Currently got an intenral CC10 headset, but thinking of upgrading to a tapered* steerer, so will need an EC44 style cup. Is there any reason to not get the hope one? CC40 is about the same (£30) price, or there’s the nuclear option of a Chris king for £106 and never have to look at it again.

*actualy I just want a 15mm axle over the QR’s I currently have, but a suspension fork wasn’t much more money, and that seems to mean tapered.

a Hope H cup is what you need.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hope-Pick-N-Mix-Mountain-Bike-Bottom-Headset-Cup-H-1-5-inch-Traditional-/231047783195?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item35cb85631b

cheap and does the job. bearing is very good quality

Why would you want to go Hope over CC? Are you saying you need a whole new lower assembly or whole headset (or just the race)?

Why would you want to go Hope over CC? Are you saying you need a whole new lower assembly or whole headset (or just the race)?

the headset the OP is running is an internal headset with a standard 1 1/8th headtube. with this kind of headtube you can run an ec44 headcup that allows you to run a taper steer fork. you can’t fit just a race. a whole lower cup is needed.
you can keep the upper internal cup and fit an ec44 lower cup. Hope imho is a much better piece of kit over the canecreek headset

What greeble said, Hope and CC sell the upper/lower portions seperately, so I only need half a headset.

A bike I had came with a CC40. The bearings were hilariously crap.

Thankfully the OD of the bearing was the same as a Hope one, so I swapped it and never had any more issues.

I recently went Hope – more out of availability than anything else. There is an FSA one too but unlike my previous Orbits (I think) it doesn’t represent as good value for money. So Hope it is!

I never had any problems with half decent FSA or Cane Creek headsets. Around a RRP for £40-50 for a full headset you get decent sealing and bearings that last for a good time. I see no point paying extra for more expensive headsets. If adjusted correctly there is no difference between a £5 headset and a £500 headset, its just the sealing properties you are paying for.

I currently have a Cane Creek 40 series headset and am very happy with it. But then I installed it in April and it hasn’t been the wettest summers this year. So while I;ve done a lot of miles on it, I don’t think I’ve really given it a hard time.

I never had any problems with half decent FSA or Cane Creek headsets. Around a RRP for £40-50 for a full headset you get decent sealing and bearings that last for a good time. I see no point paying extra for more expensive headsets. If adjusted correctly there is no difference between a £5 headset and a £500 headset, its just the sealing properties you are paying for.

🙄

would you like to elaborate Greeble?

If adjusted correctly there is no difference between a £5 headset and a £500 headset, its just the sealing properties you are paying for.

If you believe that you deserve a 🙄

My pub bike has a super cheap as chips headset its proper nasty but as its new and the bearings are smooth and the steering is smooth and effortless and has no play in the steer. Its the same as any other headset. In a blind test how would tell otherwise?

But it doesn’t have the best sealing so I know it won’t stay like that for long. Used have a FSA orbit some thing rather which had far better sealing and only cost something like £35 RRP the bearings in that lasted several muddy winters. When they eventually worn out I popped them out and put some new ones in. 10 mins later I was back on my bike having fun.

edit –

Sorry I missed the part about good quality bearings in my original post. obviously if you get a headset with bearing made of cheese then it wont last long even with good sealing but good after market bearings can be had for £10, much less than then offset of buying an expensive headset. I’ve not had any issues with the bearing life in headsets costing around £30 ish they’ve stayed smooth and notch free for ages.

+1 for the hope ‘H’ lower cup, I have one on my soul. Cheaper than a full headset, well sealed and silky smooth. What’s not to like!

Ordered a hope one,

2 problems with the logic of buying cheap (I always had CC S3’s),

1) they only last a couple of winters, yep bearings are cheep, but it’s still one more job that needs doing. Over 10 years I’ve probably spent way more than a Chris King headset would have done.
2) I don’t think anyone makes a ‘cheep’ EC44 cup.