Any idea what this is? - 1920s Radior
- Thread starter PhillB
- Start date
Lovely. The red rims make it "pop out". 
If there's one item that's a struggle it's old headsets. NOS dried up years and years ago, and the only ones I've seen advertised are actually cobbled together parts mixed between bicycle, Solex, and mobylette headsets which I would not trust.
Thank fully most if adjusted right seemed to have survived OK but probably lost their (nickel) finish. The very very old one seems to be of various standards and slightly undersized or oversized diameters. There are at least two common crown race sizes and potentially three different lock-nut mechanisms. Another one to watch for is imperial vs. metric ball bearing sizes. Not really found any logic, distinct periods or branding to these differences.
My advice would be to get like a 60s / 70s / 80s Pug and/or Motobecane or similar doner bike for peanuts and pull the headset off it, mount using loose balls and not caged ball bearing. Chances are the low stack height and diameters would be fine for even something 100 years old.
One that didn't survive:
If there's one item that's a struggle it's old headsets. NOS dried up years and years ago, and the only ones I've seen advertised are actually cobbled together parts mixed between bicycle, Solex, and mobylette headsets which I would not trust.
Thank fully most if adjusted right seemed to have survived OK but probably lost their (nickel) finish. The very very old one seems to be of various standards and slightly undersized or oversized diameters. There are at least two common crown race sizes and potentially three different lock-nut mechanisms. Another one to watch for is imperial vs. metric ball bearing sizes. Not really found any logic, distinct periods or branding to these differences.
My advice would be to get like a 60s / 70s / 80s Pug and/or Motobecane or similar doner bike for peanuts and pull the headset off it, mount using loose balls and not caged ball bearing. Chances are the low stack height and diameters would be fine for even something 100 years old.
One that didn't survive:
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