Help with headsets

uzapuca

Hi guys,
I am very new to bike mechanics. I have a Kona Smoke, here are some photos and the specs.

SPECS
http://www.konaworld.co/bike.cfm?content=smoke

PICTURES
(sorry to upload the picture as links but the in built attachment wasn't working right)
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/114 ... 421998.jpg
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/114 ... 422010.jpg

as you can see the specs are a bit short of info. For example, headset: TH. But there is no extra info, size, etc.

To be honest there is nothing wrong with my actual headset it just that I have seen very good deals because the holidays and i would like to have a replacement for the future.

What headset for my bike size spec would you recommend?

Cheers,
Sebastian

jonnym5

That is just a traditional press in headset. The cups are external to the frame so you just need a 1 1/8th inch / 1.125" threadless headset. Avoid anything with really deeps cups as they might not fit within the frame.

If it isn't broken there is no need to fix it as you will feel next to no difference.

something like http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cane-creek-10-s ... h-headset/ would do me nicely.

uzapuca

jonnym5 wrote:

That is just a traditional press in headset. The cups are external to the frame so you just need a 1 1/8th inch / 1.125" threadless headset. Avoid anything with really deeps cups as they might not fit within the frame.

If it isn't broken there is no need to fix it as you will feel next to no difference.

something like http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cane-creek-10-s ... h-headset/ would do me nicely.

Thanks for the good info Jonnym5!
my question was a little bit to learn more on headsets in case i need a replacement in the near future. Good to know the model is quite standard and unexpensive too. What you think about this model?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=1066

it is easier for shooping online since i have a coupon there. Nevertheless if you find it low quality i will buy the one you suggested me.

Cheers,

jonnym5

That headset would be a fine replacement for what is in there and they will be a similar design using caged bearings like so

http://www.bikepedia.com/pa/Item.aspx?itemid=846425

The reason I like the cane creak one is that it takes sealed cartridge bearings which IMO last a bit longer and feel smoother for longer. These look like http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/14 ... d-acb.html

uzapuca

jonnym5 wrote:

The reason I like the cane creak one is that it takes sealed cartridge bearings which IMO last a bit longer and feel smoother for longer. These look like http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/14 ... d-acb.html

The sealed cartridge bearing sound good. Thanks for sharing that knowledge. Headsets are a bit of a mistery to me. It seems there are two main systems the Threaded and the Threadless. The last one seems to be the more advanced, right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headset_(bicycle_part)

Cheers,

supersonic

Threaded is an older system and rarely used on new bikes, except very cheap ones.

cooldad

You mean threaded is an older system.

Blue Meanie

If your new to bike mechanics, take a little care pressing the cups in and setting the crown-race onto the fork.

Removal of the old one is easy, although the crown-race can be awkward.

A good quality headset fitted badly won't last as long as a cheap one fitted well.