Replacement Intergrated headset advice please?

shaunlfc1

Hi all,

I have a 2010 Stumpjumper FSR comp and I have had enough of having to service the stock bearings after every wet ride. Basically the seals are cr&p and no amount of grease or Lizard skin neoprene plasters do the trick.

Does anyone have any idea where I can source a high quality bearing with a seal that actually seals? I've spent most of this week scouring the internet and cannot find anywhere that does a quality replacement bearings.

My LBS can supply me with the bearings but they cannot gaurantee they are any better then what Cane Creek initially put in the bike from new and for £25 I am not prepared to take that gamble. I'd rather buy a complete new headset that can gaurantee me better bearings and if and when I need to replace the bearings they are easy to find and replace with the same quality?

This is every possible part number and spec I have found for my headset:

Bearing size etched on bearing : 41.8 x 6.5 x 45deg
Bearing part number : MH-P03
Using Cane Creek headest “fit finder” this is what they say is on my bike: SHIS:IS42/28.6|IS42/30 (1-1/8" Italian Integrated IS Standard)
Lifted from the spec page from Specialized website: Campy style cartridge bearings for integrated alloy HT

CRC's have recommended me the following replacement HS's but are these just going to come with a cheap Chinese bearing and seal as well? Any experience with these?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=9069
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=70534 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=39380

Thanks for your time and apologies if this has been covered many times before. I need to find a solution that means I ride my bike more times then I need to fully service the whole headset during winter months. :-)

Many thanks,

Shaun

nicklouse

a bearing shop.

but the seals all tend to be about the same. and it aint like they cost a lot.

shaunlfc1

A bearing shop very good I didn't think of that! Being a mechanical engineer it was the first place I tried, but its a bike industry special and bearing shops have no idea or referance to it. I was hoping someone has sourced a good replacement bearing from a parts website or can give good feedback on an alternative branded HS!

Thanks though

cooldad

Cane Creek are generally pretty good, as are FSA. Can't believe a decent bearing supplier can't supply them though.

Chunkers1980

I'm also very unconvinced that your headset is as rubbish as you describe.

delcol

feedback on an alternative branded HS!

hope,,
chris king,
fsa,

i had a hope semi intrergrated headset on my pace rc 305 it been on over 3 years and i never had to touch the bearings they still good.
had a fsa headset on my santcruz heckler again over 3 years nver touched the bearings it was still smooth when i sold the bike last year,
our kid has had a chrisking headset on his knolly dt 2 years and still going strong.
all my current bikes have canecreek headsets, the spesh demo is 2 year old and never been touched and still smooth..
my other 2 bikes are new so cant really comment..
our kid had a canecreek s3 on his santacruz chameleon that was 4 year old,,, had to strip it down once and regrease the bearings,,(they were'nt smooth) this was due to the bike being hung (storage) by the back wheel front end down, and water running down the inside of the tubes into the headtube onto the headset bearings.
after we serviced it (regreased it it was fine)

delcol

re reading you thread.. you say after every wet ride...

do you use a jet wash to clean your bike..

shaunlfc1

Thanks for all replies.

Tried 3 different bearing suppliers, all say the same thing, that its a special blah blah blah.

I'm not sure Hope do a intergrated headset, if they do I'm all over it

I use a bucket of soapy water. Never a hose, always take HS apart as water always gets in after a wet ride to at least dry out. Majority of the time its a muddy colour, with grit! Bearings then feel rough and grindy hence the strip and regrease and even then are not perfect. From an engineers point of view the bearings and seal look cheap and poor quality!

Looks like a punt on another HS from the above list and recommendations.

Cheers again!

ricardo_smooth

yes hope do an integrated headset

nicklouse

ricardo_smooth wrote:

yes hope do a couple of bearings and a top cover

you can hardly call an integrated headset a headset the only bit that is headset specific is the cover and they do not wear out.

ricardo_smooth

suppose you are right