help figuring out which headset to get

[Tania]

My new mtb (2017 Hei Hei Trail DL) came with a cheapy headset (FSA-57B which I can’t even find on their website). I’d like to replace it but I can’t figure out which size etc I’d like to get. My shop is totally backed up right now with repairs so I’d rather not bug them as I dither over what I want although I’ll get it from them once I figure it all out.

Here’s what I know:
internal headset
tapered head tube
140 Fox Factory 35 Float air with 110 spacing.

^^and all that tells me nothing. I’m almost certain that I’m going to replace the FSA with a Chris King headset but good golly I look at their offerings and I’m totally lost. What size etc do I need?

And while I’m all paranoid about rain and headsets (because_I_just_am), I’m going to replace it on the Rove too which is steel and the one I ride in the rain the most (fenders)…New headsets all around! Whee!

Topic

[TwoWheelsDC]

Slightly OT, but what’s the performance advantage of upgrading the headset? Honest question…I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed anything about my headsets’ performance. Am I missing something? Aesthetic reasons I totally get, however…

[Tania]

@TwoWheelsDC 159594 wrote:

Slightly OT, but what’s the performance advantage of upgrading the headset? Honest question…I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed anything about my headsets’ performance. Am I missing something? Aesthetic reasons I totally get, however…

A few weeks ago I did a muddy race. Muddy doesn’t even come close to describing it. It was hell. Anyway, the bike had to be hosed off, there was just no way around it. I didn’t do the actual hosing so it’s possible the hoser used too much water pressure or it’s possible the headset just wasn’t sealed very well, but the ring/circle thingy inside with the bearings rusted up badly and had to be replaced. So now I’m paranoid about it and from what I’ve been told/read, the CK’s are pretty darn great. The ring/circle thingy has been replaced but Dirt was surprised at relatively low quality of the headset given the rest of the stock components on the bike.

Plus…they’re pretty.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Tania 159597 wrote:

Plus…they’re pretty.

Frankly, that’s all that matters. I have a CK BB on my Cinelli and “upgraded” to Wheels Mfg BBs on my gravel bike and road bike (waaaay cheaper than CK, but look just as cool I think). Now, all those parts needed replacing, but I don’t really expect to get observably better performance out of them…I just prefer the way they look.

Anyway, I think you need the CK Inset 2 (44/56 tapered), assuming this is your current headset.

[vern]

Cane Creek has a headset finder tool on their website you can use if you don’t want to take the thing apart and do the measurements. The tool will give you the info you need, assuming your bike is factory spec.

[Harry Meatmotor]

@vern 159610 wrote:

Cane Creek has a headset finder tool on their website you can use if you don’t want to take the thing apart and do the measurements. The tool will give you the info you need, assuming your bike is factory spec.

THIS! The only way to be 100% sure everything will fit is to get the S.H.I.S. number for your existing headset.

[Tania]

…and I think I’m gonna let the shop figure it out. Hopefully it will come in that cool turquoise color. 😎

[jabberwocky]

@TwoWheelsDC 159594 wrote:

Slightly OT, but what’s the performance advantage of upgrading the headset? Honest question…I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed anything about my headsets’ performance. Am I missing something? Aesthetic reasons I totally get, however…

In terms of actual performance, pretty much just durability. Nicer ones are better sealed and go longer without maintenance and last longer overall. I have several CK headsets and honestly can’t remember ever having to service one.

Headsets are just a press cup and a pair of ball bearings. So you’re paying for pretty press cups and higher quality bearings.

How worth it they are (from a performance perspective) depends on how much that quality matters.

[Brett L.]

@Tania 159597 wrote:

A few weeks ago I did a muddy race. Muddy doesn’t even come close to describing it. It was hell. Anyway, the bike had to be hosed off, there was just no way around it. I didn’t do the actual hosing so it’s possible the hoser used too much water pressure or it’s possible the headset just wasn’t sealed very well, but the ring/circle thingy inside with the bearings rusted up badly and had to be replaced. So now I’m paranoid about it and from what I’ve been told/read, the CK’s are pretty darn great. The ring/circle thingy has been replaced but Dirt was surprised at relatively low quality of the headset given the rest of the stock components on the bike.

Plus…they’re pretty.

Ha, the hoser. Tell him to take off, eh, the next time.

But seriously, using a hose to clean a bike is ok, but I’ve heard to never use a nozzle that pressurizes the flow – for exactly that reason. The pressurized flow has tendencies to get past sealed joints and will rust out internals such as bearings. I would hazard a guess the issue is less your headset and more this. Although, a beast of a headset that’s properly sealed never hurts either

[jabberwocky]

A lot of cheap stock headsets are totally unsealed. It doesn’t surprise me at all. Rain runs right through the headset on my road bike. All I can do to give it a decent service interval is use a heavy marine grease that takes a long time to wash out.

[DanB]

@Brett L. 159631 wrote:

Ha, the hoser. Tell him to take off, eh, the next time.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14719[/ATTACH]

[EasyRider]

@jabberwocky 159632 wrote:

A lot of cheap stock headsets are totally unsealed. It doesn’t surprise me at all. Rain runs right through the headset on my road bike. All I can do to give it a decent service interval is use a heavy marine grease that takes a long time to wash out.

I would get any unit that uses sealed cartridge bearings. If it gets gritty, you just drop new ones in. No worrying about regular servicing. My experience with the thicker marine grease and basic unsealed 1″ headsets is that if it is too thick the bearings actually don’t roll around inside the retainer rings. The whole retainer ring and balls slides as a unit inside the cups and things wear quickly, so you get indexing in no time.

Lizard Skins makes a small neoprene/velcro cover that you can use to cover the bottom of your headset. It does a good job of keeping grit out of the lower races, especially if you are riding in muck without fenders. Only thing is, it doesn’t work with CK headsets. You can’t spend $100+ on a CK headset and then cover it with a 5 dollar scrap of fabric or the CK will self-destruct.

[jabberwocky]

@EasyRider 159639 wrote:

I would get any unit that uses sealed cartridge bearings. If it gets gritty, you just drop new ones in. No worrying about regular servicing. My experience with the thicker marine grease and basic unsealed 1″ headsets is that if it is too thick the bearings actually don’t roll around inside the retainer rings. The whole retainer ring and balls slides as a unit inside the cups and things wear quickly, so you get indexing in no time.

The one on my road bike has 11k+ miles on it (with plenty of bad weather since I commute on that bike) and its still ok. Underneath the headset gets black streaks over time from grease running out when it rains (its a white frame, so easily noticeable). Maybe once a season I pop the bearings out and throw them in the ultrasonic and then pack them with fresh grease. No issues with indexing thus far.

If it wasn’t a weird size I would just toss a CK on there though. The ~$150 is worth not having to bother.

I do find that most cartridge headsets use weird bearing sizes that aren’t always cheap to get. Replacement bearings for mine are almost the same cost as just replacing the headset. Though the headset is far from expensive to begin with.

[Tania]

Now not only do I have no clue what size to get, but I also have even less of an idea of what exactly I want.

[Brett L.]

@Tania 159703 wrote:

Now not only do I have no clue what size to get, but I also have even less of an idea of what exactly I want.

I think the only logical solution is to get more bikes with each different kind of headset, ride them all thousands and thousands of miles, and figure out which one works best!

[Author]

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