Hi,

I recently purchased an old LeMond "Tourmalet," from what appears to be the late '90s to early 2000s. The frame is in spectacular shape and the drive train was upgraded to Shimano Ultegra, while the shifters/brake levers were also upgraded to 105's. However, somewhere in time someone seems to have installed a 1" threadless fork and headset, which looks really ugly. I'd like to revert back to a threaded headset and fork. Is this something that can be done? If so, do you have any pointers and/or words of wisdom regarding a project such as this?

Thanks.

Are you sure you are "reverting back"? Your age range is quite broad and your details are vague. If the fork is original to the bike (it would be the same color as the frame), then the bike probably came with the threadless headset.

If you really are intent on changing the headset you will need something to knock out the old headset, press the new headset into place and install the crown race. This covers most of the steps. Here's a link for DIY removal tools and here's a link to DIY tools for the installation. You'll probably need a hacksaw to cut the new fork down to size.

On the words of wisdom, I'd say "don't". You are trading a pretty good stem/fork system that is easy to adjust for one that is more difficult to adjust. Installing and repacking a threadless fork is a less than 10 job that can be done with an allen wrench. It's very unfiddly. Adjusting a threaded headset requires at least two wrenches plus a allen wrench if you need to remove the stem. You have to tighten the head race against the top nut and you almost never get it right the first, second or even fourth time. It's very fiddly.

You are also trading a stem/fork interface that is stiff and resistant to side-to-side motion when you are out of the saddle for a stem that has a thinner cross section and bends more easily. If you ride aggressively out of the saddle, you'll notice the difference.

I also would say fork may be original. I think lemond went to threadless by 2000s and I think they were 11/8 not 1 inch threadless.

Thanks guys!

The fork is definitely not the original fork. Then again, as rms13 mentioned, it could very well have been a threadless set up from the beginning, regardless of what fork is on there now. I am not certain of the age of the bike, is there a way to tell by the serial number?

All that I am sure of is the fork/headset/stem set up, as it is now, looks really ugly

Changing from threaded to threadless or back involves changing the fork, headset (top half only), and stem. Assuming it's a 1" fork and press in headset, that's easy, involving finding and paying for some relatively common parts (top end quality would have to be NOS). However, if the frame takes a 1-1/8" fork, and/or has an integrated headset it becomes much more complicated because of parts availability or compatibility. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but it's more complicated, and possibly not worth the bother.

In any case, it isn't cheap, so the OP needs to work up an estimate then it's up to him whether it's worth it.

it is possible that the previous owner
swapped out parts with no consideration to aesthetics
and simply made some bad choices
as there is nothing inherently uglier in a threadless system than in a threaded one
in my opinion anyway

so
you may very well be able to get better looking modern threadless equipment
to replace the ugly stuff
without changing the whole front end

True!

However, I tend to really like the aesthetics of a quill stem on the older, steel frame, bikes.