I have decided that my Schwinn 11.8 chromie needs a facelift. Going to send it off to Waterford for a strip of the old clear and a polish job. Met with the decal guy today and pictures and measurements were taken.

I need to lengthen the reach by getting a 120 stem. This particular bike has a goofball proprietery stem, where as almost all quill stems are 22.1mm(I think as i measured) mine is a 21.1mm or 0.833 as is stamped on my stem. Naturally, a 21.1mm stem in a 120 length does not exist. What I would like to do is buy a nice Nitto stem and bars and have the stem neck shaved down 1mm and all would be well. The other option is to find a chrome fork, swap out the headset to standard size of course the rake would need to be correct. Does anyone know of someone who is capable of doing this project with the stem?

that's a baller plan... not even sure how you would shave down a stem evenly 1mm all the way around. aren't old bmx stems 21.1?

that's a baller plan... not even sure how you would shave down a stem evenly 1mm all the way around. aren't old bmx stems 21.1?

Probably the most likely plan, and I just took some measurements not sure this would work, was swapping out the fork and HS. My measurements in comparing one old bike head tube to another old bike head tube, both lugged steel, is a slightly smaller diameter on the Schwinn. Not sure I could get a standard hs that would fit. I will need to check that once I remove the HS. If that does not work I may be stuck with what I got depending upon how much I want to spend on a stem. I need to research the BMX thing.

Is it one of the old "Schwinn approved" stems??
Can't you still get those on Ebay?

with Salvatorie guarding it

I don't see why a stem couldn't be turned down, the bolt hole on the top should be centered on the vertical shaft you would think...a live center using that as the tail and an inside chuck on the other end might work.......JUST KEEP YOUR KNUCKLES OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PART THAT HOLDS THE BAR!!!!!!!!!
By the looks of that rim on the picture, that seems to be what they did on that one.

I don't see why a stem couldn't be turned down, the bolt hole on the top should be centered on the vertical shaft you would think...a live center using that as the tail and an inside chuck on the other end might work.......JUST KEEP YOUR KNUCKLES OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PART THAT HOLDS THE BAR!!!!!!!!!
By the looks of that rim on the picture, that seems to be what they did on that one.

And actually that rim/shoulder is way higher than I need it to be, perhaps an inch lower would be fine.

What you need to do is ream the inside of the steerer tube. Those old Schwinns had extra thick steerer tubes. Much easier than reducing the stem, plus then you can use any 1" stem.

What you need to do is ream the inside of the steerer tube. Those old Schwinns had extra thick steerer tubes. Much easier than reducing the stem, plus then you can use any 1" stem.

The current headset fits a 21.1mm steer tube. And reaming the steer tube won't make the steer tube any larger diameter. So as I see it I still don't have a headset that will fit a 1" stem, a fork that no longer holds my current stem and I'm still not sure a 1" headset will fit my head tube until I try to install one as the headtube might also be proprietary to the whole setup too.

Today I took the fork and part of the headset apart. First time i ever had to use a pipe wrench on a headset. Going to take the frame to a shop and have them pop the races out. On a positive note the fork is nothing special, Tange make, I know my parts supplier has forks, lots of forks in his shop, some are chrome. I can also determine if a standard 1" threaded hs will fit into my frame and if it does and the fork fits the hs then I can go with that and a Nitto bar and stem combo.

I found a new chrome fork cheap, I know I can get a new headset, and I have already picked out a stem and bars. I just have to hope that those are the only proprietory parts of the front end. I mean what are the chances that the whole frame is oddball tube sizes? Which would mean odd ball lug sizes too. Were talking 1mm here! If a 1" headset fits the headtube I'm in biz. If not, well back to trying to find someone to shave down a stem.

I found a new chrome fork cheap, I know I can get a new headset, and I have already picked out a stem and bars. I just have to hope that those are the only proprietory parts of the front end. I mean what are the chances that the whole frame is oddball tube sizes? Which would mean odd ball lug sizes too. Were talking 1mm here! If a 1" headset fits the headtube I'm in biz. If not, well back to trying to find someone to shave down a stem.


I am betting my buddy who is a machinist with his own shop would be be able to do it, I know he is crazy enough to try....if you can't find someone, let me know and I will ask him.....

I had him bore out a threadless from 1" to 1 1/16 for me

and shorten my nitto

and cut a microscope in half...

I mean really, if you can get it to spin true and have a good file, that is all it will take.

I am betting my buddy who is a machinist with his own shop would be be able to do it, I know he is crazy enough to try....if you can't find someone, let me know and I will ask him.....

I had him bore out a threadless from 1" to 1 1/16 for me

and shorten my nitto

and cut a microscope in half...

I mean really, if you can get it to spin true and have a good file, that is all it will take.

I may take you up on the offer. I am hoping that the head tube is NOT different. Trying to take measurements with the cups still in is not very productive and not knowing what the inside measurements of the tube need to be to work also is not helpful.

Having that bike finally fit me correctly (100 stem vs a 120) and then being not so dependant on pushing a short railed Brooks Pro all the way back to try and get a little more room will really be nice. And for the last month or so I have been kicking around the idea of a Waterford frame and spending money i don't need to spend when I have this decent frame now........it never ends.

At any rate, you saw the pictures, ask if it is possible and we will go from there.

The current headset fits a 21.1mm steer tube. And reaming the steer tube won't make the steer tube any larger diameter. So as I see it I still don't have a headset that will fit a 1" stem, a fork that no longer holds my current stem and I'm still not sure a 1" headset will fit my head tube until I try to install one as the headtube might also be proprietary to the whole setup too.

You're confusing the steerer tube size with the stem size. You bike does not have a 21.1mm steerer tube. It uses a 21.1mm stem. Two different things. Like you said in your original post, most stems are actually 22.2mm. Like I said above, your steerer tube can be reemed to fit a standard 22.2mm stem.

in the interim, I suggest either calling of e-mailing Andy at Yellow Jersey in Madison, Wi. They most likely have one, they seem to have everything else...not sure about the cost, they seem to be a bit pricey but....

I will also ask a couple of friends at Trek and see if they can come up with some old stuff.

PM coming too..

You're confusing the steerer tube size with the stem size. You bike does not have a 21.1mm steerer tube. It uses a 21.1mm stem. Two different things. Like you said in your original post, most stems are actually 22.2mm. Like I said above, your steerer tube can be reemed to fit a standard 22.2mm stem.

I just found an old fixing bolt of a 1" headset and it screws onto the old fork which leads me to believe that the fork could be reamed and a 1" standard headset WILL fit the headtube and is not proprietory as I had feared. However I prefer to not ream the original fork as I can have the correct fitting fork for <$30 or so, can get a threaded HS for cheap price and then the stem and bars of my choice. My only doubt now is that the new fork shows a size steer tube of 200mm which should be long enough.

I just found an old fixing bolt of a 1" headset and it screws onto the old fork which leads me to believe that the fork could be reamed and a 1" standard headset WILL fit the headtube and is not proprietory as I had feared. However I prefer to not ream the original fork as I can have the correct fitting fork for <$30 or so, can get a threaded HS for cheap price and then the stem and bars of my choice. My only doubt now is that the new fork shows a size steer tube of 200mm which should be long enough.

Yeah you can go that route too. I was just saying that its possible to ream it.

Yeah you can go that route too. I was just saying that its possible to ream it.

I was at my old parts supplier and he talked me out of going all new replacement parts and sold me the stem instead. He did not think I would find the correct parts. Also at the time I was thinking that the bike was more of a novelty as a single speeder and I wouldn't ride it much. I measured the thickness of the steer tube, about 2.1mm, Removing 1mm has me a little nervous. Plus I don't need to find a machine shop to do the job if I go new parts.

I was at my old parts supplier and he talked me out of going all new replacement parts and sold me the stem instead. He did not think I would find the correct parts. Also at the time I was thinking that the bike was more of a novelty as a single speeder and I wouldn't ride it much. I measured the thickness of the steer tube, about 2.1mm, Removing 1mm has me a little nervous. Plus I don't need to find a machine shop to do the job if I go new parts.


But keep in mind.....boring it out to an inside diameter of 21.1 will increase the "hole size" by a mm but it will not take the tube thickness down to 1.1 mm. Consider the thickness is removing metal from the 360 degrees circumference of the inside. I am, how can I say it....uh numerically challenged, but there has to be someone here who isn't and could calculate exactly what the thickness would end up. At least I don't think it would....

That's not to say I would recommend it or not...I still think a quill adapter and threadless would give you the most length, height and angle options short of an adjustable quill stem, which would still only have one length (reach).

I'm thinking that this may be why threadless ultimately evolved into the standard

The LBS is convinced that the HT is standard, a standard 1"HS is correct size to fit and I just need to confirm that the fork I have a line on is long enough. Going to use a Nitto technomic stem in the 12 size, fairly certain that is what I need.

I went and took the frame with me so the guy could compare where he is at production wise vs what they actually look like. I was shocked at how close to original he had come. gonna be expensive for a few stickers but I got quite a few I can sell to offset the cost, just need to find buyers.