Modern headset confusion! Please help!

[konaben82]

Ok... So I've just bagged myself a brand new Santa Cruz chameleon frame, I've started building but really can't afford a hope headset at the moment, I'm after something a bit more budget for now as I've spent a small fortune already!

The crown of my forks does not hit the down tube when bars are spun round so I'm thinking about getting an integrated style one, several on eBay for 20 quid or so and if that works then I'll be riding the bike sooner!

What baffles me is the inner diameters of my head tube are 44mm top and 50mm bottom, I'm running a tapered fox fork

This is similar to the cheaper eBay jobbies http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fsa- ... -prod80063

Will it fit? I don't understand where the 56mm measurement comes from?

Here is a pic of my head tube (no headset fitted)

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Just looked at the specs page on Santa Cruz and you have a 1.5" lower and 1 1/8" upper taper. So that is where the 50mm comes in.

http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/chameleon

Seems a strange option and most tapered head tubes are 56mm bottoms.

So if you could buy Hope you would be able to get mix and match cups. You would want:


HOPE : 2
S.H.I.S. : ZS44/28.6
1 1/8” Integral

for the top cup.
And

HOPE : F
S.H.I.S. : EC49/40
1.5” Traditional

for the bottom cup.

Explained in the hope brochure. http://cdn.hopetechnology.netdna-cdn.co ... 011Web.pdf

 

[firedfromthecircus]

So the one you linked at Chain reaction wouldn't fit as it's for the 'standard' tapered head tube. It would fit your forks though, but not a lot of good unless you buy another frame!

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Cheapest I can find is a gusset at wiggle.

Bottom cup.

And it's partner for the top.

This one.

Seems unlikely you will be able to buy a complete headset in that size, so mix and match is the only option. And because there is such a small difference between the internal dia of the frame and the external dia of the fork you can't have an internal or zero stack bottom cup.

My tuppence worth is, it's a nice frame you just bought. Your forks are good. Wait a while until you can afford a Hope headset, and then you know you are doing it right. ;-)

 

[firedfromthecircus]

WHAT KIND OF HEADSET DOES THIS BIKE USE?
We use a headset generally referred to as "mixed tapered". This is a 44mm internal upper cup, with an external 49mm lower cup. The SHIS name is ZS44/28.6 EC49/40.

 

[konaben82]

Thanks! I've found a hope one at £25 per end so I think I will just go with that! I have a few bits to do like build a wheel and get a couple of parts is I think maybe the hope is a good option!

 

[ba57ards]

i might have some bits of the hope headset top half mate if it saves u a couple of quid (think im missing the topcap ? )

drop me a pm if u want me to have a look ?

 

[konaben82]

PM on its way