Headsets: Threaded to Threadless?

bencolem
bencolem Posts: 463
edited May 2011 in Road buying advice
Apologies if I'm being super-thick here, but fancy buying a bit of a retro-frameset and building with modern parts. If the frame and fork are designed around a 1" threaded tube can I just buy a 1" threadless headset (i.e. like Chris King) and clamp a 1" diameter modern stem (so I can use oversized bars) around the top of the fork? Can you clamp around a threaded steerer or would I have to hope that the fork steerer is long enough that I can cut of the upper most threaded part and clamp around the un-threaded part?

Thanks

Comments

  • boblo
    boblo Posts: 360
    Why don't you just buy a 1" threaded Chris King headset? They still do them and they are as lovely as their thredless offerings.
  • bencolem
    bencolem Posts: 463
    Boblo, thanks for the reply - I didn't explain myself very well! I want to install a modern rather than quill stem onto the fork steerer. Guess I have to fit a threadless 1" headset then buy a quill adaptor to mount a modern stem onto?
  • boblo
    boblo Posts: 360
    Fit a threaded headset and a quill adapter or get a new threadless fork and fit a thredless headset and modern stem/bar combo.

    You can still get some nice quill stems if you want to go a bit retro...
  • bencolem
    bencolem Posts: 463
    Gotcha, think that explains it then - if I want to keep the original (threaded fork) - which I do - I have to buy a threaded headset and quill adaptor. I thought that I could convert the fork to work with a thredless headset for some reason! Thanks, appreciate your help.

Categories