My mate has just taken his 1yr old zesty into a shop for a servcie, the guy said it might need a new headset.

I don’t get why people really ever need a new headset apart from if they’ve lost bits or buying a new frame, what can really go wrong surely the factory grease should last a year?

I’ve had a stock headset in my GT hardtail from new in 2004 still going strong with hardly any maintenance. I bought a 2005 Orange five frame last December and it cam with an old style Hope headset fitted so I assume this has been in there a while, bit of grease before I fitted the forks and it’s been fine ever since.

Someone tell me what goes wrong with headsets please, i don’t get it!

changing for bling factor i understand.

Loose ball headsets suck donkey balls, and get hiden in the spec for even expensive bikes.

Even good headsets can be OEM versions, I had a Cane Creek S8 which rusted and had no external seals (they’re suppose to be stainless steel bearings).