44mm head tube versus 1 1/8.

[EB]

Tom Ritchey knows what he’s doing, and he offers a straight steerer disc fork which is what is spec’d on Nate’s lovely Scarab above, as well as the upcoming disc Road Logic frame. I really hope they keep making this fork - I think maybe Wound Up does as well?

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Pick the steerer you need and then select the head tube to match. There's no stiffness or strength differences between the two head tubes (but the 44 is for sure heavier) so base it on the fork.

dave

Two identical frames, one built with a 44mm HT, the other 1 1/8.
What would be the actual weight differences?

I know we tend to obsess about weight but without knowing the exact weight difference I would say it’s insignificant. I would also guess, as mentioned, the HT choice would be dictated by the choice of the tubing set and style of fork.

[Hilltopperny]

I like the aesthetics and ride of my1 1/8 head tube steel bike with a steel fork. If I were going way oversized tubing and carbon fork I would go tapered or 44mm. A 1 1/8 head tube can still look fine with some carbon forks as long as the downtube isn’t gigantic.


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[tuscanyswe]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

I like the aesthetics and ride of my1 1/8 head tube steel bike with a steel fork. If I were going way oversized tubing and carbon fork I would go tapered or 44mm. A 1 1/8 head tube can still look fine with some carbon forks as long as the downtube isn’t gigantic.


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Cant recall seeing a modern steel bike where i thought oh thats a big downtube but boy that headtube is so small. In theory i would agree but i dont think ive ever come across one. At least not where the tubes are round. Maybe on older steel and alu where they had shaped rectangular-ish downtubes maybe .)

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

Cant recall seeing a modern steel bike where i thought oh thats a big downtube but boy that headtube is so small. In theory i would agree but i dont think ive ever come across one. At least not where the tubes are round. Maybe on older steel and alu where they had shaped rectangular-ish downtubes maybe .)

I bought one of the Battaglin Power+ and it came with a 44mm ovalized downtube. They were Spirit HSS iirc and it had a tapered oversized headtube and carbon fork. I think it would have looked kind of silly with a 1 1/8th on that particular bike.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Contemplating the build for the last bike I'll every buy (for myself) It will most likely be a very light steel bike. Columbus Spirit, probably.

Consider tapered.

My Spirit frame is a lightweight rocketship. Bike handles like a dream.

[tuscanyswe]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

I bought one of the Battaglin Power+ and it came with a 44mm ovalized downtube. They were Spirit HSS iirc and it had a tapered oversized headtube and carbon fork. I think it would have looked kind of silly with a 1 1/8th on that particular bike.

That is a good example actually. It seems the reversed is more common tho. normal or thin tubes with 44mm headtubes. Not an ideal look for me. To me the visual appeal of a nice steel frame is allrdy something completely different when the tubes are that large. Looks more like alu bikes to me.

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by Clancy

Two identical frames, one built with a 44mm HT, the other 1 1/8.
What would be the actual weight differences?

I know we tend to obsess about weight but without knowing the exact weight difference I would say it’s insignificant. I would also guess, as mentioned, the HT choice would be dictated by the choice of the tubing set and style of fork.

That's a good question. I can't answer it off the top of my head. I'd walk out into the shop and weigh two pieces of head tube but I don't have any 44mm in stock at the moment.

I know that when picking the two up the 44 is a large percentage heavier....but is the difference significant when considering the overall bike weight? Probably not. It depends on the priorities of the owner I suppose.

The weight difference on the head tubes would not be the big factor to me. This is partly why I say that one should select the fork steerer needed and then pick the head tube to match it.

dave

[unterhausen]

I was down at the bike shop looking at bikes yesterday. Saw an all city cosmic stallion https://allcitycycles.com/bikes and it looked fine. Carbon fork, external headset tapered steerer. Might look a little wonky with an internal headset tapered steerer.

Steel fork, no question, 1 1/8" The bikes I have seen that come with a steel fork but have a 44mm head tube look silly, nobody needs that. 44mm straight steel head tubes are a little heavy, the tapered ones are not.

Someone was threatening to make lugs for tapered headtubes, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

I bought one of the Battaglin Power+ and it came with a 44mm ovalized downtube. They were Spirit HSS iirc and it had a tapered oversized headtube and carbon fork. I think it would have looked kind of silly with a 1 1/8th on that particular bike.

Agreed.

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[kingpin75s]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

This is partly why I say that one should select the fork steerer needed and then pick the head tube to match it.

dave

Succinctly stated. ^This.

[fignon's barber]

[QUOTE=XXtwindad;2641613] Contemplating the build for the last bike I'll every buy (for myself) It will most likely be a very light steel bike. Columbus Spirit, probably.
[/QUOTE)

You'll have plenty of stiffness with a 1 1/8 HT for a steel rim braked frame. If I were going for a disc steel bike, I would get a Bertoletti Fedaia with a tapered HT.

[bitpuddle]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

That is a good example actually. It seems the reversed is more common tho. normal or thin tubes with 44mm headtubes. Not an ideal look for me. To me the visual appeal of a nice steel frame is allrdy something completely different when the tubes are that large. Looks more like alu bikes to me.

I happen to have a Power+, too, as well as a Cinelli Nemo Tig. Similar tube sets and the larger head tube works aesthetically. The Nemo is a wonderful riding frame with those tubes and a Futura fork.

I will say that I had another Spirit frame with an oversized head tube and it was too stiff. Bad roads could really yank the bars out of my hands.

I lust after those Scarabs and the new Ritchey Road Logic Disc. I love the look of the tubing and the graceful fork.

[grateful]

I would leave it to the builder, other tubing diameter needs may dictate their head tube recommendation.

[CAAD]

I ended up going with a 44mm ht on my latest build. Rob custom machined the ht so weight/size isn't as bad as those Paragon headtubes. Paired with a 44mm dt, Max stays, tapered Columbus fork, t47bb. The 44mm dt pairs well with the larger ht. This is a replacement for my supersix Evo hm. I was going for all out stiffness. Smaller tubes don't take up as much real estate on the ht, really no reason to go oversized.