Are Hope headsets as good as Chris King?

on-yer-bike
on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
edited April 2014 in Road buying advice
Or nearly as good will do.
Pegoretti
Colnago
Cervelo
Campagnolo

Comments

  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Yes. Hope use high quality bearings. Cant go wrong with either CK or Hope.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    If it's an integrated headset, it's only as good as your frame tolerance. If that's good even a cheap headset will do good, otherwise even an expensive one won't last long.
    left the forum March 2023
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Do you have headset issues? What kind?
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    As I have had a Token headset for years in my MTB I would say even mid-range headsets are as good as Hope or chris Kings. It is not hard to make a good headset for less than Chris King do.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    dennisn wrote:
    Do you have headset issues? What kind?
    Its an external headset. A Ritchey WCS but could be a fake. Ive used it before on another frame and it was fine. Ive just installed it on a Colnago and it it starts binding with barely any tightening of the load bolt. One or two turns and its locked solid. Im wondering if Ive left a piece out but cant find anything the compression ring seems fine. The top part of the headset doesnt seem to be binding on the the top bearing cup…. I have posted this in workshop but no comments.
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    Do you have headset issues? What kind?
    Its an external headset. A Ritchey WCS but could be a fake. Ive used it before on another frame and it was fine. Ive just installed it on a Colnago and it it starts binding with barely any tightening of the load bolt. One or two turns and its locked solid. Im wondering if Ive left a piece out but cant find anything the compression ring seems fine. The top part of the headset doesnt seem to be binding on the the top bearing cup…. I have posted this in workshop but no comments.

    Hate to say it but it sounds like operator / installer error to me but I have no idea why. One thing I would say though is that simply spending a bunch of money on a headset won't work if you don't install it correctly. I've had a lower end Cane Creek on my bike for years without issue or any maintenance. For me high end headsets equal waste of money.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Agree with Dennis on this
    left the forum March 2023
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    Ive installed headsets before. And I pressed in the cups and banged down the fork race using all the correct tools so where can the user error be? Unless the headtube needs reaming which I would doubt on a carbon frame. There is a quarter turn on the top bolt between the headset being too tight and too lose. Maybe the bearings are fake and cant take any load, theyve sat in a draw for two years.
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    The cone? Sometimes the split cone that presses on the top bearing doesn't sit correctly
    left the forum March 2023
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    Ive installed headsets before. And I pressed in the cups and banged down the fork race using all the correct tools so where can the user error be? Unless the headtube needs reaming which I would doubt on a carbon frame. There is a quarter turn on the top bolt between the headset being too tight and too lose. Maybe the bearings are fake and cant take any load, theyve sat in a draw for two years.

    You've said you used it before on another bike. I would question whether it was damaged in removal. I know that you want to blame the headset, the frame, anything but the installer, but I'm still putting my money(so to speak) on installer error. If the headset is, in fact, broken it's still installer error for not seeing it. There is a problem and you haven't seen it so it's your error.

    Also, just because something has sat around for a couple of years doesn't mean it "went bad".

    You're right there with the frame and headset. I'm way over here and can't see or observe anything. Take another look and if you don't see any problem look closer still. Re-read the installation instructions again. Don't assume you know what you're doing, make sure you know.
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    I dont want to blame anything I just want to sort it out. I have already said I may have missed a spacer or something. Anyway I have sorted it out. I changed the forks on the other bike and bought a another crown race direct from Ritchey, which I have never used and it is this that which was wrong. It looks the same as the original but obviously isnt because everything is now OK using the original crown race. So I'm going to go into a dark room and beat myself with thorns for not realising Ritchey had sold me the wrong race. Whilst doing this I will think of you in Ohio with a smile on your face.
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    I dont want to blame anything I just want to sort it out. I have already said I may have missed a spacer or something. Anyway I have sorted it out. I changed the forks on the other bike and bought a another crown race direct from Ritchey, which I have never used and it is this that which was wrong. It looks the same as the original but obviously isnt because everything is now OK using the original crown race. So I'm going to go into a dark room and beat myself with thorns for not realising Ritchey had sold me the wrong race. Whilst doing this I will think of you in Ohio with a smile on your face.

    Just glad ya got it sorted out. :wink:

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