The Headset is a vital component on any bike, be that a road bike, mountain bike, gravel bike or BMX. Headsets are designed to allow your fork steerer to rotate in the head tube of the frame, every turn and twist of the bike is done via the headset, changing the direction of the bike. Although the explanation of a headset can be reduced to just a set of bearings - a working headset is key in ensuring that your bike is safe and responds the way you want it to.
In many cycling disciplines, especially mountain biking - headsets can take a lot of punishment, with rough terrain and drops on downhill tracks placing stress on this part. Regardless of the type of bike you have, if your headset is due for replacement - you can usually tell quite quickly. Headsets which are on their way out, have a lot of play within them - if you allow this play to continue, then the frame itself can be damaged.
When it’s time to change your headset, careful consideration is required to ensure you buy the correct headset for your bike. Vintage bikes usually have a threaded headset - which have two large nuts and adjustable bearings. Modern bikes use a different type of headset, a threadless headset. Threadless headsets use bearings which are not screwed together, but instead pressed together into the head tube. A star fangled nut or compression bung is then used to compress everything together.
Choices continue further however, there are both internal and external threadless headsets. Integrated headsets mean that you can just drop bearings into the frame tube, without the need for a press. This makes servicing and replacement very easy.
There is a big variation in the quality of components found in headsets and bearings - cheaper headsets, use poorer quality bearings. There are a couple of different types of bearings used, with ball bearings being the most common. Cartridge bearings offer many advantages, being sealed in a single assembly - which last longer and are better sealed. Ceramic ball bearings are also available, as are needle bearings using a ring of small rods.
You can view the complete range of headsets above, and if you have any questions about the range - get in touch and we will be happy to help.
