Tips for removing headset cups from carbon frame

My Acros headset has died after 6 months and I’m aiming to replace with a cane creek.

I’ve got a cheap cup whacker tool (couldn’t face the £50 on the Park Tools RT-2 for a fancy steel pipe). Headset is zero stack and has the bearing bonded to the plastic cup 😕

I tried hitting it out yesterday, but lost my bottle after it didn’t shift with what I thought was a good amount of force. I’m worried about breaking the carbon headtube.

What tips are there to get this out safely? Just how hard do I have to hit it?

I think we need pictures? Carbon frames usually have the sealed bearing loose in a machined cup “ integrated” design. Are you saying that it’s a semi-integrated cup pressed in?  If it is then the Park Tool type, tool are very good as they contact the cup around it’s whole diameter and drift it out straight but it’s surprising how much of a sharp whack is needed – I use a lump hammer, one big hit better than tapping. The difficulty with a carbon frame is holding it securely without damage.

Try pouring boiling water – it’ll soften the adhesive

What frame is this? All my carbon frames I’ve ever had have either drop-in bearing races to bonded in cup, or drop-in races directly into frame, I’ve never had to whack out a cup from a carbon frame . Races do get stuck in the cups occasionally, but a bit of spray lube will loosen them up enough

I’ve recently done this to my warranty Slayer frame. It’s unnerving, but a little penetration spray and a good whack with a drift worked.

But no idea what your frame is to recommend that course of action, my headtube is chonky so I wasn’t too concerned about damaging it.

The frame is a 2022 Vitus Escarpe.

The headset is zero stack semi-integrated, so this means there is a cup inside the frame, but not part of the frame which the bearing sits in. Whereas a fully integrated frame doesn’t have the cups. It’s these cups I’m trying to get out.

This is what I’m replacing it with

https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/parts/headsets/cane-creek-headset-40-zs44286zs5640-black__323247