Integrated headset in Ti frame?

[garethrl]

Not really retro so apologies all round, but there seems to be a lot of Ti expertise on here, so here goes!

I was looking through over the Litespeed website the other day and was interested to see that they've dropped integrated headsets throughout the range and gone back to threadless headsets, with King units on most builds.

I have a 2003 Lookout Mountain with a Cane Creek integrated headset and was wondering what the reason for the shift was. Is it for technical reasons, eg the integrated design transfers too much stress and wear to the head tube? Or is it simply a marketing issue, having signed some kind of deal with King?

For that matter, is it possible to mount a threadless headset into a head tube that was designed for an integrated headset? I have a 1 1/8" King headset that's presently not being used, so is there anyway I can 'bodge the square peg into the round hole', so to speak. I have ample steerer to spare so stack should not be an issue, unless the 'solution' ends up to be extreme!

TIA for all input and opinion,
Gareth.

 

[hamster]

They had a big problem last year with head tubes cracking.

 

[Kneedowndean]

Chris Kings reason for not using Integrated headsets:

http://www.chrisking.com/tech/int_heads ... ain_1.html

As for using a normal headset in an integrated frame I seriously doubt that would work, not my field though so I'll leave it to the rest of the retrobikers to comment.

 

[DM]

Yes, there was a thread (on Bike Radar?) re. cracked headtubes.
Warranty repairs involved Litespeed chopping off the integrated head tubes & returning the frames with a newly-welded "standard" headtube.

Not a botch-able job for the home mechanic, as apparently the "chopping" process was extremely accurate so as to retain the tube butting on the top tube and down tube.

Check your frame regularly and you should be OK.

If it ever cracks it CAN be repaired by the manufacturer. But that's the only way you'll end up with a non-integrated headset on there.

 

[utahdog2003]

from the King link above...

"Lack of standardization is a bad thing for everyone."

That is all.

 

[heathy]

I have a Global Ti frame which can have either. Not sure how it works though. I am running a integrated at the moment though, with no prob's.

 

[kanerdog1x1]

you can fit a standard 1-1/8 headset into a frame designed for an integrated, giant used to supply frames with adaptors, i have tried both on my xtc team, and prefer the feel of the bike with a standard headset, only becuase it lifts the front of the bike up about 8-10mm. you could get adaptors made, but, whats the point? if the bike aint broke dont fix it. if it does break, send i back? you can get boutique headsets from both hope and acros now for integrated, so this isnt even an excuse....