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1. Trimix - Member

   Can anyone recommend me a headset that:
   - will work in UK conditions.
   - will take replacable sealed bearings from the bearing shop.
   - be designed to minimise the ingress of crap, especially the bottom one.
   - put up with me washing my bike after every ride with muc off.
   - not cost too much.

   I dont think I need to buy a CK headset, I just want one with easy to replace bearings that will last a year. Seems simple, but looking at all the websites they all seem great but the marketing is making a simple product way too complicated.

   Can someone recommend me one, please.

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. Trimix - Member

   Oh, it needs to be integrated into a tapered headset (Transition Covert running 2011 Fox 36's)

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. dougieb - Member

   The hope one I've got has been faultless. Not sure if they do an integrated tapered one though

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. Trimix - Member

   Ive looked at them, but cant seem to find a diagram which would show me how its all put together. Id like to see it in some detail to find out if it will be a bit weather proof. Your right I too cant tell if the integrated one will do for my tapered headtube.

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. jamesb - Member

   Hope hope hope---drop them a line for your needs if you can`t find it on websites?

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. OCB - Member

   Might be worth a look to see if Cane Creek are doing something suitable [yet].

   Cane Creek is all I fit these days, they just seem to go on for ever - and if they do fail, spares are available. Not sure about the tapered stuff tho', that bit of design hasn't filtered down to road bikes just yet.

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. Hob Nob - Member

   Both Hope and Cane Creek do a tapered headset that will fit.

   You need to check the ID of your headtube top & bottom cup though, as there is 2 different standards...

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. foxyrider - Member

   Hope +1

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. tk46hal - Member

   Hope!

   Posted 1 year ago #
10. gamo - Member

    Hope are great but don't think the bearings are available from bearing suppliers only from Hope.

    Posted 1 year ago #
11. chakaping - Member

    Was looking at the On-One Smoothie Mixer (tapered) headset that came with my Carbon 456 frame today and it seems quite nicely made with cartridge bearings.

    Might be worth a look as a cheap-ish option.

    Posted 1 year ago #
12. Trimix - Member

    Well the original Headset I had, which was very, very cheap was a Cane Creek one - it didnt have sealed bearings it was that cheap. I didnt realise they did such a cheap one till I took it off to see what why it was a bit notchy.

    I said to the shop doing the build just fit a decent one, but not expensive. I spent over 5k on the complete bike and thought Id have a simple but OK headset. They really did go cheap, perhaps I should have speced it myself, but never haveing issues with them before I thought headsets were pretty much all the same apart from the marketing hype.

    Mmm, wrong there.

    Looking at the spec I need Tapered 1.5" / 1-1/8" (1.5" Lower Cup 49.6mm ID / 1-1/8")

    The lower and upper are integrated. I did look at CK's website - but cant tell if their Devolution one will fit or not. They are expensive, but seem similar to Cane Creeks prices on CRC.

    Posted 1 year ago #
13. Trimix - Member

    They would go with my CK hubs though. But I dont see those bearings as being simple ones I can get from the bearing shop a year later.

    Posted 1 year ago #
14. cynic-al - Member

    "- will take replacable sealed bearings from the
    bearing shop ."

    I don't think one exists but FSAs take cheap spares IIRC.

    I got a Cane Creek and I can't adjust the play out of it. Garbage.

    Posted 1 year ago #
15. coolhandluke - Member

    CK headsets are superb. Mine is 3 years old now. After going through "cheap" headset every 6 - 9 months, 3 years is positively ancient.

    Although expensive to buy, it is working out to be the cheapest headset I've ever owned.

    It's on its 3rd frame and I've fitted / removed on all occasions with a proper headset tool and proper cup remover tool and no problems, no steerer scoring issues either, that some people report.

    Funny cos I bought the tools cos I was replacing headsets so frequently it seemed worthwhile....

    Posted 1 year ago #
16. Trimix - Member

    How good is it at keeping crap out of the bottom bearing then. Thats where mine gets mucky.

    Posted 1 year ago #

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