Threaded or Threadless, decisions, decisions??

As some of you know, I bought a frame that I am building up as a travel bike. It has a 1 1/8" OD HT, which means it takes a 1" steerer tube. I have a choice of a 1" threaded or 1" threadless headset. As I understand it, the threaded will look nicer since it takes a quill stem, and since I like my bars high (same height as saddle) I will need to use a lot of spacers with a threadless, and need a shim to use a 1 1/8" stem, so it will look a little clunky. But as a travel bike I am worried that those pretty stems like the nitto technomic will be hard to pack since the bars don't unscrew easily (the quill stems that unscrew easily don't give me enough rise). Also, if someday I want to use this fork (its a custom 24" fork) with my other bike that takes a 1 1/8" steerer tube (1 1/4" OD HT) I can buy a chris king threadless headset that does that. I also read that threadless systems are lighter, but is that true if I don't cut my steerer tube to get max height? Also, since I am installing canti brakes, does anyone know it the front brake hanger will mount on either type of headset?

I've never actually used a threadless headset, so I don't really have the full picture here. Hopefully someone who has used both can give you some additional perspective.

Threaded headsets tend to loosen occasionally just from road vibration. Occasionally meaning that it might need a readjustment every year or two or three. I assume that threadless are less likely to do that.

As far as packing a bike with quill stem, it's not that hard. You pull out the quill and leave the bars attached. You can loosen the stem bolt and rotate the stem on the bars to make packing easier if necessary. When brake levers had long cables out the top, you could get away without disconnecting the brakes and just lash the bars onto the frame. With cable routing under the tape, you generally have to disconnect brakes (and gear cables for STI) in order to remove the quill. Oh, you have canti brakes. So you just disconnect one side of the bridge and you might get enough excess cable to avoid the disconnect. Maybe.

I was reading the Chris King headsets can adapt for either threaded or threadless use. They sell conversion kits.

Your choice ultimately depends on the steerer tube of your fork. Is the steerer tube threaded or threadless to begin with or do you have a choice there as well?

Your builder should be able to give you a good recommendation since you've got the two bikes to consider. I assume that as a custom fork it will have a steel steerer tube? Carbon steerer always have a max spacer height. Not sure about steel. You can always start threadless and go threaded but not the other way since the steerer tube gets cut.

Threadless is lighter. Probably easier to find a greater variety of stems in different lengths and rises, and therefore play more with the fit of your bike. Threadless allows you to change stems without pulling the entire front end apart. I don't think the brake hanger cares which way you go. The shim looks just like a narrow silver spacers and belnds in with a silver Nitto stem.

You can always start threadless and go threaded but not the other way since the steerer tube gets cut.

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

You can always start threadless and go threaded but not the other way since the steerer tube gets cut.

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In most cases, you cannot cut threads into a threadless steerer, even if you decide later you want to go threaded......besides having trouble finding a bike shop willing to cut threads for you. Threadless steerer tubing is usually thinner than threaded tubes to begin with......

Thanks for all the input! Since its a custom fork I can choose whether the steerer tube is threaded or theadless, and how tall it is. At this point I decided to go threadless, to get the max compatablity with my other bike. That bike takes a 1 1/8 headtube and this bike a 1", but I noticed chris king sells a devolution headset I could install on the other bike to allow it to accept a 1" threadless steerer tube if I needed to install the new fork on that bike for any reason (rake is identical). I only worry about stuff like this cuz these are 24" forks which are hard to come by so having max flexiblity is good. My experience also tells me that packing of the threadless system will be easier since I can get a pop top threadless stem but not threaded that is the right size. I am not sure threadless will be lighter in my case since I will need a longer steerer tube with the threadless system, but it might be which is always good. I shipped my frame to the builder on monday, and we will discuss the final details once he sees it, but at this point I think threadless is the way to go unless he sees a problem with this when he sees the bike.