Bicycle Mechanics - Headset Question: Did I Almost Get Scammed? HELP!!

So I was looking to buy a headset, and I found a guy selling one cheap. It was a brand new Cane Creek S-8, which the bike shop near me sell for around 90 dollars. He was selling his for 35.

So I get there, and he starts to install it for me, but since it's late, his neighbors downstairs are complaining about the noise. I tell him not to worry about and that I'll have my local shop finish the job. I pay him and leave.

Walking out to my car, I realize there's NO RACE FOR THE FORK! I go back, knock on his door and let him know. He says something about thinking I had a race for my fork, then offers me one from a box of spare parts.

I tell him I may look dumb, but I'm not! Fork races have to be matched to the headset, right?

He says no, if I don't want one of his, a shop will sell me one for a buck or maybe less. Yeah right! I tell him the headset is incomplete, and ask for my money back.

Unfortunately, the lower cup of the headset is already halfway into my frame... so he says to just take the headset, and he gives me my money back.

He says to go to a bike store, and if they tell me a fork race is a big deal, then he's sorry for trying to cheat me. But if they tell me it's nothing and sell me one for around a dollar, then I should do whatever I feel is right in terms of paying him...

What do you guys think?!

A fork race is not an End of the world thing. They will DIFFER depending on the make of headset and the style of bearing, but the bottom race shouldn't be very expensive at all. I'd say 5$ or so as a worst case scenario.

I'd be more concerned that he's making enough noise installing a headset to wake up the neighbours!

What do you guys think?!

I'm just curious what noise the neighbor was complaining about....

So I get there, and he starts to install it for me, but since it's late, his neighbors downstairs are complaining about the noise.

One more reason to use the large bolt, washers, and nut method for headset cup installation instead of the 2 x 4 and hammer method (gotta keep the neighbors happy!)-

My new Flyte has an integrated "Aheadset" style headset. I bought the headset from Flyte and went back to the warehouse to watch him install it for me. Now I thought the guy would press the cups in with a headset press, but no, he used A Big Rubber Mallet! And to my surprise, the cups went in just fine. Next he reaches into a box and pulls out a fork race - what looks like a typical fork race with one exception: this one has a slot in it so you can slide it down your steerer tube and locate it on the machined part of the fork without tools. I ask him: Is this going to be alright? This isn't some kind of low end garbage is it? And his answer was: "They're all like that". Later I asked my local pro-bikeshop guy about it and he echoed the same story. Basically that these parts are not as critical as in the old days of threaded loose ball headsets. These modern ones use cartridge bearings that more or less have their own "races" built right in, this makes the fork crown race less critical. My trusted mechanic went on to tell me to try my headset out, and that if it would make me feel better I could upgrade the bearings themselves - presumably to give increased smoothness and durability. So far that standard issue $25 Cane Creek seems to be fine.
So in summary, I would think the guy who sold you the headset did not Jive you, he was basically correct. I know its a bit of a letdown to think that any old crap is sufficient but these Aheadset assemblies are practically that standardized.

sounds OK to me!

So I was looking to buy a headset, and I found a guy selling one cheap. It was a brand new Cane Creek S-8, which the bike shop near me sell for around 90 dollars. He was selling his for 35.

So I get there, and he starts to install it for me, but since it's late, his neighbors downstairs are complaining about the noise. I tell him not to worry about and that I'll have my local shop finish the job. I pay him and leave.

Walking out to my car, I realize there's NO RACE FOR THE FORK! I go back, knock on his door and let him know. He says something about thinking I had a race for my fork, then offers me one from a box of spare parts.

I tell him I may look dumb, but I'm not! Fork races have to be matched to the headset, right?

He says no, if I don't want one of his, a shop will sell me one for a buck or maybe less. Yeah right! I tell him the headset is incomplete, and ask for my money back.

Unfortunately, the lower cup of the headset is already halfway into my frame... so he says to just take the headset, and he gives me my money back.

He says to go to a bike store, and if they tell me a fork race is a big deal, then he's sorry for trying to cheat me. But if they tell me it's nothing and sell me one for around a dollar, then I should do whatever I feel is right in terms of paying him...

What do you guys think?!

You overreacted big time. I feel sorry for the seller.

Did you apologize and give him the money he's due? A six pack of good brew would be a nice gesture too.