Somebody wrote:
>> too. Try playing with your bar positioning; it costs you nothing but a few minutes to try lots of
>> different setting.
On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 15:09:26 -0600, "Robert Canon" <
[email protected]> wrote:
>With a threadless headset/stem it takes a little more effort/expense. In
If it takes more expense to get the same amount of adjustment range, then you lack imagination. It
definitely doesn't take more effort.
Here's the strategy for trying stuff with a threadless:
- Spacers allow fine adjustment of height
- Flip the stem for a larger adjustment, unless it's exactly 90 degrees from the steerer (which
is uncommon)
- You only need one allen wrench for the 4 or 6 screws you'll use
- You won't need to adjust anything or re-wrap your bar
Now, it's arguably as easy to adjust height with a threaded stem; some people are quick with the
headset wrench and quick with re-adjusting the headset. Correct me if I'm wrong about what's
required to change the height of a threaded stem. Also, threaded stems _can_ be had with removable
plates as are common on threadless, so you don't have to slide the stem off the bar, although
threaded stems more commonly do not have the two-bolt removable plate.
However, it's a big project to try a different reach with threaded. With threadless, it's no more
effort than is height on either system, _and_ it's cheaper too (not "a little more effort/expense").
Some threadless road stem prices @ Nashbar: Nashbar, 7 degree, 5 reach options, $10 each. ITM, 5
degree, 140mm, $10. Profile, 16 degree, 120mm, $13 Profile, 74 degree, 120 or 130mm, $13 Profile, 0
degree, 7 reach options, $13 each These are the first stems to come up when sorted by price.
The first _threaded_ road stem prices @ Nashbar: Zoom, unspecified (appears 0 degree), 5 reach
options, $15 Giant, 17 degree _drop_, 5 reach options, $15 These are followed by one more
inexpensive threadless and then the prices go up steeply.
I'll note that EVERY stem listed above, of either type, has a two-bolt removable handlebar clamp,
except the ITM threadless, which has the slide-off clamp more commonly found on threaded.
However, neither of the inexpensive threaded stems offer a rise angle, nor the adjustment range
available in the threadless stems, which can rise _or_ drop, depending on how you mount them. Is
there anybody here who really needs to drop? I suppose Fabrizio, who must have a '7'-shaped stem;
and maybe a TT-specific or ultra-aggressive race bike needs bars _lower_ than the headset. OTOH,
many people need to rise -- for example, the OP of this thread, myself, and most other people who
find themselves fooling around with their stem.
So, the price is nearly the same, close enough to call it even. The height adjustment range of a
cheap threadless is as much or more than that of a cheap threaded, unless your steerer is cut so
short that no spacers at all can be fit (be pretty angry at whoever sold you that fork or bike for
that!). The reach adjustment is a 90 second job with the threadless stems; can you say the same
for threaded?
Both systems are fine, but to say that adjustment is more difficult and/or more expensive with
threadless is fallacious. The opposite is quite true for many, but even for the retrogrouches,
threadless, is certainly no worse (once they become rational).
I've just checked Nashbar for MTB stems, and the threaded MTB stems are much more competitive on
price, as well as offering rise instead of drop.
Adjustable threadless stems are easily found for $15 or $20 (depending which model) at Nashbar.
Adjustable threaded stems exist, but seem a bit difficult to find lately. This is the only way to
adjust reach without trying lots of different stems, but then height changes with reach.
I found all this out when I bought my road bike. I had some difficulty with handlebar position, and
was able to futz around with it myself rather easily, thanks to threadless stems. At the time, I did
not know what I know now, and was not capable of doing much on the bike, but the stem was easy.
Since then, I've amassed quite a collection of bikes, and have realized something else about a
modern thing commonly described as 100% market hype and detrimental: compact geometry. The bike with
the threadless stem has compact geometry, which works better for my compact body geometry -- my
inseam is a bit short for my reach, so the lower top tube protects my sensitive bits when I make
sudden moves off of the saddle to a stop. The clearance is close on regular-geometry bikes that fit
my reach. It's not terrible, I can ride both types safely; but somebody with even more compact
dimensions than myself would require a compact frame, or a regular frame too small with an _really_
long stem.
--
Rick "Let the stem war begin!" Onanian