[CR]Re. wanted 22mm quill dia. stem - further issues and advice needed!

(Example: Framebuilders:Doug Fattic)

From: "Dr. Paul Williams" <castell5@sympatico.ca>
To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2008 15:47:37 -0500
cc: hmsachs@verizon.net
cc: hmsachs@verizon.net
Subject: [CR]Re. wanted 22mm quill dia. stem - further issues and advice needed!

Following my request for a 22mm quill dia. stem for the Carpenter yesterday Harvey Sachs emailed and asked if I was sure that I was looking for a 22mm and not a 22.2mm.

Well, yes and no! I would have thought 22.2mm was most likely but not so. I have puzzled over this and have measured and remeasured. Unless my calipers are way off (unlikely as these are good quality dial calipers - graduations to 0.02mm - from Lee Valley Tools) 22mm is right and may even be a little tight! The stems I have - Titan and unknown British lugged chrome - are both intended for 22.2mm. I have tried a Pivo stem I had lying around which measures 21.7 and this fits very comfortably into the fork. Now this would make the measurement roughly 7/8" imperial (I must get an imperial set of calipers - Lee Valley does the same ones in imperial - graduated in thousandths).

I don't particularly want to use the Pivo stem as it is not exactly period (and not the most attractive piece) but it would do. However, does anyone have a suitable British stem - preferably chromed in 7/8" quill diameter?

If not here is the question, was 7/8" common in the 40s - early-50s on British framesets and are these available?

I am beginning to find the eccentricities of British bikes and their makers a challenge.

On a related note, I have two locking rings which are virtually identical - one came with the frame and is not in great shape, the other was supplied by Ted Ernst and is lovely NOS - however, there is a difference of a milimetre or less between the stem insertion hole - the latter being slightly smaller (although both fit the steerer and are 31/32" not 1").

Further, the NOS headclip which I picked up from Nick at Lloyds, and is a much finer and better conditioned example than the one which came with the frame, measures 31/32" but does not fit - argghhh!

Any advice would be gratefully received, please.

Paul Williams,
Ottawa, ON, Canada