So, everyone seems to slate Crank Bros Directsets (Full disclosure – I’ve got one and it seems fine one year in) but I posted a wanted ad for one for an old bike that has a slightly short steerered fork and I’m a bit suprised by the lack of response.

Now, is it because the ones that have apparently died in one ride with a few drops of rain have exploded like a 29er wheel on the Quantocks or do they go to headset heaven without passing Go or do people actually secretly keep them under their pillow in the hope that the headset fairly will replace them with a nice shiny pound coin (or more likely a crap fake, judging by the ones in my pocket)?

Over to you 😀

A directset, shortly before its death after one ride.

crc are doing them ‘cheap’ at the moment.

I know but I’m being tight and it’s not really going on a posh bike so cheap as chips is what I’m after and thought I’d find one easily since they’re apparently dying more regularly than lemmings at a cliff appreciation society meeting (I know it’s a myth 😉 ).

As long as you have the original receipt they have a lifetime warranty. So perhaps they get replaced every year and the duff ones get sent back from whence they came?

Could be. I did wonder that but I preferred my theories 🙂

It’s a 5 year warranty though IIRC (I’ve kept my receipt)

You’ll need it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life…..

Possibly/probably though tbh I reckon headsets are a bit of a carpark posing item with people claiming that they’re dead because they’re not completely smooth despite it having no effect on how the bike actually rides…

Like I said, if they’re so bad, why aren’t I being offered one?

I reckon headsets are a bit of a carpark posing item with people claiming that they’re dead because they’re not completely smooth despite it having no effect on how the bike actually rides…

+1

Like I said, if they’re so bad, why aren’t I being offered one?

Because they died, and were either binned or sent back?

Who keeps dead headsets?

bottom cup on mine split on the 2nd ride

removed and replaced with bottom of another headset, left the top in there and it’s still there 2 years later with no appreciable wear/issues.

make of that what you will, but I wouldn’t buy another one.

So I have half a dead one in a box in the loft, never got round to bashing the other half out and sending it off for warranty replacement.

I’ve still got mine. A wee bit grindy but apprentley its simple to regrease the bearings.
I was more miffed that the paint peeld off and it rusted on the outiside within a month or 2. Should have bought stainless…

Good point about the 5-year warranty. Best search through my inbox for the invoice…

I was warned off them by Sam from Singular. His major issue seemed to be they were a bastard to fit and could damage frames if you were cack handed. I am so I took his advice.

STW product flameageddon not matching real experience shocker … 🙂

A wee bit grindy but apprentley its simple to regrease the bearings.

I used to do that with my FSA XLII’s and I was perfectly happy doing that … but then they only costed, what, £15?