I understand why a lot of cyclists want to hang on to forged aluminum stems for aesthetic reasons. But like lugs, pneumatic tires, cotterless cranks, aluminum rims and dozens of other things, they were introduced as a technical improvement. Forged aluminum stems are much lighter than forged steel stems, and they don't rust. We like forged aluminum stems for the same reason we like lugs. They look great.
Like cassette hubs, index shifting, dual pivot brakes, single rail saddles, and on and on, threadless forks have a certain inevitability about them because they are technical improvements. Yes, it's easier to raise and lower your bars within a narrow range with a quill stem, but that's the only advantage I can see other than the aesthetic one. For someone like me, the higher I go with a quill stem, the floppier it gets, so raising the bar by exposing more quill is not exactly an advantage to me. Having the option of a threadless fork on a Riv is not a crazy idea. It's even a reality, in said Legolas. I would bet there's more than one Legolas out there all tricked out for touring, like all those Cross Checks. I doubt the geometry of a Legolas fork is much different than other Riv forks meant for the same wheel size. Maybe they are, but it's probably moot anyway since I don't think Grant has any desire to be in the business of selling forks without frames. I respect his reasoning there, too. On Dec 23, 9:02 am, JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com> wrote: > > Hmmm. I wonder if Grant would sell a Legolas fork separately? Or are > > they "oversized" as well as threadless? > > But won't the angles be different? > > On Dec 23, 9:30 am, Atlantean <softlysoftlycatcheemon...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > Cutting the threaded part off works just fine, if the steerer is long > > enough. In the case of my fixie, I did find a few threadless forks on > > eBay and such some time back, but I was having trouble even finding a > > new threadless steerer that's long enough for a 25" frame. Typical > > 9/8" threadless mountain bike forks come with 265mm steer tubes, but > > 275 would work a lot better for me. Maybe when the hipsters all move > > on to unicycles, I'll ride my fixie more, and it will seem worthwhile > > to pay for the modification. The fork on the Merckx is a wild looking > > thing with "aero" styled blades brazed into a custom crown, so I'd > > like to keep it. Maybe I'll just get a chomoly stem that's the right > > size and angle and clamp diameter. That's probably harder to find than > > a threadless steel road fork. > > > Hmmm. I wonder if Grant would sell a Legolas fork separately? Or are > > they "oversized" as well as threadless? > > > Is this question any less sensible than the whole 650b industry? Or > > anything else we obsess about around here? I don't think so. Surely > > it's more productive than yet another discussion of trail. > > > On Dec 23, 7:39 am, "Frederick, Steve" <frede...@mail.lib.msu.edu> > > wrote: > > > > Perhaps a bit off the wall, but couldn't you buy a threaded fork with a > > > too long steerer and cut the threaded bit off? > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > > > [mailto:rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com]on Behalf Of Atlantean > > > Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:02 AM > > > To: RBW Owners Bunch > > > Subject: [RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne geometry is up at RBW site! > > > > From what I have seen, one-inch threadless forks of any description > > > are pretty scarce. I have one bike in particular that I'd like to > > > switch to threadless, but I haven't run across anything suitable. New > > > uncut one inch threadless steel forks tend to be generic and the > > > tubing is usually not specified. I looked into having the steer tube > > > replaced, and like a lot of things it is fairly easy to have done but > > > not cheap. It's not that big a deal on this particular bike, a Merckx > > > I've converted to fixed, but I would like a stiffer front end. Out of > > > the saddle mashing up a hill makes the M bar pretty floppy, even on an > > > 80mm Dirt Drop all the way down in the fork. The Dirt Drops are great > > > stems; the stiffest aluminum quill stems I've found. > > > > I think it would be cool to have the option of threadless on a new > > > Riv, kind of like the custom color option. Nickel plated fillet brazed > > > or lugged stems would look really good on a Riv with a threadless > > > setup. But then lots of things would be cool. > > > > On Dec 22, 9:39 pm, CycloFiend <cyclofi...@earthlink.net> wrote: > > > > on 12/22/08 7:19 PM, CycloFiend at cyclofi...@earthlink.net wrote: > > > > > > on 12/22/08 6:49 PM, JoelMatthews at joelmatth...@mac.com replied to: > > > > > >>> lBut I don't want to start an argument over this, I just want to > > > > >>> know whether I can get an Rivendell sells uncut forks for use with a > > > > >>> 1" threadless headset - and if so, how long is the steerer. > > > > > > with: > > > > >> Grant could probably have Noblilette make you a threadless fork > > > > >> custom. It would cost you no doubt - kind of defeating the purpose > > > > >> of > > > > >> getting a Hillborne. You would probably be better off asking if > > > > >> there > > > > >> is a Hillborne frame without a fork (I suppose one might break during > > > > >> the voyage from Taiwan) and just buy a steel threadless fork from > > > > >> Ben's Cycles or such outlet. > > > > > > Actually, it may be simpler to order an appropriate threadless fork > > > > > at the > > > > > same time. The steerer tube is just set into the fork crown, and it > > > > > could be > > > > > just a matter of getting an unthreaded tube put in. That way, you > > > > > have the > > > > > dimension of fork blades that the bicycle was designed for. > > > > > sorry - wasn't quite clear in this post. > > > > > I meant that if you knew that's what you wanted, it would make sense to > > > > try > > > > to see if you could order it now, while the frames are being built. > > > > > If there's a possibility, it's best pursued now while orders are being > > > > put > > > > together and finalized. I'd give 'em a call over at RBWHQ&L. > > > > > - J > > > > > -- > > > > Jim Edgar > > > > cyclofi...@earthlink.net > > > > > Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries -http://www.cyclofiend.com > > > > Current Classics - Cross Bikes > > > > Singlespeed - Working Bikes > > > > > Send In Your Photos! - Here's how:http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines > > > > > "'You both ride your bike?' He held his hands out and grabbed imaginary > > > > handlebars, grinning indulgently, eyeing Tom's helmet. Double > > > > disbeleif: > > > > not one, but two grown Americans riding bicycles." > > > > -- Neal Stephenson, "Zodiac"- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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