Wondering if I should stay with threaded and a quill or go to the "modern" threadless for my "new" old Serotta Colorado ll?

Quill (period)

Quill.

Nothing else will look right. it may take some work to find a new high-quality one that has the extension you need.

Definitely the quill. I just made the switch on a vintage bike and can't stand it. When I find the right quill with at least 130mm reach then I'll definitely switch back.

If those pics don't convince you, nothing will.

Threadless is functionally superior.

I was three days into 10 tour and REALLY needed to raise my bars 1.5 cm - took 30 seconds with a quill stem. Another rider using threadless stem was also struggling with a handle bar height issue - and he suffered the full tour because of it.

Not sure how functionally superior that is

They're not as easily adjustable, obviously. That's not an argument for functionality. Everyone has to figure out fit for themselves.

Heh - those before and after pics of the Gitane looks like the reports on "Severe Mutations Discovered in Wildlife after Fukushima Disaster"

It was already said before, quills look so much better.

No offense to Scozim, but the Gitane doesn't look good with either setup. It seems obvious to me that the bike is too small for the rider for whom it's setup.

If you're going to go threadless IMO it will work out much better if you get a new fork / headset designed for a 1" threadless setup. Otherwise go quill, for the sake of looks lol

OP already has a fork?

I do have the original fork so quill it is!
Thanks!

This is mainly because quills flow with the consistency of a steel road bike. The frames usually use thin tubing so when you have this bigger tubed threadless stem with screws coming out of it then it will look funny

Actually, adjustability is directly related to functionality -especially when the component’s purpose is to provide adjustment.
Once you cut the steerer for a threadless system – that’s it for every future owner of the bike. Again, not functionally superior, but cheaper to manufacture and good for bike sales.
And they’re ugly

Threadless is superior, no argument there.

Whether people need that benefit is debatable.

Scozim's bike is not an example of threaded vs threadless. It's threaded vs threaded (with an adapter). The adapater route, does not really add a benefit except for ease of changing bars and using modern bars. If he had a true threadless setup, I think he could make it look pretty damn good. That said, if he used spacers under the adapater to hide the neck and taper of the adapter, his setup could look a lot better.

If you have a bike that you already have the original fork for, use whatever system the bike came with. It would be silly to take a threadless fork, add threads, and cut it to (IMO) downgrade. Quill stems are nicer to look at, but you can make a threadless setup look pretty damn good. Use a 17 degree stem flipped so it is parallel with your TT, no less than 90mm (less would be a poor fit), no more than 30mm spacers under the stem, spacers to match the stem. Of course, there are other and similar conventions to using a quill stem.

Different strokes for different folks. If I was building a frame up without the fork, I'd go threadless for sure.

Another before/after to be scrutinized. I went to a threadless stem to get shallow drop bars for comfort, but for looks, the quill stem looks much better.

If I could find a shallow drop bar with a 26.0 clamp size, I would switch back in a heartbeat.

The purpose of a stem is not to provide adjustment. I don't need you to explain the ramifications of choosing either type of stem; I'm well aware. I only stated that threadless systems are functionally superior, which is unequivocally correct. I'm not going to argue it further. I'm not advocating that you or anyone else choose a threadless system. You should do as you see fit for your bikes. Sounds like the OP has made his choice so this thread has served its purpose.

Soma Hwy One.

SOMA Highway One bar is a shallow drop bar in silver with a 26.0 clamp size.
https://somafab.blogspot.com/2011/08/...-road-bar.html

The catalog scan w/ colorado II is on paceline forum: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=82634
Looks like dura ace was a stock option for complete bike.
edit: I see now there were several option levels.

Apparently I need learn how to search - thanks. Will be ordering one today.

Since when has C&V been concerned with functionally superior?

None taken - fit is subjective. The bike is a 52cm and the most agreessive set up because it's also my favorite to ride. If the top tube was another centimeter longer it wouldn't have been an issue. 52/53 is what I've always ridden going back to the 80's. Since adding some C&V to the stable I've also gone to some taller frames.

Going back to the OP's original question - I always thought the quill stem was aesthetically more appealing. My experiment just solidified it in my mind.

The purpose of a stem is not to provide adjustment.



Strange, I wonder why they come in so many different lengths, angles and heights?