As title really. I’ve just had a Works angle headset fitted and there’s a visible gap (maybe 2mm) at the back between the rubber flange on the crown race and the bottom cup.

Front looks fine but I can actually see the steerer and bearings through the gap. It’s on a tapered headtube by the way. I’ve tried undoing the top cap and stem bolts then pushing down in case the fork wasn’t seated properly but no change.

I’ve heard that they’re not amazingly well sealed but this looks like it’ll be full of grindy gunge in no time.

Just me or anyone else?

No gaps anywhere on mine.
Sealing on the topcap’s not fantastic though.

no gap in mine but the bearing died after about 6months. 2nd headset totally fine though…

Mine had a gap but the bearings themselves seemed well sealed. Whenever I fit a new headset I always coat the bearing seals with synthetic grease.

Mine goes through top bearings a bit, only headset I’ve ever had that can kill a top faster than a bottom. I’ve always suspected the massive flat top on the 1.5 version guides water onto the bearings. The bearing seals are doing all the hard work I think but then that’s the case with most headsets. Lifespan’s always been adequate, not ideal but Superstar sell a cheap replacement bearing and it’s 100 times worth it for the job they do.

there’s a visible gap (maybe 2mm) at the back between the rubber flange on the crown race and the bottom cup.

Front looks fine but I can actually see the steerer and bearings through the gap.

Is it fitted the right way round ? 😕 🙂

Is it fitted the right way round ?

That’s a thought… good job I’ve not ridden it yet!

Not actually that easy to tell by eye as the lower’s zero stack so I’ll drop the fork out and have a proper look. If it’s all OK, I can live with the shonky sealing and just keep an eye on the bearings.

Cheers chaps!

fitted one and noticed a gap maybe 1mm between the seal and the top cap, tried a hope crown race I had knocking about, fitted perfectly,made a nice seal without dragging, was on a straight steerer with an angleset.

My angleset was cack, lasted a few months, switched to a hope headset, still going strong after 18 months, easy to just change the bearing in a hope one too should the need arise!

I said at the time I thought it was overpriced for less quality/basic as a Pig headset at 70notes. Better to get offset bushes?

endurogangster – Member

easy to just change the bearing in a hope one too should the need arise!

Changing the bearings in a Works is dead easy too 😕 And in fact, uses the same spec as the equivalent Hope.

hora – Member

Better to get offset bushes?

Does a different job- offset bushings have their own oddities, not compatible with all frames for one and can change the suspension character as you’re moving it into the linkage, but also slackens off the seat-tube whereas a headset fractionally steepens it, and lowers the BB more (which isn’t always bad). Both are good options though.

The Works headset really isn’t comparable to the basically unsealed Pig. Straight comparison with the Cane Creek S3 is fair and at that you can see you’re basically paying £50 for the machined parts. Compare it with a Cane Creek angleset 😉

I just looked at mine – there are no gaps that I can see.

The sealing isn’t great, but I’ll put in new bearings every year or two in order to get the better handling from a slacker bike.

My Slackset is on it’s 3rd winter without a problem.