[Closed] What headset for max £35?

fsa orbit XL2

FSA Orbit XL2

Cane Creek S3 (I have an XL2 and the S3 is better sealed, imo).

I've got a Cane Creek S3 on my bike and it's great, but the [url= http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HSFSOMX/fsa_orbit_mx_headset ]FSA Orbit MX[/url] from On-One is a steal (I have one fitted to my partner's Scandal).

Thanks, I don't understand the differences between the FSA headsets?! There seems to be a lot of models?!

Just two new sets of bearing races from a bearing supplier-alot less than a new headset!

This:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cane-Creek-S8-1-1-8-Alloy-Headset-Road-And-MTB-Free-P-P-UK-/130676202057?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item1e6ce89a49#ht_3024wt_1344

I think only one set I the bearings is replaceable on the pig pro headset? I think it's also considerably heavier than others suggested here?

got a Gold Hope you can have for £40? nearly new

On One Smoothie - took mine apart after a few months of riding, which up here normally means a headset full of gunk, and it was clean and really smooth running. Seems a bit of kit designed to work (and work and work), not look good.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/headset/product/review-on-one-smoothie-regular-aheadset-9709

I've got S3's in almost everything, they seem to last [me] for ever.
They've been replaced by the '40' series now tho' 🙄

(... but I'm sure they'll be fine too).

What is the difference between the orbit mx and the XL2?

+1 for the ebay Cane Creek S8. I think the rrp was around £60 for them.

The one you've got is good IME. I picked up one for about £30 a few weeks ago, though I can't recall where from.

Can you just get a replacement bearing set?

I thought you could only replace one of the bearings?

Not sure tbh. I did notice on mine that the bottom bearing appeared to be stuck in but I didn't try to remove it.

I'll prob just replace it. Would like to know the main differences between XL2 and orbit mx.

"difference between the orbit mx and the XL2"

MX is lighter. Both are a lot lighter than a pig/pig pro
XL2 looks wierd. I went with an MX

EDIT: Looking at the FSA site, the XL2 has a lower stack height

I'm leaning towards the orbit mx. Thanks for the helpful info James (and others!). Any more advice before I press the buy button?

Mpart elite - £35 and is fully serviceable

Cane Creek S8 - had one in my oldest bike for 5yrs and its still running like a dream. Just fitted one to my other bike because of its reliability and ease of replacing the sealed bearings.

Got it from here :-

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Headsets-Cane-Creek-S8-Headset/CANEHSTR350

+1 for the ebay Cane Creek S8. I think the rrp was around £60 for them.

Looks a good deal, but then again I'm still running a £25 FSA Orbit Extreme Pro (RRP £90 with a 10 year warranty) I got off ebay a year or so ago, and will continue to do so for a long long time!

Got to admit, it's every bit as good as the Chris King's I used to run, and a whole lot cheaper...

[list]Got an FSA Orbit MX last week, £40 on CRC (and I can see why it is £40!!) but only £25 on the bay, quality piece of kit, well made and very blingy.

Kev

Sometimes the cheap OEM-spec S8s have one less seal than the pukka ones, or so teh internetz says.

Orbit MX and XL2 are both great, a little better than the Cane Creek S3 which is also great (S3 uses bearings which are interchangable with Hope, incidentally, and they seem just as good quality)