AHEADSETS, how brilliant they are.

AHEADSETS Vs CONVENTIONAL NUT HEADSETS

AHEADSETS 1 1/8" with 5/32" race bearings


AHEADSETS great aren't they. Only need a 5mm allen key to adjust.
The only items that could get overtightened/cross threaded/rounded off/worn are:
~ LOCKING NUT WASHERS & TOP CAP ALLEN KEY BOLT
~ AHEADSET STEM & ALLEN KEY BOLTS
~ BEARINGS in a race
The above are relatively inexpensive items, well a stem at the greatest still isn't alot.

CONVENTIONAL NUT HEADSETS 1", 1 1/8" or 1 1/4" (Aka EVO, I guess the principal of this term, probably came about because larger diameter has more threads overall hence would need more force to come undone , and also would need larger flat plate spanner to adjust, HEAV HO, etc).


CONVENTIONAL NUT HEADSETS are adjusted with flat plate spanners (Or adjustable wrench, or molegrips!).
(Still found on really cheap MTB's, you know APOLLO, TRAX, GEMINI, etc)
These headsets have with a bottom and top locking nut, these often became loose.
The items that could get overtightened/cross threaded/rounded off/worn are (& often did):
~ the headsets (Top nut & bottom nut)
~ fork steerers
~ BEARINGS in a race
Hence worn out threads on both:
~ fork steerer (If possible. I.E. If fork steerer isn't replaceable, then replace FORK!) and
~ headset
They would have to be replaced, and that isn't cheap, especially when compared to aheadset.

NOTE of POSTERITY: Years ago when ALUMINIUM frames became popular oversized tubing started to get popular, hence headtube diameter increased, so 1" would be too small, so 1 1/4" (EVO) was introduced, these were popular on CANNONDALE and ALPINESTAR. In fact my old CANNONDALE had an EVO headset, I put in reduced sized cups (1 1/4" to 1 1/8") in AHEADSET, so I could fit front suspension.

NOTE: EVO is short (An abbreviation) for EVOLUTION, aka the biggest known headset, that was common (20 years ago, circa 1991, when I was young teenager at 14) amongst aluminium frames with oversized tubing. An oversized head tube was used, because oversized downtube and top tube welded to an 1" headtube would have been a bad (Insufficient) fit. Today in the early 20th century (2011), the 1 1/8" headset is the STANDARD.

WINNER: AHEADSET

Also for OBLIGATORY purposes, photos of my AHEADSET TOP CAP (TIOGA) and AHEADSET STEM (KORE).

my AHEADSET TOP CAP ("TIOGA")


my AHEADSET STEM & TOP CAP aerial view ("KORE" & "TIOGA")


my AHEADSET STEM side view ("KORE")

awwww no.............. :cry:

great little bout that
whats next?

1 1/4" = Evolution (EVO is just a short hand)
1 1/8" = OverSize
1" = Standard

For some reason 1 1/8" won out over 1 1/4", anyone know why... ? other than steel frames never really moved to 1 1/4" (even Orange Used 1 1/4" on there Alu's and 1" on Steel during the transition times)

Downsides of aheadsets (aka threadless headsets)
- they can work loose
- You can crush/dent the steerer tube with the stem
- probably others.
- you loose fine tuning the height easily if your steerer is too short for you or you don't mind spacers above the stem.

Each has merits, for instance you can use locknut threaded systems, Mavic, Stronglight, King, Kona to overcome the use of dodgy tools causing flats to round of a bit.

Personally, I think the moved allowed the use of Aluminium steerer tubes and now Carbon steerer tubes to save weight in the overall system. They are that little bit easier to setup unless you use the locking top nuts in threaded systems.

(Aka EVO, I guess the principal of this term, probably came about because larger diameter has more threads overall hence would need more force to come undone , and also would need larger flat plate spanner to adjust, HEAV HO, etc)

Click to expand...

AHEADSETS come loose LESS OFTEN

Well personally I believe AHEADSETS are great. Also conventional nut headsets are a pain to adjust with thin plate spanners, annoying when you slip and chip your paintwork, or slip/nip/bang your skin/fingers between the two thin plate spanners or your frame/fork/work bench, etc. Also if your spanner is a slack fit, either because spanner is worn or headset hex nut surface is rounded off in places, then if the spanner slips you won't be sure if the steerer has cross threaded THEN the force of that movement veered the spanners from the headset, OR the spanners just slipped off as rounded off the HEX surface of the spanners/headset.

Aheadsets, I like most because of their simple adjustment, and the fact that they come loose, FAR LESS OFTEN.

But I think this is ALSO BECAUSE the following lessens impacts/vibrations:

~ FRONT SUSPENSION

~ REAR SUSPENSION

~ WIDER TYRES, now more common as FRAME/FORK clearance, greater then years ago (20 years ago, circa 1991, frame clearance tolerances were less then, then they are today. For example 1.9 tyre width came very close to many frames chainstays, and 2.1 tyre width's would scrub the frames, well especially with buckled rims. OK many forks 20 years ago could accomodate wider tyres, but 20 years ago disk brakes weren't common, instead cantilever (stradle) brakes were, so much wider tyres may have caused an issue with stradle cantilever adjustment. Also most people run same width tyres front & rear, less people will want to run different width tyres, just because clearances are greater at one end then it is at the other. Also years ago wider tyres weren't that popular for shock absorbing, as many bike wheel axle drop outs weren't vertical, they were horizontal (Like a BMX), guess this was because frame welding alignment wasn't good then, and as an end result, wheels came out of alignment more easily, hence tyres rubbed more on frame stays (Obviously the wider the tyre, if wheel becomes dislodged in drop outs, the greater the tyre width, the more exaggerated the tyre rub on the frame stays).

Aheadsets - 1

Focusing skills - 0

:roll:

RACE?

AHEADSET race's universal? BIKE SHOP sayes the races are different, even though to look at the differences are very subtle.

I guess this is to do with surface contact of bearings, but you wouldn't think this would make much different if all these aheadsets are the same size at 1 1/8", and the bearings are 5/32", but looking at some of these races there are a few different styles.

CONCLUSION: So guess the fork crown RACE surfaces are for a SPECIFIC RACE type, so the specific race does matter for smooth taut trouble free rotation of your aheadset.

In other peoples experience does their AHEADSET race(s), work smoothly on most brands/models of aheadset (in your experience)?
Or did you have to change race to the bike specific aheadset, that the fork is being fitted to?

To be more exact, with regard to aheadset fork crown race 1 1/8", if changing forks on bike, since these fork crown races all very closely resemble each other (Unlike the other parts of different make aheadsets 1 1/8") will ANY 1 1/8" aheadset fork crown race work with the existing fitted aheadset.

The Hope 1.5 sealed bearing race that I just bought for my tapered headset does not fit the 1.5 FSA crown on my steerer.

I like both types of headset and have a bike with one of each. They both have their good/bad points