Expander/Wedge Stems $19.95



See:
SM247I inch BMX.833" / 21.15 mm for older American bikes, BMX, early MTBs
SM2481 inch Standard.875" / 22.2 mmfits most bikes with threaded headsets.
SM2491 1/8 inch1.0" / 25.4 mmfits oversized forks with threaded headsets.

Last edited by fietsbob; 12-22-10 at 01:36 PM.
fietsbob is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
flik9999
General Cycling Discussion
14
02-12-17 07:50 PM
back4more
Bicycle Mechanics
13
11-08-12 03:28 PM
sindlero
Bicycle Mechanics
3
10-31-11 01:31 PM
virtualelvis
Bicycle Mechanics
8
11-16-10 07:23 PM
mickel
Bicycle Mechanics
17
07-07-10 12:24 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.