They are both cut and rolled, depending on the fork.

I may have missed something, but did we find a steerer that does have rolled threads?

I have trouble embracing the idea that a manufacturer would want to use a rolling process for putting threads on a steer tube, given that the tolerances of 1" tubing are what they are(?), and with the threads and wall thickness being so shallow and thin. A variation of thread depth might result from the combined tolerances of wall thickness and roundness unless the tubing was of a very high-tolerance that would be expected to increase cost.
I could almost imagine that a needed mandrel might flex enough to require something akin to a single-point rolling operation, which I've never heard of, since a substantial length of threading is often applied, or more likely that the ID of the tube might end up out of spec (oversized) from the rolling operation.

I can't recall having ever seen a steerer that appeared to have rolled threads, but have noticed that new ones always look to have cut threads.
And, if any maker did use rolled threads on a steerer, you would think that they would tout this in their marketing, as it would likely have been costly to accomplish. But then, they would have to be able to say that they also rolled or formed the flat or groove, so as to be seen as consistent in whatever argument for rolled threads that they put forth.
So, in the well-remembered words of my enthusiastic high school trigonometry instructor Mr. Kutnohorsky (or "Cut", as the hipsters referred to him), when referring to the use of any less-than-simplest approach to solving trig problems, "It's a nightmare".

So that might be in play for some of those replacement forks you can find (even if the fork lists as being CrMo, it might just be the blades) where they only want to make one size replacement for so they make a 250 mm steerer with 100mm+ of threads. I have a couple of those untrimmed as I'm a bigger fella that rides tall head tubes.

Cheap department store bikes used them, and Steve at Bilenky seems to have some nicer ones - which you didn't believe. I have seen cheap steerers that are barely round and looked like some process far from a lathe was involved.


I'm coming into this "conflict" late, but you should consider that there is probably a good reason a lot of people think that some threads are rolled. It isn't because they all took tours of bike factories, or had rolling machines at the bike shop. Most shop employees wouldn't even consider that something threaded get that way in a process different than the frame prep tools they are familiar with. So if the rolled thread thing is a complete fabrication, who came up with it and why?


I believe that rolled threads were likely at some point because of what little I know about industrial processes prior to CNC - stamping and forming were much preferred for most of the 20th century because they tended to strengthen cheap steel and was much easier on the tooling. Now we think of everything being cut out of blocks of billet, but in decades past those types of machine operations were avoided.

Someone probably said at some point: "steerer threads not rolled, but cut" and someone later when asked recalled back their brain associated "Steerer threads", "rolled", "cut", and "not". but got the order wrong. and now here we are. Its also very common for people to drop the negative when recalling, so that memory becomes "threads cut and rolled" as the "not" goes away.

that is why your mother recalls just how much you LOVED eggs as a child and tries to serve them to you, even though you have told her multiple times that you do NOT like eggs, and never have. All she remembers is associating you with eggs, your strong feelings for them, and how much she likes You.. so... you must like eggs!

anyway, maybe some are rolled, but if they are, its much in the minority to as not to be significant as far as I can tell.

Department store bikes, ANYTHING is possible, I've seen front hubs that substituted "knurled" threads for locknuts!


And is that a rolled thread, or just a dull tap?

Steve told me that the steerer he will be installing for me (that was the starting point for this thread) will have threads that are rolled, not cut. He also said that he gets steerers from Tange and Reynolds, so presumably the threads on both are rolled or Steve incorrectly believes that they are rolled.

He's very busy at this time of year, so I hesitate to call him and give him the third degree. But it would be reasonable to call Reynolds and Tange and ask them directly. If I wasn't such a lazy sod I would do that myself.

Thanks to actual research by Gugie, we already know that Columbus threads are cut, not rolled. I would bet that if Columbus is cutting threads (rather than rolling them) that all other tubing manufacturers are, too. But we still have only one data point.

This is like that guy at work we all know who sees you rolling your commuter bike down the hallway and claims his friend rides a 5 lb bike. I just look them in the eye and tell them that the friend has a really light bike.

Why argue it?