Originally Posted by
specialmonkey
Got a new Trek in the mail last night and thought the headset was missing its bearings until I noticed the little vertically aligned roller bearing cage and separate steel race rings.
It seems like a cool design, but a mechanic told me he didn't care for these headsets as they don't keep in adjustment very long. What's been your experience with these?
The mechanic suggested replacing it with a Tange Levin. I'll probably keep the Stronglight for a while but wanted to hear your thoughts.
These are sought after. I would keep it and overhaul it, and see what your experience is before you listen to the mechanic. Needle bearing headsets better distribute the type of force a bike's front end typically encounters, so they last a long, long time. If you decide you do not want it, check eBay for prices on used Stronglight A9's (specifically with needle bearings, since the A9 was redesigned in recent years to use standard bearings), and you'll see what I mean by "sought after."