Hope Headsets vs the competition

I am just about to build up a Cotic BFe – most of the parts with come from a donor Production Privee but I had etc buy new wheels, BB and headset.

I have ordered a Hope one – but I am slightly reeling at the 90 GBP for a mix n match set. I have used them before and they are good
But what are the Nukeproof or Superstar headsets like ( I have a Superstar slackerizer that I ma not using – and it is well made / well sealed)?
Any experiences or do I just have to suck up the cost of Barnoldswick’s finest?

The Superstar ones are decent, I’ve had no issues with the two I’m using at the mo.

Hope are just that bit nicer though, and probably a touch lighter.

I have a black Hope ZS49/EC49 here if that fits?

Depends on preference really.. I do one or the other.
I’ve got Hope and Nukeproof Neutron .. Hope the bearings last years but 1 bearing will cost you more than a full NP headet uppers and lowers… The Neutron I usually check and change every 50 hours but are cheap as chips.

Over 50-60 years the Hope might be cheaper YMMV ? Assuming lots….
I take the fork out to do a lowers service anyway so it’s no big deal to clean or swap bearings
In use you can’t tell the difference. but the hope is proven to knock 2 minutes off a 1m30 run in the correct colour

I’ve replaced all the stock FSA orbit with Nukeproof or Brand X rather than pay for a expensive 37 internal bearing when its come to change. They don’t last any longer but are more hassle to buy and more expensive.

I have built up 3 bikes in the last year.

The one that came without a headset (frames coming with headsets seem to be a thing now), I fitted a Hope.

You’ll never go wrong with a Hope part to be honest. That being said…the Nukeproof unit that came fitted to the Nukeproof frame I built up looked really good too.

Know it’s a bit too late but winstanleys have hope pick and mix headset a bit cheaper.
I paid £68 last week

I’ve not gone past the Cane Creek 40 for 7 years now (except when using works components angle adjust headsets

Pretty much, they all use virtually the same quality bearings.

We have Cane Creek headsets in our Cotic Souls – as supplied by Cotic. Never had a problem with them.

I’ve Superstar headsets in a RocketMAX and a Squatch, both are a couple of years old and running smoothly.

Quite like that Hopes have a hassle free split crown race. That’s obviously not worth the premium over a Cane Creek 40, but I tend to but I still buy Hope because I’m a tart.

Wouldn’t touch Nukeprood after my experience with their fancy ti-nitride coated BB bearings

Cane Creek 40 +1

Anything not-cheap seems to be of similar quality.

And with the advent of “pick and mix” you can always upgrade the lower one. I’ve run the cheapest Cane Creek one (10?) in the top and a hope lower cup before. The top bearing has such an easy life unless you jet wash your bikes that it made sense (and I only needed a new lower cup to upgrade to a tapered fork).

It’s just a headset really – as long as it’s got decent quality bearings in then the make isn’t too much of an issue.

Thinking about recent headsets:

Hope – got one half price for £40 with a frame but only 4 rides in so far

Bird (I think these are made for them by superstar) – had 18 months on one and both bearings were still perfect. Got ridden through all sorts of slop etc.

Cane Creek 40 – had one of these for 3 years ish in a bike. The bottom bearing was just beginning to get a bit gritty at that point.

Brand X – not well sealed at all. I don’t think the crown race had a rubber but to shield the bearing and after less then a year the lower bearing wasn’t wildly happy with life.

Not used a Nukeproof one.

thisisnotaspoon

And with the advent of “pick and mix” you can always upgrade the lower one.

Some people probably have a Hope external (visible) cup and a cheapo internal one that’s not visible.

*cough*

I recently bought some Cane Creek headsets, mainly because I thought the seals looked good. I like the seal on the crown race especially. I also like the taller top set option.

Headsets I’ve not had a problem with:
Cane Creek 40 (2.5 years)
FSA MX Pro (one since 2010, one since 2012)
Chris King (2012 bought for a tarty bike – just the right colour at 50% off)
Tange threaded (2019)

Headsets I’ve replaced –
Bottom bearing in Hope – it had a hard life before I got the bike
whatever was in the 30y.o tourer before I replaced it with the tange.

Some Wolftooth but ones on sale at the moment. No experience of them though.

Wouldn’t touch Nukeprood after my experience with their fancy ti-nitride coated BB bearings

This unfortunately for me too. Nukeproof make some great bits buy my experience with what was supposedly a brillinatly designed super durable fancy bearing’d BB was abysmal.

Just bought a Hope for new frame becasue they just ‘work’, it was a little of an extravagance but it was worth it.

Also very impressed with Cane Creek Hellbender in previous bike – which uses the 70 series Stainless Bearings. Smooth as the day I bought it after 2+ years.

(The other thing working in Hopes favour, is the ease with which you can work out which bits you acutally need! Try working out whats the ZS49/EC49 Combo to buy on the Cane Creek website… its not easy!)

FYI a decent discount on ALL Hope stuff through Merlin Cycles if you buy from them semi regularly.

I fitted a nukeproof headset to my BFE, The bottom cup is quite deep so I had to run a file round the inside of the headtube to remove a bur/lip where the machining stopped.

Know it’s a bit too late but winstanleys have hope pick and mix headset a bit cheaper.
I paid £68 last week

Thanks for that …
The CRC one will be being returned!
And sort of solves the issue

No problem just make sure winstanleys have the one you need in stock first.
Was free delivery as well 🙂

Hope headsets are good but they’re not- imo-worth the money. I’ve used allsorts, midrange FSA and Cane Creek were usually my go-to and in use they’re exactly as good ime. As soon as you get up to sealed cartridge bearings with external seals/shields they’re all similar and once they’ve been through one bearing they’re all exactly as good as whatever bearing you buy to replace it.

IME hope headsets are solid – moreso than the nukeproof and cane creek ones I’ve used in the past.

Current bike only takes FSA bearings so im stuck there, and they definitely dont last as long.

Headsets that seem to last for us:

Cane Creek (40?)

Superstar (much to my surprise)

Posher FSA

I’ve currently a hope in one bike and a Chris king in the other. Absolutely nothing wrong with the a hope one, just I was building a bling bike so went CK. Tbh it’s only because I’m a sucker and had the spare cash I went with hope or CK at all on either bike. Headsets generally the place I try to save money on a bike build and rely on regular maintenance.

I think that generally once you spend over £40 or so they are all a bit similar and it’s down to brand and style choice. As long as the seals are good every headset should be fine.

The only headsets ive ever killed have been the stock ones that come with a complete. Any one remember the FSA orbit In the 90’s that came in a bunch of colours and cost about £20….

I have hope Chris king and superstar. All work well as long as you don’t overtighten. They all have good sealing but if you overtighten it compresses the bearing too much and opens the seal which lets water in. The superstar is five years old I think and still on the original bearings.

Hopes have a hassle free split crown race.

a split can be fitted to any crown race with a junior hacksaw and a needle file…

If it makes any odds…
When you are away on a biking weekend and your headset bearing has gone, most* UK bike shops in such areas stand a better than average chance of carrying an appropriate bearing and saving your trip.

I may be speaking from experience (works headset same size bearing)

Other makes of headset it likely to be more hit and miss.
Outside of the UK, maybe less useful.

but I tend to but I still buy Hope because I’m a tart.

fify

have a black Hope ZS49/EC49 here if that fits?

Thanks for the offer but it is a H2 (ZZH44 or something)

If there were ever a component that deserved the ‘it just works’ label, it’s Hope headsets. I’ve got three, I’m not sure I’ve changed a bearing in any of them in nearly 15 years.

beagle

Some Wolftooth but ones on sale at the moment. No experience of them though.

I looked at them recently, but they make mention of a special tool for their crown race that put me off

I’ve got nukeproof horizon and superstar upper sets and had no issues, the nukeproof upper seal is well designed, but I go Hope for the lower cup, for 44ec a superstar would be okay, the seal is just like the Hope one and the crown race is black opposed to Hope’s odd silver choice.

Hope are way overpriced. £90 is even more than I thought they were.

I once asked a rep for a good headset for a long tour I had coming up. He said he recommended a cane creek 110. I asked him what the 110 was for? He said that’s how long it will last. I asked about replacement bearings and he said he’s never had to sell one before.

The bike lasted 3 years and before I sold it I striped and cleaned it. The headset bearings were still perfect and covered in clean grease.

But I still buy hope headsets for mtbs, maybe becuase I like it to match my bottom bracket???

My scandal came with a Selcof headset and I planned on changing it but it’s still going strong but I do have to keep on top of it and clean and regrease it.

Had Hope Headsets for over 15 years, they’re pretty much fit and forget. I’ve used the current one for the last 8 years and no issues at all. I also like the fact you can do the mix and match easily enough if you are swapping the headset to another frame and just get the part you need. Plus you can always get a bit of colour coding in there, if that’s your thing! Hope customer service has always been first class IMO too.

Have a Hope on my Cotic Soul as well, untouched for 6-7 years, I voluntarily took it apart and regreased last year but wasn’t any need.

For comparison,

Cane Creek 40 +1

My Canyon came with one, has had way less riding in shorter time and needed new lower race last year.

Lot of love for Cane Creek 40’s, less so here.

Mine has been fitted for 2 years now, stripped the fork tonight and the lower bearing is rough, the seal doesn’t fit the cup and to top it off the crown race (which was a bastard to fit) doesn’t want to come off. My fault for not slitting before fitting but they seem to make them under sized for some reason. It’s probably had no more than 2 weeks of riding in that time.

In comparison my old Hope XC Pro is still going strong (at least 15 years old) and the race slips on and off any fork I point it at. Same for my FSA Pig DH Pro (17yo).

I had a cane creek 40 die in months. Poor.
Hope are good and possibly justify their cost over long term ownership with fewer bearing swaps.
But the best I ever had was a FSA orbit extreme Pro. That one has been in 2 bikes, no bearing swaps and must be 18 years old now. I don’t have it now – a mate has it and I hope he gets a few more years out of it yet.

FSA Pig DH Pro

Ha, I remember when they were about £13 and I had them on both my MTBs.

Happy days.

Old thread I know – but Hope lower bearings last cos they have a rubber seal attached to the crown race.
I noticed the other day that 4 of my bikes all have the same lower bearings (standards?! in MTBs!), so you should be able to get away with just buying a Hope crown race to ensure longer life. I had a Cane Creek last 3 rides! Hope, with that rubber seal, well, years and still going.