1" steer tubes only.

...and quill stems only.

Can someone please elaborate on what a 1" steer tube and quill tubes are. Also what are the benifits of a one piece system as opposed to something like Syntace aro bars with removable/adjustable arm pads?

Thanks

"1" steer tube" is the diameter of the steer tube of the fork. it will be either 1" or 1 1/8" depending on the size of your head tube. a quill stem is used with a fork with a threaded steer tube that uses a headset that screws on to the top of the steer tube. the quill part of the stem sits inside the steer tube of the fork. if you have a threadless setup, the stem clamps on to the outside of the steer tube of the fork (which has no threads).

a one piece system is supposed to be stiffer and i guess a bit lighter (although i don't think this is always true). they also have removable/adjustable arm pads. the only thing with the one like the vision tech shown above is that you have to make sure you get the proper length stem because it's all one piece (stem, base bar, handle bar) and if it doesn't fit right, you have less room for adjustment.

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"I'm happy when life's good,
and when it's bad I cry.
I've got values but I don't know how or why."
- The Who

One-piece systems are mainly about the aerodynamics and a little bit about the stiffness. I have run one-piece systems for many years (starting with the ITM Dual Rominger hour bike-style bars)and am generally enthusiastic about them.

Basically, these are the old Vision Techs made for old bikes. You must be a relative newbie (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that) asking what a quill stem is. Quill stems were what came with bikes for about ninety of the last one hundred years that bikes have been made (maybe exaggerating). Almost no new bike in the world comes with a threaded fork and a quill-type stem these days.

Good deal if you have an ancient bike.

"Good deal if you have an ancient bike."

Ouch! I prefer to describe my bike as a "proven design". Only the motor would be described as ancient.

"Good deal if you have an ancient bike."

Like it or not, I'm sure we'll be saying the same thing 5 years from now about all the non-integrated headset parts for sale at close-out prices.

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E-Z

--It ain't a good idea to swim near MY bubbles!

Not if I can help it...heh heh heh...

I liked the quill design. I don't like the idea of headtubes swelling into a 1 1/8" size, for that matter.

I switched late in the game. I only got into ahead-style stems in late '99. I resisted the change for a long time.