I'm trying to figure out how to get a good steel bike in my size. Used is cheaper. And I like building stuff - I find it relaxing and interesting. I'm thinking Reynolds 853 construction, just cuz I've been a Reynolds fan for a long time.

I could buy a frame with a 1" threaded headset, or one with the more modern 1-1/8. Is there much difference in performance between the two? What are the pros and cons? I'm pretty sure I can find a good fork for either size, with more choice for the bigger steer tube. Is there a huge difference?

I'll probably be building the bike up to be a 10 or 11 speed. Any thoughts appreciated.

Headsets are bearings that hold the fork rigidly, while allowing it to spin freely. They all do that basic job equally well, relative to overall quality.

So think about the other implications, the biggest being, quill stem vs. modern threadless type.

Thanks, FB. I have one bike each, and was trying to think about any advantage searching out a threadless. I agree, they both work well. So, are these operative:
1) Slight weight advantage to threadless (pretty meaningless - if I raced I'd be in Cat 6 - baleine hors catégorie)
2) Slight strength/stiffness advantage to threadless (given my size - big frame - and weight - 240# this might be a slight advantage)
3) Better selection of CF threadless steer tube forks if I have to replace one (and if I find a 2000 frame with a CF fork, I'm replacing it).
4) Slightly easier maintenance, at least that's how it seems to me now.

I'm leaning towards grabbing the next good deal on a nice 853 frame I see in my size and going with it.

Also, I'm going to probably need to have the frame cold-set to 130mm if I buy a ~2000 frame, yes?

Probably not. At the very least, they should have been 126 by then, but more than likely it would be 130.

One advantage to threaded is it is a bit easier to tweak handlebar height, if the need ever arises.

Here's my 2 cents on this: go with threaded/quill stem if you build a steel frame; threadless for an aluminum or carbon frame. Threadless looks wrong on steel frames to me.

I've often found steel frames from the late '80's - early '90's spaced at 128 to accommodate both 126 and 130 wheels. By the mid 90's it hasn't been an issue.

If building and you are reasonably certain you know what stem length you need, and at what angle, then 1" can make sense.

If any doubt then 1-1/8" is a lot easier to swap to different stems, no need to remove the bar tape, shifters, cables, etc.... as needed on a threaded, just unbolt the threadless, swap stems and tighten bolts.

As well, I find threadless easier to install and to get tensioned correctly and am glad Soma opted to use 1-1/8 on their (and my Soma) frames instead of 1" as Rivendell does, even though both make nice steel frames.

Your first point is a big deal during the build and (if I don't like a component like a stem or something) during "tweaking".

For 40 years, I've had bikes with quills. The past two I've had a threadless. I'm getting used to the threadless and think I noticed the second point.

Thanks for bringing these points to mind.

WOB - does the frameset include the fork? If you're adding your own fork to it, consider that threadless forks are more common and offer more choices.

We've built up 2 bikes that originally came with 1" threaded stems/forks. There are an abundance of 1" threaded to 11/8" threadless stem converters you can purchase for around $15. Our 2 frames came with sufficient length in the steerer, but not an abundance. I'm thinking we're going to go back and replace the original fork on one just so we can leave the steerer a little bit longer, but it's certainly comfortable enough where it is. Will matter if you're wanting to build up modern and like the look of a quill stem, or if you just want a bit more options to dial in fit. We have a 3rd bike, a Trek 5220 that also has a 1" threaded -17 degree quill that is ok to ride as is, but would be an awesome fit with at least a 0 degree rise stem, so guessing we will be doing a converter stem on it....already have the converter piece, just need to pick out the stem.

Yes, good point. You can get a 1" threaded headset and fork system, then use the adapter to 1-1/8" stem, thus can use any stem you desire, swap as needed, etc....

I still think the 1-1/8 is easier to setup the 1" though, but once you get a 1" set, not much adjustment needed, IMO.

There are also 1" threadless headsets and forks (nashbar sells a nice carbon road fork)

There are quill stems for 1" threaded that have the same pop-top (ie. separate piece) handlebar attachment as is standard on threadless stems, which negates the 'easier to swap' argument.

As with most of these decisions, there are several perfectly good solutions that will get you to more or less the same place.

I don't know which bike I'm going to buy. It may be missing a fork. It may have a CF fork. My feeling is that a carbon fork that's ~20 years old may not have had the same tech that our new CF forks have.

So this information will help me select the frame. Thx!

As far as threaded + quill vs threadless, one of the issues you'll run into is handlebar choice.

If you choose some sort of winged flat top handlebar, then you'll need an open face stem, and most of them will be 31.8mm bars. As mentioned above, if you have 1" threaded, you can use adapters, or there are a few quill options that might work.

But, for simplicity of the build, 1 1/8 threadless has much wider support.

However, there lots of cheap bikes and frames with 1" threaded, so I wouldn't shun those either.

As far as using an older CF fork. I don't know. I have a 20 yr old CF fork on one bike. 1" threadless is a bit of a pain, but otherwise, the fork seems solid enough.