Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - budget bottom brackets and headsets

i am starting a project with a eai bareknuckle frame and i'll admit i don't have a very extnsive knowledge of bb and headset options. what are some affordable bb and headsets out there? i'm trying to keep it affordable but i don't want a piece of **** either. any suggestions?

Shimano UN73 is working fine for me. For headsets look at the Rivendale website. I think they still have some of the Tange headsets. They are damn good. My 20+year old tange on my schwinn is still smooth.

what crankset are you running?

when i had the sugino messenger cranks (80ish dollars). i had a $30 sugino bb (http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=188_247&products_id=656)

there's some tange headsets are 20 bucks a piece, i don't remember the model, but the shimano 105 headsets are decent.

with sugino 75s, i used an IRD bb. (http://store.somafab.com/irdqbjissqta.html)

hope that helps.

what crankset are you running?

when i had the sugino messenger cranks (80ish dollars). i had a $30 sugino bb (http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=188_247&products_id=656)

there's some tange headsets are 20 bucks a piece, i don't remember the model, but the shimano 105 headsets are decent.

.
+ 1, rd's on a Sugino, tange headset original to bike (I repacked the bearings).

i'm trying to keep it affordable but i don't want a piece of **** either.
Any headset that is sealed will not be a piece of ****. I've yet to see a piece of **** BB anywhere, unless you count ISIS BB's.

Campy Veloce BBs have made me pretty happy.

Justin - make sure you get an appropriate BB for whatever cranks you run (ie, cranks first, then BB). Make sure spindle taper AND length are compatible.

yeah i got a tange headset for 20 dollars and have never done any maintenance on it, going on a year now and it's still just as smooth as the day i got it.

yeah, tim, i was thinking of running what i have now to keep the spending down and down the road maybe replacing the bulletproofs with something better (and mostly likely a new bb i guess)

so how does that sound?

Sure. I forget what spindle length I used with my Bulletproofs, I wanna say 107mm.

yeah, i just went down to the veloshop and talked to my friend ryan. it's deff 107 too. i'm probably gonna run a good 100+ or so bucks on headset, bb, bars and a little shop prep for the headtube/steerer. then another misc. 50-100 for other components, 500 flat for the bk frame and 130 for the pair of silvery deep-vs and ill be building the wheels with ryan (finishing them off at the shop) with the iro hubs so im hoping you could bring/send me my other hub in sc so that before or when you biatches get up here i'll be street ready!

just how important is a headset anyway in terms of quality? is something like a chris king worth it?

I think I'm getting a messenger set and a $30 103-110ish BB at the end of the month when my paycheck comes.

just how important is a headset anyway in terms of quality? is something like a chris king worth it?

probably worth it, as they seem to have the best reputation in the business. But a good headset will soon become a bad headset if it's installed sloppily.

Bareknuckles are threadless, so a Tange Levin headset won't work for you, unless you get the steerer tube tapped, but why would you do that? I'd trust the opinion of a local shop that specializes in mountain bikes. Those things see a lot more crud and pounding than your average street fixed gear. Find what they recommend, what they've got in stock. if they know how/ where to get replacement bearings, and what sort of frame prep they do before installing a headset. Check against the Park tool website to make sure they're not cutting corners.

I've had good luck with a Cane Creek S8 on my xc bike, but it's early yet. For the record my cheapo aheadset lasted 8 years before crapping out. Having a shop install the thing properly is totally worth the $10 you'd save by monkeying around with a DIY setup, or help us, a rubber mallet and a block of wood.

just how important is a headset anyway in terms of quality? is something like a chris king worth it?

worth it is subjective.

My $15 headset does the same job perfectly fine. And no raves about the lifetime warranty. Sure is blingy though.

silvery deep-vs and ill be building the wheels with ryan (finishing them off at the shop) with the iro hubs so im hoping you could bring/send me my other hub in sc
I'm such a flake. Sure thing.

I'm such a flake. Sure thing.

you kidding?
i think i rock the title falke far far better than you
i still need to get you asphault nation
did not having that **** you over?






...and FU KC income tax!

check nashbar they hae headsets for 15.00, and bottom brackets for close to 15 depending on what kind

just how important is a headset anyway in terms of quality? is something like a chris king worth it? the headset takes an immense about of abuse, at least in mtbing, singlespeed/fixed gear shouldn't take that much abuse so as long as it is decent you should be fine. for a single speed i would say no go on the chris king way to exspensive.

if you don't want a chris king, ritchey wcs headsets are nearly as nice and much cheaper.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ritchey-Logic-WCS-Headset-Threadless-1-1-8-Silver-NEW_W0QQitemZ230128424177QQcmdZViewItem

i'm sure you could get away with something even less expensive though.

What about the Cane Creek Solos headset? Anybody have any experience with that one?

you kidding?
i think i rock the title falke far far better than you
i still need to get you asphault nation
did not having that **** you over?






...and FU KC income tax!
Hahaha. Oh right. No worries, I borrowed a copy from People Power. I'll get it in July.