Hi all, revived a headset from CRC and decided to have a go at fitting it today. I cannot for the life of me understand what does what from the pieces inside the box. It looks so easy when viewing a you tube vid but there is Bly one part that actually resembles the bit that goes into the frame. Hopefully there will be a pic here for you to comment on FSA Headset

Well, the ‘Jagwire’ bits are barrel adjusters- not headset related.

The long bolt-looking thing is a trumpet bolt thats used to hold the brake caliper captive.

The ring with a split in it is the crown race.

2 bearings
Crown race (steel)
Compression ring (ali with split)
Top cap (cone thing)
2 spacers

From fork.
Crown race,bearing,head tube,bearing,compression ring,top cap,spacers,stem.

The ‘FSA’ bits are headset spacers.

The silvery ‘rings’ are the bearings.

Doesn’t look like a full set of headset bits to me or at least it seems to be missing the bits that go into the frame, and the bearings of course. At least not according to the headsets I’ve ever put in my frame but I await someone with more knowledge

I agree with leffeboy, now that I look at it- the silvery rings aren’t the bearings, my mistake. It does look short of bits.

What does the packaging and invoice say?

Is it meant to be this:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fsa/orbit-i-integrated-headset-ec011413

??

Tbh.If you are struggling at the first (knee height) hurdle and considering the damage you could incur to both you bicycle and yourself ,then it’s probably something best left to the lbs.

Fsa orbit by jj.nicholson@btinternet.com, on Flickr

the 3 longish thinnish bits aren’t part of the headset

the 2 thicker black thngs that look like spacers are, in fact, spacers so you may not need them at all

bottom right is the crown race

far left is the (conical) top headset spacer

the bearings are exactly that and fit straight into your headtube (or else you have the wrong headset type)

the last split ring thing is the compression thingy that fits t the top and stabilises the bearing

SO. fit race to fork crown (assuming you’ve taken off the existing one if necessary)

put lower bearing on top of race and then mate up the crown race/bearing to the bottom headtube cup.
Drop on top bearing and then the split compression thingy
Conical top spacer and then stem (unless you need the spacers) – don’t tighten up stem bolts yet

top cap (not shown in pic) to tension and then tighten stem on

The two silver items to the right of the biggest black bit are certainly bearings. The box states that it is a headset excluding the top cap so I have bought this separately, is that the part you think is missing? I am trying to figure which bits I press into the top and bottom of the frame. As leffeboy says it doesn’t look like anything that I see being fitted in e you tube vids.

That’s an integrated headset where the bearings sit directly into the frame.
Semi integrated or integral headsets have press in cups which sit flush to the headtube.
External headsets have press in cups which sit…well,externally.
I reiterate my previous comment.

I am trying to figure which bits I press into the top and bottom of the frame

I am worrying that you have he wrong headset – do the bearings not fit into the ends of your headtube as they are ?

If it’s an integrated headset then it may make sense, I’ve never fitted one of those and it matches codybrennans link

delete double post

the 3 longish thinnish bits aren’t part of the headset

2 look like adjusters for road bike gear cables (screw into down tube stops near the head tube) but I can’t see a thread on them

other might be a brake mounting bolt ?

A pic of your headtube will help us to help you.

Ok, it looks like its an integrated headset. Thank you for all the info, there is every chance I have ballsed up and bout the wrong thing, off to the on one website to see if it tells me about the headset for a whippet .

Non-tapered Integrated headset with low stack height – lower rider position. Takes FSA Orbit CE Integrated Headset

On-One Whippet Carbon XC MTB Frame
Non-tapered Integrated headset with low stack height – lower rider position. Takes FSA Orbit CE Integrated Headset

I reckon you may be OK

Bugger! This is a CF

I think CF is just a posher CE

That would be cool. Massively discounted on CRC down from 90 quid to 20 hence my potential cock up while being blinded by a bargain. Only a bloody bargain if it fits!

It’ll be ok
http://www.fullspeedahead.com/storage/insidetech/items/EN_5c17c02b-9117-46c8-87bd-b79b262808cd_Orbit%20CF.pdf
http://www.fullspeedahead.com/storage/insidetech/items/EN_c3231460-26d3-4778-bba6-8c7f530f6a7c_Orbit%20CE%20Plus.pdf

Oh dear, it looks like we have another potential balls up. The forks appear to be tapered which means the race isn’t sliding right down to the base, it sits about 5 mm from the base of the steerer 🙁 think I might have bought the wrong forks and or the wrong headset.

5 mm from the base of the steerer

that’s not much – probably just needs persuading on

Can you measure the inside of the race ? Will be either 1.125 inch (28ish mm) or 1.5 inch (38ish)

To be honest, though – maybe you should think about taking this lot into a shop and asking them to show you how to do it ?
(no offense intended 😳 )

scaredypants – Member
I think CF is just a posher CE

Oi! 😉

I shall name them as follows;
Nigel, Denzil, Ophelia, Pierre, Lee Ho, Jeremy, Boris, Ichabod and Nigel. (I know, two Nigels, but they’re the cable adjusters)

No Ullyses ?
Have you disinherited the Brighton Flashhearts ?

That made me smile scaredypants. The LBS will be my first port of call once I have determined if I have the correct parts and still can’t get them to fit together. Have built a frame up before but the only thing I didn’t have to do was the forks as they were already on, so this is all new to me. Appreciate all the advice, there seems to be a couple of mm difference from the top of the steerer to the bottom, is this enough to be classed as tapered? Other tapered forks I have seen have been obviously different to the eye and these aren’t.

there seems to be a couple of mm difference from the top of the steerer to the bottom, is this enough to be classed as tapered?

No – they are a bit bigger at bottom just to have a good interference fit for the race

Options for fitting races include (slightly bigger diameter than your steerer) plastic plumbing pipe and brute force, the above plus heating the race to expand it (hot water from kettle), the above plus a bit of grease on the steerer, the above plus gently filing a tiny bit from the internal diameter of the race

or hacksawing a split into the race – that’s what I’d do but others would disagree

So you’ll still need to #
Seat crown race
Cut steerer
Install stf nut.
None of the above is actually difficult….with the correct tools and basic knowledge.
All have the potential for disaster in the wrong hands.
I see the results of ‘how hard can it be’ on a weekly basis at work.Fit fork at lbs -£15 well spent (and they may talk you through it for biscuits).
You can always have a bash at it next time.

I use a piece of plastic tube and a hammer. I put the race in boiling water for a few minutes first and it drops straight on with one tap.

Done! Smacked it with some wood and a hammer, looks nice and even. Now for the next bit.

No Ullyses ?

DAMMIT! How could I forget!

oh, dear God ! I spelt it wrong 😯

Ok,its all together except for the top cap as I need a 5 mm spacer. Thanks for everyone’s help.