CrimsonKarter21

Custom frame. Finishing build specs. Steel.

I like quills and they look awesome on steel, the new standard is easier to deal with. I don't care about oversize bars, I'll probably run Nitto Noodles or Oval R700s either way.

I can't decide at all.

JoelS

I'd go with the new standard. Easier to deal with, easier to get a stem for your right fit.

CrimsonKarter21

The bike is custom. I only need 1 stem.

epenthetic

The anatomic bend in the Ovals can be a pain to squeeze through a quill stem- recently took a lot of positioning, a bit of gouging, and a couple of prayers to get a steel quill stem on a pair of Ritchey anatomic bars.

CrimsonKarter21

I should have explained; steel bikes call for classic drops.

::EDIT::
or a compromise?

epenthetic

Then you don't want the R700, it's anatomic bend. The R701? The transition from the tops to the reach might still be problematic- somewhat tight bend.

Pendergast

There are a few quill stems that will take an anatomic bar. Here's one.

https://cgi.ebay.com/DEDA-MUREX-QUILL...QQcmdZViewItem

ericm979

A guy on a group ride last weekend had some steel bike (Preggerotti or something like that) all done up in neo-retro... Ti Brooks, chromed or polished theadless stem and bars, matching painted rims, etc. Retro bikes don't do a thing for me but this one looked really sharp.

well biked

Yep, I know what you're saying. Ebay (NOS or lightly used) and Nitto (new) make it hard to argue that the availability of beautiful quill stems is an issue at all. I have a friend who had a custom Waterford built, and somehow he got talked into putting an adapter on his threaded fork so he could run a threadless stem. He allowed himself to be convinced that "there just aren't many good quill stems around anymore." Give me a break. And now he's riding around with an adapter on his fork, on his custom bike! Yuk. My thinking is that he should have just gone with a threadless fork if that's what he was going to do.

Threadless is indeed lighter, stiffer, etc., but on a custom steel bike, the aesthetic issue counts for a lot, and for me, that would be enough to swing my decision to a quill stem.

CrimsonKarter21

But is threadless really stiffer? I've never seen anything confirming or denying that a threadless setup was stiffer than a quill setup.
I'd think that an expansion plug with no real torque limit, down as far as possible inside of a steel steer tube would be really stiff.


Anyways, I think I might go with that Nitto stem I posted a little bit up. Threadless headsets are easier to find and cheaper.

well biked

Keep in mind, I vote for a quill stem. But have you ever ridden a quill stem equipped road bike? The answer to your question is yes, a threadless stem is stiffer, and I don't need anything to confirm it other than having ridden both types extensively. That being said, I don't care; for my riding, a quill stem is fine. And beautiful.

Flatballer

I think if you're building a custom steel frame, you have to put a quill stem on it. It's just not a beautiful steel bike if it has a threadless headset, it just ruins the entire look.

14max

Go with a custom stem with a built-in quill look. You can thank me later...

14max

The exception and certainly not the rule...

14max

It's Pegoretti....

bubbagrannygear

Don't be so quick. Sometimes non-conventional applications can inspire https://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009...-knows-no.html

halfspeed

All you need to know about threaded headsets: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product.a...S&currency=USD

Walter

I like your thinking. Threadless is OK but it's gotta be polished silver finish. Traditional bend bars are required as well and Nittos are hard to beat in both quality and aesthetic appeal.

It's hard to argue against the looks of a nice quill stem and, like you, I'm not so sure threadless is all that stiffer. However, the availability of stems, headsets and etc for modern standards are hard to match as opposed to retro.

I'm sure you've thought of this but whatever fork you're specifying needs to match what headset you're going to go with.

Pics are required.

spinerguy

I don't know what you call stiff but there's nothing stronger than a threadless OS system, which it would get my vote.

Hocam

I have quill on my road, threadless on the touring/dirt roads bike.

I adjust the height on the quill a lot more than the threadless, just because it's so damn easy. For riding the rollers, or 3-8 hour rides the quill goes up. Otherwise it's down unless I feel lazy. Changing stems is a pain in the ass, and just because the bike is custom doesn't mean you won't have to swap stems ever.

The quill also looks much classier.

CrimsonKarter21

This bike is going to be a tool, which is the reason why I'm going with a lugged steel frame/fork.
Even though I'd like to go with a quill, the polished Nitto stem will be my stem of choice with a classic Nitto bar shape.
As to the question of whether I've ridden a quill setup; yes. My CV late-80's Cannondale has a quill setup, but the bars are pretty cheap so I don't know about stiffness.

Thanks for the input guys! Pics will follow after I get all of my OCD stuff out of the way (correct paint chips, tour the facilities, color combos, braze-ons, matching frame pump, race-number holders, etc)

Jurgen

On a new bike, I'd probably go threadless unless, say, you're eschewing brifters too for an overall more classic aesthetic... but it's hard to argue with Nitto on Nitto action.

CrimsonKarter21

integrated shifters with the option of DT shifting for loss of weight or broken shifters.

Jurgen

I feel like you want to go quill. Given your stated options there is no bad choice. Do it.

CrimsonKarter21

I do, but I also want something that I won't cry about when it gets broken or scratched or bent, like the rest of the bike.