I agree on going with a cheap steel HS. when I took my poor old '87 Sport SX in to have a new HS installed, thinking that after using it for 'cross, commuting (in rain and snow) and then being in storage for 10+ years unused it would be trashed. the called and "hey this ols steel HS in in great shape! we think you should overhaul it"
I never used the needle bearinf ones but I like the idea and design of them. you may even consider a cartridge bearing style like a shim 105.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk