Headset selection query

Wheelspinner

I am building up a new bike, and have to pick a headset. Frame has a straight 44mm tube and will use a press fit type. Query is whether a zero stack or external cup lower bearing type is better? I can do that with a Cane Creek for example, or use a Chris King Inset 1 tpe.

Which is recommended for better life and strength?

warpcow

Zero-stack or external cup is based on your requirements: do you have a tapered steerer or do you want your axle-to-crown raised or lowered 5-15mm.

Wheelspinner

Really not that fussed about losing a few mm in stack as I can just ditch a headset spacer instead if needed.

Had a chat with a mechanic who reckons external cup ones in this arrangement are weaker under brakes and could fail. So, recommended to stick with the internal cups top and bottom. Sorted!

The Rookie

Only if you have a plain steerer, external cups are for tapered, so if you have a tapered, internal won't fit.....did your mechanic address that?

Won't fail under brakes anyway, hundreds of thousands (well millions if not billions) of external cup bikes out there causing no issue.

warpcow

The Rookie wrote:

Won't fail under brakes anyway, hundreds of thousands (well millions if not billions) of external cup bikes out there causing no issue.

^^This X a trillion.