I’ve got a nice new Cane Creek 110 here and, armed with a selection of hammers, blocks of wood and malicious intent I’m about to fit it with the necessary precision.

Looking at the crown race, it looks like a CK crown race will be a perfect match – the CC has a rubber lip, but otherwise the CK seems to fit the CC headset perfectly. Is there any reason not to keep the CK (which is fitted) and use it with the 110?

Cheers

so long as the angle of the contact patch is the same they should be fine.

My only concern would be that even if the difference on size is 1 or 2 mm or it is a slightly different shape it could result in excessive wear on the headset. For all it takes to change it I would just do it. Probably took you more time to write this post than it would have for you to change it.

Why would you?

There could be a tiny difference that you cannot see that will b*gger the headset.

assumng the crown race has a conical shape, woul dit matter if the angle of the cone didnt perfectly match the internal conical shape of the lower bearing internal race? The cone shape would ensure it sat centrally…

just no

no no no
unless you have the EXACT specs to hand for both and can confirm that the size and angle is the same etc then just dont.

Hmmm. As confused as ever.

Motivation is idleness, and not wanting to have to get the CK race off and the CC one on as neither are split race designs.

Probably right that I should use the right race – I suppose the question should have been more about how you could assess properly whether they are interchangeable. Anyone any idea where the detailed tech specs would be? Like precise details of crown race dimensions, angles and so on?

SO you’ve spent over £100 presumably for a top end headset and your going to bodge the job? Sorry to be harsh but Wrong and Fail!

Bodging is good, whatever the cost!

no one yet has come up with the mechanical reason why not to mix and match…

would be more useful than the witch-burning rhetoric…

knee jerk reaction would be no.

but if you check the bearings and they are the same then presumably the race which mates to them must also be the same – might fowl the cups though.

you are jsut being lazy though – it’s not even a necessisty!

stoner: the bearings wouldn’t be loaded right, minute difference would soon turn into lots of play and wobbly steering.

thomthumb – surely as long as the crown race/bearing race contact is on the chamfered face then the resultant force will be at the correct angle?

You’d still feel it though. A tiny movement at the cup would be a noticeable wobble at the handle bar.

Why bother, as others have said, over a ton on a headset, no warranty, seems daft, after all, fitting a crown race isn’t a massive job

Its not a 45degree angle to 45 degree angle though is it? The bearing inner race cross section is convex, while the crown race cross section is slightly concave isn’t it? So unless they were exactly the right angle, you’ll end up with a broken (expensive) headset. If they cost you £2 I’d say go for it.

Stoner- If the taper angle on the race is different to the taper angle on the cup then there’s not much contact area to spread the load. Most races seem to be alloy as well, so easily deformed.I err ‘tested’ this through laziness a few weeks back and the forks lasted 5 miles or so (on the road) before play had noticeably developed. turned around, and by the time I was back home it felt like the cups were just rattling round in the headtube…

What I need is the exact spec of both races but can’t find that sort of detail. Emailed Cane Creek to see what they say (expecting a “don’t do it”) – will post back here when I get an answer.

Stoner- If the taper angle on the race is different to the taper angle on the cup then there’s not much contact area to spread the load. Most races seem to be alloy as well, so easily deformed

cheers vinney, that makes more sense.

Can Creek’s reply states “The inner angle of the CK bearings are different, the crown race is not making the proper contact with the inner race of the bearing. You must use the 110 crown race with the 110.”

That clears that up, then.

i done it several times and never had a problem.