# Threaded headset interchangeability



## Old Yeller (Feb 5, 2005)

Are English and Italian threaded headsets interchangeable?


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## Florentine Pogen (Dec 5, 2004)

*Which one do you have?*

This could get interesting!


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## tube_ee (Aug 25, 2003)

*From Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary*

<blockquote>
Italian

Italian bicycles are built to specific standards of threading and dimension. Most parts on Italian dimension bicycles are interchangeable with British/ISO dimensioned parts. 

The major exception is the bottom bracket. Italian bottom brackets are 70 mm wide, as opposed to the usual 68 mm dimension of British/ISO and French bottom brackets. The cup diameter is also larger. Sometimes, bicycles which have damaged bottom-bracket threads are machined out to Italian size to eliminate the damaged threads. Italian bottom brackets, like the French, use a right-hand thread on both sides, so the fixed cup is prone to loosening up unless very securely tightened.

Italian threading is a curious mixture of metric and British. Diameters are specified in millimeters, but threads are in threads-per-inch! In addition, the thread angle is 55 degrees, like the obsolete British Whitworth system, rather than 60 degrees as with U.S. and metric threads.

Italian freewheel and headset threads are the same as British/ISO, except for the thread angle difference. They may be interchanged, but you should not go back-and-forth bewteen Italian and British/ISO headsets. Italian freewheels are basically extinct, so the issue is moot there. Italian size handlebars/stems generally use a clamping diameter of 26 mm. Many high-end aftermarket drop handlebars and "road" stems also use this size even if not Italian made. 
</blockquote>

So it looks like you'll be OK. The best solution would be to find an italian-thread headset, but British should work.

--Shannon


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## Old Yeller (Feb 5, 2005)

*Thanks for the info! I have an Italian fork*

I have an Italian threaded fork and am watching ebay for a Campy headset. I see them listed as Italian or English an thought I heard somewhere back in my youth that they were interchangeable. I'll keep looking for an Italian but if I find a good deal on an English, I will buy it.


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## Nessism (Feb 6, 2004)

Old Yeller said:


> I have an Italian threaded fork and am watching ebay for a Campy headset. I see them listed as Italian or English an thought I heard somewhere back in my youth that they were interchangeable. I'll keep looking for an Italian but if I find a good deal on an English, I will buy it.


Relax. The threading on forks is all the same (English by the way). Italian threads are only on the bottom bracket.

Of course, there are some odd ball threading offered on old classic bikes but if your bike has been made in the last 20 years, this is not likely to be an issue.

Good luck.

Ed


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