Quill Stems

[cgates66]

This is going to sound weird. I was putting together a kids bike with a quill stem, and I couldn't help but think: this is a WAY better design than the current clamp designs. I got into riding after quills disappeared from road bikes, but the elegance of the design was remarkable to me. No cutting, etc.

What am I missing here?

[duff_duffy]

Shhhhh, don’t let the secret out about this. Quill stems are nice…time for a show is your quill stem thread

[tv_vt]

A quill with a removable front plate built for current 31.6mm bars is really nice if your bike has a threaded headset. No real downsides to me. Like you said, so easy to adjust bar height. Have done it mid-ride on multiple occasions. I have two Merckx frames with threaded headsets and both have custom stems made by Ti Cycles in Portland, OR, one ti and one steel.

OTOH, older quill stems for 26.0 bars and that need to have the bars 'threaded' through the opening, requiring brake and tape to be removed, are a total PITA to me.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

A quill with a removable front plate built for current 31.6mm bars is really nice

Where does this animal exist (at a reasonable cost, without going custom)?

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by cgates66

What am I missing here?

Mostly that you can't thread carbon steerer tubes.

[fredd]

Originally Posted by mistermo

Where does this animal exist (at a reasonable cost, without going custom)?

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...ceplate-31-8mm

https://wearefactoryfive.com/products/titan-stem

[gregj]

Threadless is easier to manufacture (no threading needed) and keep inventory of (one length, cut as needed). Also, threadless is a better mechanical solution in terms of clamping forces, although in practice, a properly installed quill stem works just fine. (You have to make sure the wedge or cone is in the non-threaded portion of the steerer tube.) And threadless systems are lighter than threaded.

That said, 6 of my 7 bikes have threaded HS/quill stems. And the 7th has a 1" threadless! Yes, I'm that guy

[RWL2222]

The Nitto technomic deluxe, at 195mm and 225mm lengths, really adds a huge range of bar heights for medium-ish and up sized frames.

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by fredd

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...ceplate-31-8mm

https://wearefactoryfive.com/products/titan-stem

That Factory Five stem is nice looking.

[El Chaba]

….Then there is the world of custom quill stems….

[pdonk]

If we are throwing out custom stems...the brodie ICR is amazing


And a video as to how he makes them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muraK-wJoSk

Article on them

https://www.thespoken.cc/time-to-rise-brodie-icr-stems

Too bad he is out of tube stock and ill.

[duff_duffy]

That second one is nice!

Originally Posted by fredd

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...ceplate-31-8mm

https://wearefactoryfive.com/products/titan-stem

[merckx]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

….Then there is the world of custom quill stems….

A show stopper

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by cgates66

This is going to sound weird. I was putting together a kids bike with a quill stem, and I couldn't help but think: this is a WAY better design than the current clamp designs. I got into riding after quills disappeared from road bikes, but the elegance of the design was remarkable to me. No cutting, etc.

What am I missing here?

You're missing that threaded forks have to made in a variety of different lengths (instead of one length that works for all ) - and you still have to cut it. And also that due to dimensional constraints, you can't make threaded steerers out of anything but steel (so no aluminum or carbon).

With threadless steerers, you can make one size fork with one length steerer, and then cut it down to size. With threaded forks, only the top 50mm or so of the steerer can be threaded, so to match different size frames, the fork manufacturer has to make a variety of of different models of the fork, all with different length steerer tubes. After selecting the fork with a steerer tube of the closest length, you then have to cut down the fork the last few centimeters to match the frame. So you still end up having to cut the steerer.

Why not thread the entire length of the steerer, so that a single fork can be sized to any frame? Because the steerer is weaker in the threaded area, and if you tightened down the stem's expander wedge in the threaded section, you risk cracking the steerer. This is part of the reason that stem quills have minimum insertion lengths - so you don't tighten the wedge in the threaded section.

You only mentioned the issue of having to cut the fork, but there are many other disadvantages of threaded steerers/quill stems as well. I say good riddance.

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

OTOH, older quill stems for 26.0 bars and that need to have the bars 'threaded' through the opening, requiring brake and tape to be removed, are a total PITA to me.

Still plenty of new and used 26.0 open face quill stems around if you know what to look for.

Deda Murex is the one I use the most now days.