what stem do you have?

[Arch]

Prompted by something that came up here:

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=39369

What sort of stem do you have, quill, A-head, or what?

I have quill on all three of my uprights, and have never thought they needed improving. What is the advantage of A-head? Is there one, or is it just a way to get people with more money to 'upgrade'...

 

[User482]

They're lighter, stiffer and can be adjusted with allen keys rather than large spanners. On the other hand, they're harder to adjust for height, and the star fangled nut method of adjusting bearing tension doesn't seem very elegant to me.

I have four bikes - three have a quill stem, and one with aheadset.

 

[Young Un]

Three bikes: two a-head one quill. A-head it is easier (IMO) to change the height, and adjust the bearings.

 

[wafflycat]

I has both..

 

[Arch]

They're lighter, stiffer and can be adjusted with allen keys rather than large spanners. On the other hand, they're harder to adjust for height, and the star fangled nut method of adjusting bearing tension doesn't seem very elegant to me.

I have four bikes - three have a quill stem, and one with aheadset.

Eh? I can raise or lower my quills with a single allen key...

The poll btw, is multi choice for those with both.

 

[User482]

Eh? I can raise or lower my quills with a single allen key...

The poll btw, is multi choice for those with both.

Yes, but you can't tighten a loose headset without a big spanner. Unlike aheadsets...

 

[User482]

This is going to sound totally stupid, but I thought they were called threadless, not a-head. What's the difference?

I think "aheadset" is a brand name. A bit like hoover vs vacuum cleaner.

 

[GilesM]

Three bikes with A Head Stems, one is my better half's.
I also have a unicycle.

I always use the hope head doctors, much better than those star nut things.

 

[Arch]

Yes, but you can't tighten a loose headset without a big spanner. Unlike aheadsets...

Ah. I've never to my knowledge suffered from a loose headset.

I wonder how many of the owners of cheap bikes (like in the original thread) or even more expensive bikes would find ease of servicing an issue. You get a man in a shop to do that (or you leave it until the thing just falls apart). Witness how many can't even pump tyres up and oil chains...

 

[Sittingduck]

A-Head on both bikes

 

[User482]

Ah. I've never to my knowledge suffered from a loose headset.

I wonder how many of the owners of cheap bikes (like in the original thread) or even more expensive bikes would find ease of servicing an issue. You get a man in a shop to do that (or you leave it until the thing just falls apart). Witness how many can't even pump tyres up and oil chains...

I can only speak for myself - I do like the fact that I can regrease and adjust an aheadset using only one allen key, but then, I do like tinkering with bikes.

Surprised you've never had a loose headset though.

 

[Arch]

I can only speak for myself - I do like the fact that I can regrease and adjust an aheadset using only one allen key, but then, I do like tinkering with bikes.

Surprised you've never had a loose headset though.

Nothing that tightening the quill didn't sort. (so not a loose headset, a loose quill)

Maybe I don't do enough miles, or I've just been lucky.

I was just a bit surprised in the story linked in the original thread, to see a quill stem instead of A-head, listed as a fault (assessed by and LBS), alongside crappy plastic brake levers, and a man's saddle on a ladies' bike. I wouldn't use a bike shop that felt quills were a fault to be highlighted. Perhaps they think hub gears are too old fashioned too, and my dear, you aren't still using toe clips are you? My goodness, you do need help (and a wopping budget for upgrades).

 

[Renard]

130mm 6 degrees reversed.

 

[User482]

Nothing that tightening the quill didn't sort. (so not a loose headset, a loose quill)

Maybe I don't do enough miles, or I've just been lucky.

I was just a bit surprised in the story linked in the original thread, to see a quill stem instead of A-head, listed as a fault (assessed by and LBS), alongside crappy plastic brake levers, and a man's saddle on a ladies' bike. I wouldn't use a bike shop that felt quills were a fault to be highlighted. Perhaps they think hub gears are too old fashioned too, and my dear, you aren't still using toe clips are you? My goodness, you do need help (and a wopping budget for upgrades).

I guess it's a fault because it builds in obsolesence. To give you a real world example: I wanted to upgrade the forks on my Thorn road bike, but struggled to find any with a 1-inch threaded steerer.

 

[tyred]

Quills all the way. I can't comment on whether or not threadless is better as I have never owned one but the quill headset has served cyclists well for over a 100 years so I wouldn't consider it a fault.

I suppose my Raleigh 20 falls into the "other" category as it has a binder bolt to secure the stem.