Stem (bicycle part)
bicycle component that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube of the bicycle fork
The stem is the component on a bicycle that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube of the bicycle fork. Sometimes called a goose neck, a stem's design belongs to either a quill or threadless system, and each system is compatible with respective headset and fork designs:
Quill: the stem inserts into the steerer tube, which is threaded and does not extend above the headset.
Threadless: the stem clamps around the steerer tube, which is not threaded and extends above the headset.
Quill versus threadless
Although stems are commonly referred to as being of either the quill or threaded type, the thread in question is the one on the fork steerer tube. Quill stems require a steerer tube of the same length as the headset and head tube combined and thus must be matched to the specific bicycle model. Threadless systems use an unthreaded steerer tube, which extends into the stem and may be cut to length as desired in order to accommodate the height of the headset, head tube, stem and any spacers used to adjust the handlebar height.
Quill systems predate threadless systems. With the advent of threadless stems, manufacturers no longer need to provide a range of threaded forks for a given model; all threadless system forks are made with the same length steerer tube (long). The steerer tubes are then cut to length to fit upon installation. Unthreaded forks often require less labor to swap than threaded forks.
The public source identifies “Stem (bicycle part)” as bicycle component that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube of the bicycle fork. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Stem, bicycle and part.
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This entry incorporates text from “Stem (bicycle part)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.