What is the point of the A-head stem?

[HLaB]

Perhaps because I am relatively new to road cycling, I find the quill stems ugly and weird and much prefer the lines of the ahead stem. Beauty is very much in the eyes of the beholder. I have become very used to the modern system, it meets my requirements and is as interchangeable and amendable as I need.

+1 I've only had two bikes in the last 9 years that have had quill stems and I'm glad the weren't road bikes, as I too think quill stems look ugly, they remind me of a cheap garden tap and don't look right on some bikes.

Once you get the initial set up of the ahead it's not adjusted much but it seems a lot easier to adjust initially, different length and angles.

 

[swee'pea99]

Sho' is one ugly mother...

 

[HLaB]

http://i38.tinypic.com/8xncjc.jpg[/img]

Yip

 

[4F]

Compared to this say ?

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Go Quills​

 

[dodgy]

From a purely aesthetic point of view, I prefer the Ahead style stems. They look more 'tech' and are right at home on modern road and mountain bikes. I wouldn't dream of putting one on a 60s or 70s classic, but then I don't own one - because I prefer modern stuff

 

[Crackle]

I do as well. My quill stem is the same colour as my wheels, brakes, crankset and mechs

And your coffee percolator........


I've slowly changed my mind about aheadsets but I miss the flexibility of fine tuning my handlebar height which a quill stem would give. I would never use spacers, absolutely fugly.

 

[swee'pea99]

It's like comparing a lump of schoolboy Meccano to a Henry Moore - you'd need the aesthetic sensitivities of a wildebeeste to favour the Ahead. I do concede the issue of having to strip one bar back to bare metal to change a set of handlebars - that can be a drag. But in terms of the look, it's no contest. Unless you're a wildebeeste.

 

[661-Pete]

I wonder if this thread reveals a 'young v. old' divide - older, more traditional cyclists all favour quills, whereas the young 'uns.....

Come to think of it, the very word 'quill' sounds old-fashioned doesn't it? Has anyone actually written with a quill pen?

I must declare I'm fairly even-minded on this one. Of course I was suspicious of Aheadsets at first, but perhaps not any more.

One thing I resent with some 'innovations' is the way they force or cajole you into buying special tools. When I needed to dismantle an Aheadset resently, I sought - and got - advice on this forum (you know who you are guys - thanks a lot!). I also searched the web: the Sheldon Brown site doesn't actually go into much detail, and some of the commercial sites all insist you have to buy this tool and that before you can even start! I didn't buy anything except a tube cutter.

It was like that when cotterless (taper) cranks first came on the scene in the 1960s and 70s (previously they'd only been seen on high-end bikes). I'll bet there were plenty of old-timers who muttered "why do I have to buy that special extractor? All I needed with the old cotter pins was a hammer and a small spanner....." Of course, I'm not actually advocating a return to cotter pins! But I must admit I've never taken a liking to the newer splined B/B's....

 

[theclaud]

ou'd need the aesthetic sensitivities of a wildebeeste to favour the Ahead[/b]. I do concede the issue of having to strip one bar back to bare metal to change a set of handlebars - that can be a drag. But in terms of the look, it's no contest. Unless you're a wildebeeste.

Hardly comparing like for like. Your quill stem is lovely, but anyone who fixes their friends' cheap hybrids and mtbs will have seen quite enough of this kind of thing.



The proper Ahead comparison with your stem would be this, which is gorgeous:

[attachment=618:x2silver1big.jpg

It depends on the bike, of course.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

What do you think of this lot swee'pea?

http://www.wildebeestbicycles.com/

 

[swee'pea99]

Hideous! 

 

[Davidc]

Many of the changes to bikes over the years have been good. Some very good.

The change to Ahead isn't one of them. I can't think of a single point in their favour. Both of my current bikes have the things.

I can't agree with any of the points raised above. The later cartridge bearing threaded headsets were just about perfect.

Ahead just makes factory assembly easier at the expense of the bike user.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The move away from bike parts which needed a hammer to fit or remove them has been one of the best things that has happened in my time. Cottered chainsets were a pig ugly pain in the arse, nothing but trouble and so were the pressed cups in threaded headsets. A full service with just an Allen key and a leisurly 15 minutes can't be beaten, and A-Heads have the look of functional beauty about them.

I can't see a single thing in favour of quill stems, get the height right on an A-Head and why on earth would you need to adjust it again? I've been using the same riding position for over forty years.

 

[swee'pea99]

The move away from bike parts which needed a hammer to fit or remove them has been one of the best things that has happened in my time. Cottered chainsets were a pig ugly pain in the arse, nothing but trouble and so were the pressed cups in threaded headsets. A full service with just an Allen key and a leisurly 15 minutes can't be beaten, and A-Heads have the look of functional beauty about them.

I can't see a single thing in favour of quill stems, get the height right on an A-Head and why on earth would you need to adjust it again? I've been using the same riding position for over forty years.

Are such hammercist comments now acceptable on CC? How dare you, sir? Some of my best tools have been hammers. Where's a mod when you need one? 

 

[Davidc]

Totally agree about hammers and in particular cotter pins. Those things were a worst case pain in the bottom.

Most changes in bike components have been for the good. From packaged BBs of various types to LED lighting, V brakes to sprockets on cassettes, BUT I can't agree about the threadless headsets though.

(hammerism is rife around here I'm afraid swee'pea)