Chalo Colina wrote in message
> If you just can't decide what height you want your bars, or you know you want to move them
> mid-ride, you can still avail yourself of the superior strength and stiffness of a threadless
> headset.
>
> You'll need the appropriate size clamp collar, since you won't be using a threadless stem:
>
http://www.ruland.com/cl.html
>
> And you'll need a long bolt with a couple of washers and a nut, or else a purpose-made device like
> this:
http://www.jrbicycles.com/answer%20stem%20lockbolt.htm
>
> Use the bolt to pretension the headset, then lock down the adjustment with the clamp collar (in
> place of the threadless stem). Remove the bolt. Then you can use any goofy old quill stem you
> like! Plus, no more busting the steerer in half by expanding the quill wedge in the threaded
> portion of the steer tube-- because there isn't one!
>
> You'll still want to observe the "max height" limit on your quill stem, since it's by nature much
> weaker than a threadless stem. And you'll have to use a fork with a steel steer tube, because
> materials like carbon fiber or aluminum are too thick-walled when made strong enough for this
> application. But who likes fancy materials like that, anyway?
>
> By using this retrofit method, you can observe the time-honored (and to hear quill stem advocates
> tell it, important) practice of changing your handlebar height 3 or 4 times per ride or even more,
> even while using a threadless headset.
Do you need to use a quill stem? Couldn't you get adjustibility just by using the clamp collar to
hold the headset adjustment and then slide a threadless stem up and down the steerer tube? This
wouldn't work if it were necessary for some reason to have spacers underneath the stem. Is it?