concordino

Hi Folks,

What is the concensus on threading threadless fork steerers?

Say the steerer is 18cm long and the headtube is 11cm, is it feasible to thread say 10 cm without cutting the steerer.

Ideally i would like it that way to give me a more comfortable ride.

I live in the U.A.E and so far i haven't been able to find a bike shop that can thread steerers. Only one shop recommended not to do it because it may reduce the integrity of the steerer.

Any opinions with this regards, please share.

It is for a vintage purist build and the aim is to keep a threaded headset.

HillRider

It's not recommended at all and your shop is correct. Threadless steerers typically have thinner walls than threaded steerers and don't have enough wall thickness to support the threading safely. A broken steerer is the last thing you want to experience. Don't do it.

Tim_Iowa

What @HillRider said. Threaded steerers have thick-walled tubing and threadless steerers don't.

Andrew R Stewart 

Add to the above, and correct, reply is that most threading dies are actually made with chasing (not cutting fresh) existing threads. Using one to cut new threads on a CrMo can result in the threads being torn off the steerer in places. Far better to swap the headset and stem to threadless. Andy.

jimc101

Before you even get into the can it be done safely issue, do you have a frame and fork that are the same spec size wise?

Generally, threaded = 1" & threadless are either 1 1/8th" or tapered, there was a crossover back in the late 90's where some bikes had 1 1/8th" threaded, but this was uncommon, and doesn't really match your vintage description.

fietsbob

Ive Extended the threading on threaded steerers .. Threadless is the way Its done Now ..

Live with it. add more spacers, Put a few above the stem if you like the down on all 4's posture

Maybe Your' Vintage Purist' is willing to just pay for a Hand made custom Fork to keep it Pure.

FastJake

???

HillRider

Your question is a good one but there were, and still are, 1" threadless forks available. Nashbar, for one, still lists them. Also, I had a '92 Trek 7000 MTB with a 1-1/8" threaded steerer so they were available in the early '90's too.

All that said, threading a threadless steerer, no matter what it's diameter, is a lousy idea.

concordino

Thank you all for your input on this... i guess am going to have to lay it to rest and live with a threadless setup.

So much for my XTR M900 purist build.

On another note, i have a matching fork that has a short steerer ( it fits just exactly with a threaded headset). How can i extend the steerer by another say 5cm to make for a more comfortable riding posture.

I am already using a high-rise angled quill stem and have looked for a quill extender but found only steel ones and too long about 8".

do you recommend any specific aluminum quill extender that is not that long?

concordino

The sizing is correct and matching. Practically a lot of the vintage mountain bikes offered between 1991-1993 used size 1 1/8 threaded forks. It was a common size.

concordino

For a constant tinkerer those question marks say it all

FBinNY 

Let's clear some air.

First of all before considering the technical aspects, what is the intent for doing the job? If you're looking to cut the steerer to the final height and do a classic quill stem install, then it may be worth pursuing, and it may be possible. If you plan to leave the unsupported threaded section above the headset for some reason, then it'll be problematic for a number of reasons, whether it's possible or not.

So, assuming, you're attempting a classic build, with the fork length being equal to the headtube length + threaded headset stack height, including up to 5mm of added spacers under the locknut, here's what to consider.

1- the steerer must be steel,
2- the ID must be 7/8" (or 1" on a 1-1/8" fork) to match the existing quill stems, and have the 1/16" wall needed for the job. Many, but not all, steel threadless steerers meet this requirement.
3- the tube must be sufficiently soft for cutting, which can be verified with a file test.
4- you need a proper die and handle, plus a cutting oil made for threading steel.
5- you need some basic skill and knowledge. The job is relatively simple, but has pitfalls, and is easy to botch. It's that ease of botching that has given this job an unearned reputation for being impossible.

Over the years, I've cut and threaded countless hundreds of forks, and so far, enjoy a 100% success rate. But part of the reason is that I qualify the job before starting.

AnkleWork

Why not riser bars in either case?

concordino

Thanks, you seem to know what you are talking about and thus reinforce the decision to not do it.

See, the frame has a short head tube and given it is a size too small for me, any rise i can get from the steerer is a plus especially that this bike won't be seeing trails anytime soon.

My fork fits all your requirements but i do not have the resources nor the skill to do it at the moment. If only i lived nearby... I could use the help of a fellow Bike forum member.

FastJake

I think I see what you're going for. Ignoring the "period correct" build...

Personally I enjoy converting older bike to threadless when it's convenient (fork replacement/upgrade.) It's a better system. And if you get a fork with a long steerer tube you can mount the stem up nice and high for a comfortable riding position.

FBinNY 

Since your goal is to get the bars higher, leave the fork alone, and consider one of the marketed solutions for that. There are a number of options for raising bars and the best specific answer depends on whether you have a threaded/quill stem system, or a threadless one.

Search for things like "stem riser" or "how to get handlebars higher" and review the options suited to your style of bike, and of course, your budget.

JohnDThompson 

Is this so you can mount the handlebars higher? If so, rather than extending the thread such a distance, either use a longer stem (e.g. the Nitto "Technomic" stem) or get a threadless fork and headset.

concordino

This is what the current setup looks like. The fork is a threaded 165 mm steerer length and it fits great.

fietsbob

Then Its fine as Is .. IIABDF Or, as was suggested .. Riser Bars

concordino

These are the forks, the left one being the subject of our discussion. The other one fits fine on the frame without any extra excess height.

concordino

I just hate to get rid of those wide, cool and curvy Seven Cycle Titanium handlebars.

fietsbob

Live with it as Is .. do more Pushups to strengthen your arms , to hold you up in that lower Position..

FBinNY 

The cheapest, simplest solution --- free --- is to raise the stem about 1-2" or so. Keep in mind that you're limited to leaving 2.5" or so of the stem in the fork. Or replace the stem with a taller unit, or a threadless adapter and a threadless stem with more rise.

The alternative fork won't be of much, if any, help at all, since the extra length is simply the clamping area for the threadless stem it would call for. When comparing threaded and threadless forks for effective height, figure that a threadless fork needs to be 2-2.5" longer than the threaded to compensate for the other design factors.

concordino

Got to admit, from an esthetics standpoint, the bike looks a lot better with no rise... just like it was meant to be. I have no issue with that, on the contrary the curvy wide handlebars make it more comfortable. I happen to ride road also and have other more comfortable bikes in my stable. Just when you have a favorite in your collection, you aim to optimize it the most.

AnkleWork

Probably, you should decide which you want: purity or comfort. No one here can do that for you.