Suntour Xc pro GG headset any good?

[Lord_fowl]

Hail Retrobikers
For a new build I need to choose a HS and I like this one
but I wanted to know peoples experiences with them as i rarely see them mounted on bikes in the BoTM or sold "used"
the one I had BITD disappeared before I could wear it out but I still have the Greasegun from back then.
So is it a reliable HS ? Will it last? How does it compare to a m900 or CK threaded HS?
Another thing that has me confused is that some eBay sellers
mention a crownrace diameter in their listings usually 30 mm or 28.6 and some say that 1 1/8" are all 30mm and I shouldn't worry about it is this true?
My fork's crownseat is 30mm btw
Thanks to all that reply
LF aka peter

 

[secret_squirrel]

I would say they are v good. Way better than M900 they dont have the fashionista value of a CK but functionally nothing between them. Treat them right and the only thing you will need to do is replace the bearings every few years. Top quality piece of kit. Keep it topped up with grease after every ride to push out any muck and water and a set of bearings should last you at least as long as the sealed unit in a CK.

There was a time BITD when you could tell how good a bike was by how many grease guard points it had.

 

[feetabix]

Yes, good headset........use and enjoy!......

 

[euphras_1]

There were two different styles of head sets out regarding the XC Pro group. One without ball retainers and 26 loosely inserted bearing balls/race (i believe the earlier version) and one with convenient ball retainers housing 22 balls/race. The second one is a pretty good head set - in line with XT, King and the other big players. But the one with loose balls is install-and-forget, if you don´t forget to inject some grease every few months or so (regarding the environmental conditions under which you ride). The design is superior to that with ball retainers since the balls have no (or less) tendency to engrave small pits in the 0° position which normally leads to "rasterised steering".

 

[Lord_fowl]

Gentlemen thank you for your comments, just wondering does anybody have any negative comments about this headset? and can anybody answer me the last paragraph? about the crown race?my fork's crownrace measures 30 mm should i insist on a HS with this size only?
many thanks
LF aka :xmas-cool: Pete

 

[FluffyChicken]

The Oversize (1 1/8" headset, first added to the group in 1992 for the info) has a 30.0mm crown race
Only 1" has two size - JIS at 27.0 and English/Italian at 26.4mm


28.6mm is probably a mistake as that is 1 1/8"


For the record it would be 1992 they switched over ball style, so all should be ball retainer headsets.
I base this on 1991 having 26x 5/32" balls and 1992 having 20x 5/32" balls. I can only assume the 20 is for 1" headset and the 1 1/8" has got it's balls listed if euphras says there where 22. There would not have been a 1 1/8" headset with loose balls though.
Also they moved from XP01 code to XP02 product code.
It also has quite a low stack height at 34mm (1" is 37mm)

 

[Lord_fowl]

thanks Fluffy for replying I was hoping you would chime in.. So i made the purchase on ebay and got it for 87 USD the least expensive option out there at the moment unless you go to XT or DX models which can be had in that price range as well.
Almost bought a dx model as they have 1/4" bearings in the lower cup i kinda like that well it sounds like its stronger. soon Ill start my first build thread parts will be coming in regularily now just hope the wifey doesn't complain too too much but she will
Thanks for the help chaps
Lord fowl

 

[mattr]

My last grease guard headset was fitted in 1996, raced full time for 4 or 5 years (NPS, MSS and a few others) had a refit/new balls around 2000 (new frame), raced on and off another 4 years, ridden for fun for a couple of years, parked up in 2008, then retired in 2010. Think i still have it somewhere.

It ran perfectly for its entire lifespan.