tommymc

Hi folks,

I have a 26" wheel travel bike (retro fitted with S & S couplers) that was built with 1" threadless fork. I fly it to many 3rd world places and plan a SE Asia tour early next year. My concern is for the replacement of 1" parts - fork, headset and stem itself. These items are not common in the US and probably nonexistent in most other places. In reality such problems are not beyond reality. I've already discovered a lost head bearing on arriving in Salvador after TSA's mucking in my S & S case. It's pathetic that clear covers are sold for bike cases to keep the morons from tearing apart your baggage.

My thought is to cut threads onto my 1"fork steerer and refit an old tech headset and quill stem. I can mic. the OD and ID on the steerer and find a shop with an old tool set. I guess my question is if there is enough thickness in the threadless tube to cut threads. If not feasible I'll try to find an old MTB fork, hopefully with mid-fork attachments.

Another minor issue is that the threadless fork is more difficult to pack due to the extra steerer length (built for a tall frame). It only fits into the case diagonally across the corners. A cut-down threaded fork would help packing.

Then, other than a 10-speed drivetrain, I would have a fairly compatible bike for anywhere in the world.

Thanks,
Tom McCann

mpetry912 

Tom, I would not do this ! You can of course shorten the steerer on your current fork and use a different stem t approximate the bar position, but remember if you go to a threaded steerer then you're going to need to carry 32mm headset wrenches to install and remove the fork !

If the existing fork fails, then sure, you can find a replacement with a threaded steerer but I would not try to thread your existing one.

Your bike, your choice. but that's my comment

Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA

TiHabanero

It can be done, however getting them started correctly on the steerer is a major concern. The standard shop tools for chasing or adding threads to a threaded steerer will not do the job correctly. You will need to go to a frame builder with the correct tools to thread a bare steerer.

No doubt this will give you worldwide compatibility for parts and even a replacement fork.

thumpism 

Did TSA disassemble the fork/headset and did you lose individual balls or did you lose one of the bearing retainers? It might be cheaper and easier if you just packed spare retainers or balls against the chance of this occurring again.

tommymc

It was a Cane Creek cartridge that must have dropped out of the head tube. Fortunately, the top and bottom sets were identical and I completed the two week ride on the bottom only. A new headset replaced everything when I got back. Since then I loop a long cable tie through the head so nothing can go astray.