View Full Version : Headset Help
Headset Help
Hi
I have a road bike circa 2004 with an alloy fork. I've been given a carbon fork (leftover from a project a friend started and decided to stop). Anyway, I've discovered my current fork is 1" while the carbon fork is 1 1/8in. The headset in the frame is a Cane Creek Zero Stack (semi integrated). I contacted Cane Creek and provided the internal dimensions of the head tube (where the bearing cup would sit). This came to 41mm. One of the reps advised it was a 1" head tube and I would need to get a 1" fork. He also stated VP made OEM cups for some older Giant bikes which accommodated 1 1/8in forks. The other Cane Creek rep said I had a 1 1/8in compatible head tube.
Can anyone clarify whether I can fit a current Cane Creek, FSA or other compattible headset to suit the 1 1/8 fork or will I indeed have to buy a carbon fork with a 1" steerer?
Thanks for the help.
Hi
I have a road bike circa 2004 with an alloy fork. I've been given a carbon fork (leftover from a project a friend started and decided to stop). Anyway, I've discovered my current fork is 1" while the carbon fork is 1 1/8in. The headset in the frame is a Cane Creek Zero Stack (semi integrated). I contacted Cane Creek and provided the internal dimensions of the head tube (where the bearing cup would sit). This came to 41mm. One of the reps advised it was a 1" head tube and I would need to get a 1" fork. He also stated VP made OEM cups for some older Giant bikes which accommodated 1 1/8in forks. The other Cane Creek rep said I had a 1 1/8in compatible head tube.
Can anyone clarify whether I can fit a current Cane Creek, FSA or other compattible headset to suit the 1 1/8 fork or will I indeed have to buy a carbon fork with a 1" steerer?
Thanks for the help.
I'm a little surprised a 2004 frame still has a 1 inch fork BUT I think if the headtube is for a 1 inch fork, that is all you can use.
I'm a little surprised a 2004 frame still has a 1 inch fork BUT I think if the headtube is for a 1 inch fork, that is all you can use.Yeah, but he is getting different advise from two Crane Creek reps. I think that this is one of those times when I would take my frame and fork to my LBS and let them sort it out. I agree with Peter though, I would be surprised if your 2004 frame really had a 1 inch fork. My 2003 Raleigh has a 1 1/8 inch fork.
I agree with Peter though, I would be surprised if your 2004 frame really had a 1 inch fork. My 2003 Raleigh has a 1 1/8 inch fork.
Yeah, it's a surprise to me too! But it's defnitely the case. I have three other bikes (two of which have 1 1/8in forks while the other is an older quill stem) and I can say with certainty that the alloy fork is 1in.
Strangely I put the 1 1/8in fork through the head tube to check fit. It slides in quite nicely with plenty of room. I didn't even have to remove the upper and lower bearing cups and bearings. The steerer tube slipped easily through these. What did stop it from fitting was the upper bearing cover and c clip. These would only accommodate the 1in fork. Strange.
I thought I'd read somewhere that Giant had some post 2000 (not sure of the exact year) road bikes using 1in forks. Cane Creek certainly alluded to these bikes; hence their line about OEM headsets made by VP which allowed 1 1/8in forks to be fitted to those Giant bikes originally shipped with 1in forks. Unfortunately, VP were not able to help.
Perhaps the lbs is the better way to go. I prefer to do things myself but I'm a little confused with this one. Just out of curiosity, when measuring for headset compatibility, do I measure the inner diameter of the headtube (without the cups), the outer diameter of the cups themselves or the outer diameter of the bearings (is this what the OD refers to?).
I have seen varioous headsets for 1 1/8in which states diameters of 41, 41.4 and 44mm. All of those I've been looking at have (naturally) been the Cane Creek or compatible standards.
I love non-standardisation of parts (Not!). Makes life for the home tinkerer confusing.
Yeah, it's a surprise to me too! But it's defnitely the case. I have three other bikes (two of which have 1 1/8in forks while the other is an older quill stem) and I can say with certainty that the alloy fork is 1in.
Strangely I put the 1 1/8in fork through the head tube to check fit. It slides in quite nicely with plenty of room. I didn't even have to remove the upper and lower bearing cups and bearings. The steerer tube slipped easily through these. What did stop it from fitting was the upper bearing cover and c clip. These would only accommodate the 1in fork. Strange.
I thought I'd read somewhere that Giant had some post 2000 (not sure of the exact year) road bikes using 1in forks. Cane Creek certainly alluded to these bikes; hence their line about OEM headsets made by VP which allowed 1 1/8in forks to be fitted to those Giant bikes originally shipped with 1in forks. Unfortunately, VP were not able to help.
Perhaps the lbs is the better way to go. I prefer to do things myself but I'm a little confused with this one. Just out of curiosity, when measuring for headset compatibility, do I measure the inner diameter of the headtube (without the cups), the outer diameter of the cups themselves or the outer diameter of the bearings (is this what the OD refers to?).
I have seen varioous headsets for 1 1/8in which states diameters of 41, 41.4 and 44mm. All of those I've been looking at have (naturally) been the Cane Creek or compatible standards.
I love non-standardisation of parts (Not!). Makes life for the home tinkerer confusing.
I think the thing to do is to get some Cane Creek headset bearings that fit into the headtube 'shelves'. Once you find those, then it will be obvious if you can use a 1 1/8inch steerer. ID of headset bearings ARE standard. What is not is headtubes. Campagnolo, in the early years of internal headsets, DID make a set of bearings that fit into a headset/frame made for 1 1/8inch, but the ID of the bearings were for a 1 inch fork.
Yeah, it's a surprise to me too! But it's defnitely the case. I have three other bikes (two of which have 1 1/8in forks while the other is an older quill stem) and I can say with certainty that the alloy fork is 1in.
Strangely I put the 1 1/8in fork through the head tube to check fit. It slides in quite nicely with plenty of room. I didn't even have to remove the upper and lower bearing cups and bearings. The steerer tube slipped easily through these. What did stop it from fitting was the upper bearing cover and c clip. These would only accommodate the 1in fork. Strange.
Something, in Denmark, smell's like Bigfoot's ****......to paraphrase Shakespeare. A 1 1/8" steerer will not fit in 1" bearings. That won't happen. If 1" bearings accept a 1 1/8" steerer, they're not 1" bearings....or the steerer isn't 1 1/8". Something is very wrong.
Something, in Denmark, smell's like Bigfoot's ****......to paraphrase Shakespeare. A 1 1/8" steerer will not fit in 1" bearings. That won't happen. If 1" bearings accept a 1 1/8" steerer, they're not 1" bearings....or the steerer isn't 1 1/8". Something is very wrong.
I know it sounds ridiculous but when I pulled the 1in forks out and removed the upper bearing cover the 1 1/8in forks could easily slide through it. I agree this would mean the bearings and bearing cages are 1 1/8in fit. However, the upper bearing cover and c clip certainly isn't. Anyway, I went into the lbs today and spoke to them. (Had to drive to work so I didn't take the bike). They were just as confused as I but the mechanic did suggest the headset might have a reducer. He added that some companies, to cut costs might have been offered cheaper forks with 1in steerers and just put in a reducer to accommodate. Might sound a little far fetched yet (in some ways) quite plausible as well. I'm taking the bike back to the lbs tomorrow. I'll post the results later.
I managed to find a link to an archived thread with similar issue. The poster had a 2003 Giant OCR with a 1in headset but managed to get a headset to fit to allow the fitting of a 1in fork. From memory he was given the headset by Cane Creek (wish they could have sent me one as well).
vBulletin, Copyright ©2000-2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by
vBSEO 3.3.0
