Classic & Vintage - What headset should I be looking for? (pics)

I have a late 80's Guerciotti and I assume it is Italian threaded, but I see non threaded etc. What exactly am I looking for? Here is a couple pictures of the bike. I just built it up last night with a friend of mine. Yes, I have a new back tire to put on it.... geeez.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m264/h_curtis/gtoptube.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m264/h_curtis/guerciotti1.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m264/h_curtis/guerciottirearhub.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m264/h_curtis/grear.jpg

looks very nice, you should be looking for a campagnolo pista headset, but I am in the same predicament you are.. I need a headset for my pista frame, the stack height of a super record turned out to be too high after I accepted fate and screwed an italian headset onto what feel like an english threaded fork... since the headset is alloy it will have altered the headset threads... then I found out I need a shorter stack height. I think I might go with the stronglight A9 i think it's called, needle bearings and is nice and light and looks like a super record. Campagnolo pista headsets has no outward markings so the stronglight will look just the same, especially with a super record lock nut.

Is it just me, or do the fork blades look like they're bent back a little? It looks like there might be a little toe overlap, which shouldn't happen with a frame that size.

Is it just me, or do the fork blades look like they're bent back a little? It looks like there might be a little toe overlap, which shouldn't happen with a frame that size.

You brought up a point and yes they are bent back a little. It is a track frame. There is plenty of toe overlap. Yet another thing I will be dealing with on this bike on top of no brakes. Hmm, should be interesting anyway. Hope it isn't too big of a problem. My cranks are 165's. I have a big damn foot at a size 12 with XL clips. I may have to look into changing some things around. Tight geometry on this ride. Ride flat pedal? lol

I didn't really think about the fact that it's a track frame, and since I'm not that familiar with them, I don't know if there should be overlap or not on that frame. But at any rate, the bent fork certainly isn't helping, and it's sort of alarming that you don't seem to be worried in the least about it. The brake rant belongs in the FG forum, where it already happened, but with the combination of that and the bent fork, I'll just offer that you are really asking for it, dude.

You do know the forks are made that way. They are not bent after production or something. Track bikes have tight geometry. One of the reasons I posted the rear cog area as a picture to show it is a track bike. No, I am riding this bike on a track, so lets not discuss brakes. I am more interested in a headset. I am hoping to run a campy record or chorus headset. I wasn't thinking of a pista headset. That is going to be expensive as all heck. The 600 I have on there seems to be fine, but I don't want it on this bike. I take it I want threaded headset anything but french?

I didn't know it was made like that...misunderstanding. When you confirmed it was "bent", I thought you were saying it had been damaged.

I have nothing more to contribute to your thread, so I'll be done with it, but before I go I'll throw out there that, seeing as how you'll only be riding it on a track, this was a pretty silly thread to start: http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=266269.

In case you don't remember, this was the highlight of that thread :



Yeah, I won't go out into traffic in the first half hour or so until I get the feel of it.

Geeez dude, I was just trying to avoid the brake thing that seems to go on and on. I just want to get a different headset. Did you have to post that old topic that will follow me around. lol

Okay I am busted, but still looking for a headset. I really don't think I want to spend the $ on a pista one. That seems out of control. Will a chorus be too high? I would prefer a campy over the stronglite, but will say it was nice looking and may be where I end up.

Threading - anything but French. You also want to avoid JIS sized headsets, too - they come with a 27.0mm crown race/30.0 mm OD, but in Campy/Stronglight, etc, you'll not find JIS anyway. Italian threading differs only slightly (angle of thread cut) from English, but the thread size and pitch are the same so English will work on an Italian threaded steerer. But like Cyclotoine said, stack height is going to be your biggest issue.

is there anything wrong with the headset that's on there ??

if you do remove it, please use the correct tool to avoid damaging the wrench 'flats'
it looks nice

But like Cyclotoine said, stack height is going to be your biggest issue.

I'm thinking this is probably not going to be an issue. The current headset is Shimano 600EX series. These were road headsets and had stack heights of 39mm, which is fairly tall. A modern Chorus is 36.5mm. So, provided he has enough engagement with a 600EX, a modern Chorus should provide more and may even require a spacer. But it would be advisable to measure.

That's a loverly bike. Really really nice. I don't have anything to add that's helpful, I'm just drooling a bit. It looks like my size too! 24"? I'll just add to the love by posting this:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/DSC00054.jpg

is there anything wrong with the headset that's on there ??

if you do remove it, please use the correct tool to avoid damaging the wrench 'flats'
it looks nice

I have some vice grips laying around I think. Sorry, I just had to throw that out there.

I am not a big fan of that headset on my bike. I am looking at Campy ones like an older Chorus or Record. I actually like the older Chorus better though.

That's a loverly bike. Really really nice. I don't have anything to add that's helpful, I'm just drooling a bit.

Thanks bro. It is a 60cm c2c.