Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - threaded headset recommendations?

I need a new 1" threaded headset for my GT roadbike, and I'd rather not spend a benjamin.

anything I should stay away from?

anything I should look for?

thanks for your inputs

Tange makes a threaded headset for, I think, under $10. A lot of people I know are using Tange headsets with no problems. I think I'm going to put them onto my road bike and my conversion, once I figure out how to get the headset off of that one. Nothing has worked so far.

what's your budget?
<$20 Tange Passage
$20-$30 Tange Levin, Shimano STX
$30-$50 Shimano 105
$50-$75 Shimano Ultegra/600
>$100 Chris King

Tange makes a threaded headset for, I think, under $10. A lot of people I know are using Tange headsets with no problems. I think I'm going to put them onto my road bike and my conversion, once I figure out how to get the headset off of that one. Nothing has worked so far.

I saw several tange headsets in that price range but dismissed them figuring they were probably lower quality, but if people use them and they don't squish and get a set right away, I'll check one out, at that price even if I hate it, I can still afford to get something else.

when I looked online I saw either $4.99 headsets or $149.99 headsets, with nothing in the mid range,.....at least at nashbar, performance, bike island, cambria bike outfitters, blah blah.

I'd like to keep the nice threaded fork I just got, and probably get a jaguar or pearl stem, which is why I posted this.


I know some of you guys will know whats junk and whats decent


I just saw that post for the shimano 105, and thast about my price range, any advice on where to get one? (thanks btw)

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/headsets/headsets-1-inch-threaded-iso.html

check your stack height before ordering. what's the headset you're replacing?

Even the $20 headsets will do fine if you take care of it.

out of curiosity, what's the draw of chris king (and other $$$) headsets?

are they really that much better, or are they just likeable for their myriad of anodizing options/color combinations?

i got a tange levin alloy recently, i love it, different from the standard levin most places sell

it's an old campy record knock off for sure, but it runs at $50, you can't beat the look of it, IMO and it's real smooth

the tange headsets aren't sealed though, so if you're looking for something with less maintenance you'll want to go sealed

i wouldn't recommend the tange passage, it has a very low stack height, so once you go with that, you are limited in what you can use in the future

Stronglight A9, Shimano 600, Old DX and XT's ,all on Ebay. Check out your LBS for old leftovers they sell cheaper. (Mine sells 1 inch DA and XTR for 50 dollars)

Stronglight needle bearing

out of curiosity, what's the draw of chris king (and other $$$) headsets?

are they really that much better, or are they just likeable for their myriad of anodizing options/color combinations?

I noticed they all have that ten year guarantee! I imagine their well built, smooth as glass, keep out the crud, and are serviceable, I just wish I could afford to spend $130 on just a headset. (sigh)

I looked at all the ones you guys suggested, and it looks like the stronglight with the needle bearings will do it, although the campy record, and the shimanos looked good too, but I like the unique needle bearing design of the stronglight, and the way that particular design wont develop a "set",
they are very much like my motorcycles with the conical tapered steering head bearings I put in to control high speed wobbles.

thanks again to all that replied

shop around. the older tanges, shimano 600 and dura-ace, and stronglight are all good choices. as mentioned above, you may likely be able to get a break on older stuff at the LBS (especially if you're a regular customer) because it's less in demand.