the headset arrangement on my bike seems a little flimsy with only a rubber washer type seal to keep out the crap.

would a headset like this to fit?

The cable “guide” looks to be independent of the original headset- if that is the case it gives you more options

The headset you have a pic of is a semi-integrated type, it looks from the pic of the bike that it could be a fully integrated headset for the frame. I can’t see any headset cups in the pic.

Fully integrated means that the cup part is not required as this is formed in the head tube.

There will be a number of headsets you could go for but you will need to make sure of which type before you buy.

Something like this may be worth looking into.

http://www.hopetech.com/product/integrated-headset/

there is a cup in there as the bearing outer recently rusted and fused to it and needed to be prised out and replaced.

Must be the angle of the pic then, as I would have expected to be able to see them.

Even when zooming I cant see them.

Would expect it to look like this
http://bikemagic.com/wp-content/uploads/old_images/news/images/giant05_reign2_head_big.jpg

unless they fused to the headset itself?

A fully integrated / integral headset it milled into the head tube, that is what it looks like to me.

Will try and find a pic…

Like this

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/products/books-and-dvd/magazines/1248960430400-40cksfnufiu7_600.jpg

Or this
http://www.bike-advisor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/integrated_headset.jpg

no I remember it has a black cup in there

If it has a cup in there then it is semi integrated or zerostack as per your headset pic.

I have had a few different zero stack headsets in mountain bikes and whilst the FSA ones were fine and relatively cheap they didn’t last all that long, top cup sealing was Ok but there was nothing for the lower cup. Had a nuke proof one too and it was a similar story.

Currently using a hope in one bike, and a cane creek 40 in the other both of which have a seal on the crown race as well as seals on the top cover.

This doesn’t directly help your headset problem and I can’t see if your fork crown is drilled for a brake/mudguard bolt.

One of these will give a bit more space up top if that helps your choice of headset http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b82s101p1809 and should reduce front brake judder too

cheers,

nope not drilled

yep there are defo cups in there (top one is hiding under rubber seal)

Is corrosion in your upper bearing an issue?

If not, why replace it?