Crown Race help

Hey all, I hope I haven’t double posted this. But it seemed to disappear the first time.

I bought some rigid carbon forks from Planet X… forgot about a Crown Race.

Pre the modern age I used to pull them off and re-use them and never thought anything of it. I’ve replaced headsets and swapped forks, but somehow I never engaged with the thought of whether they are part of a headset or a fork. I now realise they are part of a headset.

I want to try these forks with two different bikes that currently have headsets fitted. The Spesh Chisel has Rockshox on that have a crown race… the other bike is my Slackline build. Which is half built… It came with a headset, but no race…

How can I find a crown race that will work with both bikes and headsets?

I asked Planet X and they do have a generic crown race, but the online helper also made comments about the “Correct” crown race being the one with the headset and couldn’t seem to grasp the paradox of his advice. I felt very unsure what the difference was between a generic and a “Correct” one?

CRC have terrible info on the few they stock.

Does any of this matter? Can I use a coke can? ;-)

All about the angle of the contact surface on the bearings. What lower bearings are fitted to each bike?

OH! I’ve no idea. The Spesh has a fully integrated headset and the Slackline has a brand I can’t see… but a familiar looking external set up.

I’ve just noticed that the slackline headset does have part that sits below the cartridge bearings… but it’s not split? Could this be a non split crown race?
It has a blue rubbery inner part.

That will be the crown race – they’re not all split. I remember having one with a blue rubbery bit (Cane Creek) a while back.

I mean look at this…

An FSA headset spec :

1-1/8″ 36/ 45 ACB – Upper
1.5″ 36/ 45 ACB-Lower
For tapered 50mm / 57mm OD headtube
For tapered 1.5″ steerer forks
Forged alloy deeper cup and lower cup
Stack Height 16.9+13.4 = 30.3mm
S.H.I.S. (Standardized Headset Identification System): ZS44/28,6 | EC49/40
Semi-integrated (frame bore 44mm) top
External cup (frame bore 49,6mm)

Here is Stanton’s only Headset related info of the Slackline:

“The frame also features a Reynolds 631 44mm head tube”

So How do I even navigate a headset choice, let alone understand Crown Races???

:-o

THanks martinhutch. That’s the bit. I found another thread about cutting them…. making installation easier. I’ll try that.

But from the previous question, does that mean that I can’t use that crown race with the Spesh and it’s integrated headset… whatever that is… I presume an in house Spesh brand part?

I found another thread about cutting them…. making installation easier. I’ll try that.

Not sure how that will work with a crown race/seal combo like that. You might be better off just trying to get it fitted conventionally (and hope that the tolerances on your Planet X fork are better than mine were).

WHat was wrong with the tolerances? You’re not talking fork failure due to headset installation I hope? :-)

No, just found it nigh on impossible to get a crown race to sit on the crown properly, it was so tight!

Anyhow, It’s lockdown…. I’ve cut it! No LBS around here is gonna help me as a nonkey worker.

But I’m still keen to know the implications of using this crown race with the other bike… and it’s integrated headset.

I mean if cartridge bearings are sealed in theor cartridge… What difference does it make whether they’re angular or not?

BTW the cutting seems to have worked. The race slid on easy… Seems to like the headset… Obviously I’m still in the shed… not testing the rigid slackline’s descending ability on a trail :-0

the online helper also made comments about the “Correct” crown race being the one with the headset

The online helper is correct. The race is part of the headset. You should use the one that came with the headset, that is guaranteed to be correct. Some may be interchangeable, but that’s not something you can assume.

Anyhow, It’s lockdown…. I’ve cut it! No LBS around here is gonna help me as a nonkey worker.

@stablebarns Are the LBS’ near only helping key workers? Interesting, two of my LBS’ are flat out repairing and making road worthy anything and everything. Seen a huge uplift in old shed bikes coming through the door. One reckons key worker bikes account for about 5% of their current workload.

That’s great to hear leeroysilk, but in Bristol, the majority are closed. They do click and collect. Some say they will answer service requests via email.

None have replied. Was able to collect a couple of bits I mail ordered. Halfords are rockin hard, but the queues are huge and you’d be giving your bikes to…. Halfords?