What is the best choice of headset? (total)

Value for money, yet good quality…
I’m need some direction on this subject… would be really grateful

Was thinking about a hope complete conventional set…but £66 is…alot isn’t it? If it’s worth it I’ll get the hope ones

But can you recommend some, thanks : ) (I’m a slight brand whore…)

What’s the difference between cartridge bearings and just normal exposed bearings…?

I like hope headset as well, have tried others but end up going back to hope. Take a look in the classified’s with head tubes comming in all sorts of different sizes these days you can often pick up very lightly used hope headsets for £30 – 40. You will get a good few years out of one with a bit of tlc then replace the bearings and it’ll be good as new.

Chris King. costly but fit and forget

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FSA-Orbit-XL-II-1-1-8-Road-MTB-Bike-Headset-RRP-45-/280813791743?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item4161ce69ff#ht_500wt_1413

Crazy cheap, top quality, replacement parts available, I’ve never needed any

FSA ones are good

Ou cheers for the eBay link, can I ask another quick question…is it really easy to ‘install’/bash in cups?
Block o’ Wood, hammer and cloth… or is it not that simple…can it go really wrong?

You should get a headset properly installed by a shop using a made-for-the-purpose headset press, which will ensure the top and bottom cups are perfectly square in the headtube and parallel to eachother. Not doing so can, theoretically, lead to premature bearing wear.

I will definitely be paying to have the shiny new Hope headset that’s currently sat on my desk at work fitted in this way.

That said, I’ve fitted many, many headsets to many, many bikes with a block of wood and a hammer and never noticed any problems… 😕

Block o’ Wood, hammer and cloth… or is it not that simple…can it go really wrong

Never used any other method myself but it can probably go horribly if you try hard enough

FSA (Pig, Orbit) plenty good enough.

Hammer, wooden block, care & attention plenty good enough unless you’re a hamfisted f**kwit or VERY unlucky.

slainte 😉 rob

I really have no idea why anyone spends more than the 17.95 that FSA one linked to above costs.

FSA Orbit Of Some Sort, or possibly Cane Creek S3 but I got better results from Orbits.

The Hope 1.5 reducer I had was fine, but not actually any better than my old FSA MX. Their top cap’s very light though. Oh, also FSA comes with a proper SFN, Hope comes with a damn silly Expanderwhotsit.

Personally speaking i wouldn’t touch any FSA headset with paddedfred’s member after having two appalling OEM models fitted to my bikes (no idea what the aftermarket ones are like though)

I use Cane Creek S8’s, full cartridge bearings so easily replacable and reasonably cheap at around £30-£35. Had one in my Mount Visions for at least 5yrs and still running smoothly.

Those FSA XL2’s are good, especially at under £20, but for twice the price the Orbit Extreme Pro (RRP £90 or therabouts) is a bargain. OK, you’ll struggle with chasing the 10 year warranty up if it did fail because they’re all over the place in white boxes now, but then it’s £35 for something that has been designed to last 10 years.

I’ve been running one fine for about 18 months now, not touched it once. It’s still as smooth as a baby’s bum. Just like the Chris King’s I used to run were, but only they cost over £100 and this was £35!

Some of those OEM-spec Extreme Pros have less seals in than the aftermarket spec ones btw- though I’ve no suggestions how you’d know which ones without buying…