Headsets

Road Headset Buying Guide

Types

Integrated (IS): bearings sit directly in the head tube — the most common modern standard. No pressed cups; the bearings drop into machined races in the frame. Semi-integrated (ZS): bearing cups press into the head tube but the bearings sit inside the tube. External (EC): cups press onto the outside of the head tube — traditional standard on older bikes. Each type has a specific designation (IS42, ZS44, EC34, etc.) defining the bore diameter. Your frame determines which type you need — there's no converting between them.

Bearing Quality

Chris King headsets use their own precision bearings with user-replaceable seals — they last 10+ years with periodic service. Cane Creek 110 uses a similar approach with their Norglide bearing technology. Hope headsets use high-quality sealed cartridge bearings. Budget headsets (FSA Orbit, Neco) use standard cartridge bearings that work but may develop roughness after 1-2 years in wet UK conditions. Aftermarket replacement bearings from Enduro Bearings or Acros fit most headsets. Ceramic bearings exist but offer negligible real-world benefit in a headset.

Buying Used

Rotate the steerer tube — the headset should turn smoothly with no notching (notching indicates brinelled bearings — the ball bearings have dented the races). Check for play by holding the front brake and rocking the bike forward and back — any knocking means the headset is loose or worn. Headset bearings are cheap to replace; the cups and races are the valuable parts. Chris King headsets are excellent used buys — the bodies last decades and bearing replacement kits are readily available. Check the crown race (the lower bearing seat on the fork) fits your fork steerer diameter.