Been around for years on decent bmxes (and I think road bikes?) but mtb doesn’t seem to have caught on as far as I’m aware. Why is this? I can’t see any disadvantages really. It looks nicer, much easier to install and stops headtubes from getting ovalised by poor installation of cups.

Eh? been around on Mtbs for a few years now.

Really? When I was frame shopping last year I couldn’t find any with integrated headsets.

Ovalising of head tubes is not caused by poor installation.

IIRC CK and others do not like internal headsets because the part that mates to the bearing is not replaceable.

I agree with them, needless addition of yet more “standards”!

There is confusion in this thread over internal and integrated. Or is it semi-integrated.

Anyhow, you get:

cups in frame, but “hidden” – this is common. Nearly all giants for example.

No cups, bearings straight into frame. Very uncommon.

I think the latter is uncommon in MTB as it’s more likely to get worn/seized bearings causing damage due to mud n grit etc.

I think I’m talking about the no-cups type. I had that on my bmx and really liked it. Didn’t ride through much gritty crap though I suppose, just dusty jumps.

IIRC CK and others do not like internal headsets because the part that mates to the bearing is not replaceable.

And who would pay top dollar for a CK that no one could see? Good God I sound like you now.

I think I’m talking about the no-cups type. I had that on my bmx and really liked it. Didn’t ride through much gritty crap though I suppose, just dusty jumps.

Wasn’t aware they were so common in other bike types to be honest, and can’t imagine why you’d want form over function.

no cups (integrated) is a silly idea, steel bearings under load in a soft aluminium frame.

fare thee well straight head tube.

as above, standards upon standards

I’ve got an integrated headset in a road bike that I’ve used for some serious cobble bashing on Tour of Flanders (x2) and Paris Roubaix cyclos and not had any issues.

I don’t seem to recall any bmxes having any major complaints regarding the head tube getting deformed. But then they’re mostly made from 4130 cromo I suppose.. Wouldn’t a solution just be to make the bit the bearings sit on something harder that won’t get nackered so easily, perhaps a replaceable plate or something less faffy than a press-fit cup? Then you would have the good looks and performance.

Integrated headset on my Global Softail. Ti frame though, so the headtube would not be as prone to ovalization as an aluminium frame.
Looks good (in an invisible kind of way!), works well, and a year after fitting, and riding in some pretty grungy weather still seems smooth.

CK came out against them close to a decade ago and they don’t seem to be going away – think Cube use them quite a lot on more xc focused mtb’s.

Tbh despite the CK position and the seeming common sense of not running steel on aluminium I’m not aware of threads on the web complaining about how an integrated (cupless) headset destroyed a frame so not entirely convinced it really represents the problem its presented as in real conditions.

Spesh carbon bikes have integrated headsets, as do Trek carbon frames, and have done for a while.

Chris King do now do an internal headset, looks good.