I am thinking about getting a frame with a tapered headtube, initially I would fit a fork I already have which is 1.1/8 and getting a tapered steerer fork later when I find a good deal.

Does this require different headsets, or is it possible to just swap over the headset internals?

depends on the headset but usually a new headset as the top of a tapered tube is likely to have a different standard to the frame you’re takign stuff off too.

Hope do some ‘mix and match’ type headsets where you pick the top and bottom cups separatly. If you then change the fork to a tapered fork you just buy a new bottom cup and bearing etc.

I’m in a similar position and from what I understand – both!

Some headsets size down on the bottom cup, some size up on the fork crown race.

One plan I had was to get a headset that uses the crown race so I can run light 140mm 1 1/8th forks or beefy 160mm tapered – both forks with their own race fitted for easy swapping around.

I think Hope works on the crown race.

Link to frame would really help so a headset can be recommended.

Some headsets just need a different crown race. Some come with both crown races. Some need you to buy a new lower section.

Top are normally 44mm ID low stack for 1 1/8th tube.

Bottom are either 1.5″ standard zero stack or external (10-12mm of cup extending below the head tube). This depends on what your frame was designed to be set up with geometry wise as putting the wrong one in will change the angles or mean the fork crown hits the frame.

Hope do some ‘mix and match’ type headsets where you pick the top and bottom cups separatly. If you then change the fork to a tapered fork you just buy a new bottom cup and bearing etc.

Not strictly true! I have a SC Butcher I have a hope Tapered headset with a zero stack 1 1/8 top cup and a 1.5 external bottom cup…. I ran a 1 1/8 fork so I used a Hope reducer in the bottom cup, since then I have now got a tapered fork and run it without a reducer…. no need to get another bottom cup.

I got the step down one from hope for my c456 – had to have the external one as there’s no clearance for fork on frame with internal.

I did have the on-one version with the different crown race for 1 1/8th but had endless problems trying to keep it ‘just right’ tight and having to regrease it regularly.

when I called hope about the C456 they said a new bottom assembly was needed. I did think it was just a reducer at the time but maybe it wasn’t and they have changed it to one now? There is not a great deal of info out there (or there wasn’t) so I ended up with the Superstar one which came with both crown races and comes in either zero or 10-12mm lower stack.

when I called hope about the C456 they said a new bottom assembly was needed. I did think it was just a reducer at the time but maybe it wasn’t and they have changed it to one now? There is not a great deal of info out there (or there wasn’t) so I ended up with the Superstar one which came with both crown races and comes in either zero or 10-12mm lower stack.

Your best bet is probably speak to 18bikes, they are probably the best Hope dealer in the UK and anything they don’t about headsets isn’t worth knowing – they can all Hope parts separate so you can get a headset to your requirements – the reducer is quite new i think

I’ve got a hope tapered headset, withe a 1/18 crown race for sale brand new
£45
11/8’top
11/2 bottom

You can buy reducer cups that you can fit to the lower of your head tube, thus allowing you to fit a 1.125″ headset etc.

Then when you upgrade to something with a 1.5″ tapered steerer, remove the reducer cup & fit a specific tapered headset.