Are all crown races the same?

[fjpshaw]

Hi,

I'm on the hunt for a crown race (1 1/8") to fit a Tange headset. I've had a look online and seen various other makes (Hope, Nukeproof, etc), but I don't know if these are compatible or if your race has to be specific to your make of headset? I'm guessing not since they are (mostly) going to interface with standard caged bearings.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[FluffyChicken]

No they are not all the same.
Bearing size, quantity, seal positions and quality and that's just for ball bearings.
Cartridge types can have different angles.

 

[fjpshaw]

So not being able to find a tange seiki crown race only, is my only option to change to headset? Seems a bit drastic!

 

[gerryattrick]

There may well be other crown races that will fit, but unfortunately I don't think there is a way of finding out other than trial and error, or by asking someone who has done the same.

 

[lewisfoto]

you could try rebuilding it with loose bearings. Messy and not fun but it could do the trick...

 

[shedobits]

I thought I'd swap forks between frames and as both had 1+1/8th FSA headsets it would be straight forward, but no I had to swap the bottom races too. :roll:

 

[suburbanreuben]

Chris King crown races seem to fit my FSA, Cane creek 110 and other headset that I've forgotten the name of. You lose the sealing ring of course, but the bearing is well sealed anyway, right?

Just noticed: Your balls are in a cage; you have a problem!

 

[utahdog2003]

Even if your old trusty steed has free ball bearings in the headset now, don't forget that most headsets came with caged bearings when new. ID and OD on caged bearings are consistent for same size steerer tube applications and are many times standardized items. Therefor what you need to do is find a fork race that is for a headset with a deeper bearing cup than the one currently installed in the bike. that way the shelf on the race will be smaller than what you would actually need, and the race will not rub the headset cup. The downside is there will be essentially no seal on the lower bearing, but you can fashion a slip-cover seal out of a length on inner tube and cover the entire lower portion of the headset with a rubber 'sock'.

This would probably be a good way to continue to use your Tange headset.

If you have cartridge bearings, like a King or Hope, then yeah, you are looking for a specific dedicated part.

 

[NeilM]

Tange make some (possibly all) of the Cane Creek range, it's a bit of a long shot, but you may be able to find a CC crown race that will fit.

 

[fjpshaw]

Wow, thanks for all the advice. Although if I was a bit confused by it all before, then now I'm kinda wishing mr headset-inventor was never born! I'll try LBS to see what he has in his box of bits.

Then again, I have been toying with the idea of a nice new CK headset...maybe this is the perfect excuse to indulge. Justifying it to The Management should be easy with a printout of the above! :xmas-wink: