recently many customers asked to install tapered head tubes on their customized titanium bicycle frames, just share the following to learn more about the new trend. Now the head tube is almost available in two sizes: 1-1/8 inches and 1.5 inches. 1-inch head tubes were also common in the past, but now they can only be found on cheap bicycles in supermarkets.

new head tubes combine two dimensions. On the top, their inner diameter is 1-1/8 inches, and on the bottom, their diameter is 1.5 inches. One of the main advantages of using this type of tubing is increased stiffness, since a conical tube is always more rigid than a cylindrical tube, so some other important advantages need to be considered, increased cornering accuracy and increased feedback when riding. The resistance of the frame is also increased in this specific area, reducing the risk of rupture of the lower tube or the top tube in their connecting head tube. Last, but not least, a tapered head tube allows the use of the most common stem size, 1-1/8.

In addition, the large cross-section (1.5 inches) at the bottom of the head tube allows for the use of thicker down tubes.

not only the head tube is tapered, but also the fork steering. This is not a rule, but a choice. You can buy a tapered head fork or a cylindrical head fork, for this you will need to use an adapter to complete the difference from 1-1/8 inches to 1.5 inches. The price of such an adapter is about 20 euros. If you are considering buying a tapered head tube frame, you will have to consider which head seat you will buy. There are two types of headphones, internal and integrated. It is easy to see the difference between the two headphones: the outer edge of the built-in headphones is visible, while the integrated headphones will be hidden inside the head tube.

if you are using a bike with a tapered head tube, you will notice a slight difference in the stability of the track. Our stiffness measurement device shows that the frame of the conical earphone is stiffer than the frame of the cylindrical earphone. In addition, in order to strengthen the control, we propose to use the QR 15 horizontal axis. Of course, the fork must be fitted with such and the front hub will have to be replaced. However, the result will exceed expectations, as we are talking about differences that any rider will be able to appreciate.