Headsets
Used mountain bike headsets from UK sellers, plus new stock from Chris King, Hope, Cane Creek, Wolf Tooth, FSA and Acros. The headset holds the bearings that let your fork rotate smoothly in the frame's head tube. Match the headset type and dimensions to your frame and fork steerer.
What does a headset actually do?
The headset sits between your frame's head tube and the fork steerer tube, providing the bearings that allow smooth steering, with the stem and handlebars clamped above it. It's a fit-and-forget component — once installed correctly, a quality headset lasts years. The challenge is navigating the sizing standards.
ZS, EC or IS — which standard do you need?
Zero Stack (ZS) bearings sit inside the head tube with a pressed-in cup, and it's the most common modern MTB standard. External Cup (EC) puts the bearing cups outside the head tube — an older standard, still found on some bikes. Integrated (IS) bearings sit directly in the head tube with no separate cup (the head tube is the cup), and are less common on MTBs. Most modern mountain bikes use a ZS44 top and ZS56 or EC56 bottom — the "tapered" setup that accepts a 1-1/8" to 1.5" tapered steerer.
How do you work out the right size?
Headset size refers to the bore diameter of the head tube at top and bottom, in mm. Common MTB combinations are ZS44/ZS56 (standard tapered), ZS44/EC49 (some older tapered frames) and EC34/EC34 (straight 1-1/8" steerer, older bikes). You need to know your frame's head tube standard and bore diameter to get the right headset — this information is in your frame's spec sheet, or can be measured with callipers.
Chris King, Hope or Cane Creek?
Chris King headsets are the gold standard — precision machined, fully serviceable, available in a rainbow of anodised colours, and they last essentially forever. Hope headsets offer similar quality at a lower price point, also made in the UK with full bearing and seal kits available. Cane Creek makes excellent mid-range headsets and the 40 Series is the value benchmark. FSA and Wolf Tooth cover the budget to mid-range well, and all of them turn up across the MTB components listings.
What maintenance does a headset need?
Headset bearings need minimal maintenance — regrease them once or twice a year, or when steering feels notchy. If the headset develops play (the fork rocks back and forth in the head tube), first check the stem bolts and top cap preload before blaming the bearings. Loose stem bolts are the most common cause of headset "play", and the fix is a 30-second adjustment, not a new headset.