1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

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Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by Jamesh »

I need a headset for a new to me frame.

Do I get a cheap £10 etc one or a tange one for £20?

Any good recommendations at a reasonable price?

Cheers James
tatanab
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Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by tatanab »

For a round town hack I'd use any, but for a decent machine I use BBB Threadaround which can be found at about £30. These have bearing units like in modern headsets - no loose balls. I have two of these in use. https://www.highonbikes.com/products/bb ... gIesvD_BwE
alexnharvey
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Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:39am

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by alexnharvey »

Tange seiki would be my choice. A good headset well maintained might last the lifetime of the frame of longer. Tange has reasonably good sealing. Not sure if that's true of all basic ones.

That said I've had bikes that came with no name basic headsets that had listed for many years and were also working well.
Norman H
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Joined: 31 Jul 2011, 4:39pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by Norman H »

Tange Seiki are decent quality, but have you measured the crown race diameter? It will most likely be JIS or ISO.

https://sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-headsets.html
Last edited by Norman H on 27 Jan 2022, 8:03am, edited 1 time in total.
rjb
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Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by rjb »

Measure first buy once. It could be jis or iso standard. :wink:
Threaded or aheadset? It's not an old Raleigh, they have unique threading. :(
Last edited by rjb on 27 Jan 2022, 8:05am, edited 2 times in total.
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
TheBomber
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Joined: 16 Feb 2020, 8:18pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by TheBomber »

Will the headset be protected by a mudguard? Basic headsets can soldier on surprisingly well if the lower race is protected from road spray.

But I’d buy a better one anyway.
KM2
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Joined: 23 Oct 2008, 5:38pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by KM2 »

Changing a headset requires quite a lot of effort, not something you want to do very often.
Buy a better one and protect the lower race from spray. Mudguards or cut down old inner tube or condom.
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simonineaston
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Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by simonineaston »

Last bike I built up with a 1" stem I returned to the headset of my youth, ie the excellent Stronglight A9, which used to be fairly inexpensive, but nowadays is probably less so. It had the reputation of being exceptional - light, strong & inexpensive... usually you can have two out of three only.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
bgnukem
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Joined: 20 Dec 2010, 5:21pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by bgnukem »

Stronglight A9 was not well sealed but used to have excellent replaceable needle roller bearings and steel race rings separate from the cups. The current version has cartridge ball bearings though so not sure if as good as the original design.
Pneumant
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Joined: 7 Oct 2010, 8:25pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by Pneumant »

KM2 wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 8:46am Changing a headset requires quite a lot of effort, not something you want to do very often.
Buy a better one and protect the lower race from spray. Mudguards or cut down old inner tube or condom.
Not so difficult with good tools, headset demise is usually caused by poor adjustment and lack of lubrication, even cheap headsets last if adjusted and lubed. Having guards makes a massive difference to life and am aware that MTB headsets survive when protected with secondary DIY seals. Not so sure about the use of a cutdown condom though?!
bgnukem wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 2:53pm Stronglight A9 was not well sealed but used to have excellent replaceable needle roller bearings and steel race rings separate from the cups. The current version has cartridge ball bearings though so not sure if as good as the original design.

The old aluminium version was criticised back in the day for being a bit flexible, which it was, when compared to a decent Campag headset which gives a bike a solid feeling front end.
bgnukem wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 2:53pm Stronglight A9 was not well sealed but used to have excellent replaceable needle roller bearings and steel race rings separate from the cups. The current version has cartridge ball bearings though so not sure if as good as the original design.
I have a 5 or 6yr old black A9 steel headset which is fitted with proper ball races. I guess they have since changed the design? I rate the one I have and it seems pretty well sealed (on a bike with guards) and is very smooth running.
Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by Jamesh »

Great looks like I'm going to have to take it apart and measure it!

Need some Vernier calipers!

Cheers James
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by Jamesh »

It's a tange svx no idea what size!

Might take it off and pop into Ellis Briggs!
rjb
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Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by rjb »

Jamesh wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 10:14pm It's a tange svx no idea what size!

Might take it off and pop into Ellis Briggs!
You only need the fork crown race. Either 27.0 JIS or 26.4mm ISO. :wink:
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
mig
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Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by mig »

Campagnolo Record if you can find one!
iandusud
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Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 1:35pm

Re: 1" headset? Cheap and cheerful or tange?

Post by iandusud »

Pneumant wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 8:03pm
KM2 wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 8:46am Stronglight A9 was not well sealed but used to have excellent replaceable needle roller bearings and steel race rings separate from the cups. The current version has cartridge ball bearings though so not sure if as good as the original design.

The old aluminium version was criticised back in the day for being a bit flexible, which it was, when compared to a decent Campag headset which gives a bike a solid feeling front end.
bgnukem wrote: 27 Jan 2022, 2:53pm Stronglight A9 was not well sealed but used to have excellent replaceable needle roller bearings and steel race rings separate from the cups. The current version has cartridge ball bearings though so not sure if as good as the original design.
Back in the 80s and early 90s when I was fitting lots of headsets my experience of the Sronglight A9 was as you describe and I stopped stocking them for that reason. My preference and recommendation to customers was to either fit a Tange Levin, which was relatively cheap but very good quality, or a Campag Record if budget allowed. Interestingly my wife and I still regularly use our daily bikes, one fitted with a Tange Levin the other with a Campag Record and they're still performing perfectly after over 30 years of use with nothing other than being regreased a couple of times over the years (I can't actually remember having done it but I probably have).
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