Threadless headsets? - Page 3 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

04-23-2004, 02:47 PM

Somebody, having read the small battles here lately about headsets,
trolled for a headset war. Then, On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 17:56:55 +0000,
Ken <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>David Kerber <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in news:MPG.1af32071968bb523989727
>> Threaded doesn't need to adjust the headset when you change stems.
>
>With a threaded headset, you can move the stem up and down without having to
>adjust the headset bearings (or buy a new stem).

With a threadless headset, the adjustment in question happens even
if you don't know what you're doing. You screw the cap back in
because you unscrewed it before, and inadvertently adjust it. Later,
if you need to adjust it, it sure is easy...you don't even need an
expensive, special headset wrench.

Okay, advantages and disadvantages:

Threadless:
Advantages:
- Easy reach change
- Easy adjustment
- One common cheap tool
- Most common stems with removable faceplates
- Height adjustment still pretty easy
- More total adjustment available from stock stems
- Wider range of aftermarket stems available everywhere
- Never seizes
Disadvantages:
- Gotta undo a bunch of bolts to change height
- Stock stem may need replacement for very large height changes

Threaded:
Advantages:
- Ultra-easy height change
- Easier to micro-adjust height
Disadvantages:
- Most common stems one-bolt (lots of work to change)
- Requires expensive, uncommon headset wrench to adjust
- Stock stems offer less total height adjustment
- Common bike shops don't have lots of threaded stem variety
- If unmaintained, they seize to the steer tube badly
- Care required to avoid scratching handlebar (and creating stress
risers) when installing common one-bolt versions
- Most threaded stems don't offer a _large_ height range

I'm sure I've missed a bunch of points. They're both fine systems,
and there's no reason to be concerned about which one you have.

I've made two major bike purchases in the past, one with each type
of headset. Neither has given me any major trouble.

The threaded one offered insufficient height, and the only threaded
stem in the bike shop that would work was one-bolt, so everything
had to come off one side of the bars for it.

The threadless one also offered insufficient height, but was more
easily replaced with a locally available two-bolt stem. The stem was
$5 more than the threaded one was...well worth the time and effort.
--
Rick Onanian