Poundcake

Hello, I’m looking for some help regarding headsets. It’s probably a daft question but the amount info on this well... overwhelming.



Long story short, I cracked my Giant XTC SE (2006) frame a few weeks back and I’ve just acquired a 2nd hand Giant carbon fibre frame of a similar age. All parts transferred over nicely however the frame headset tube is smaller in diameter on the new frame. I’ve measured the inside of the tube as 40mm diameter and it’s paired with a Rockshox recon Silver TK which I measured at 28mm in diameter. It does look like it has a slight taper at the bottom of the steerer tube.



Because I acquired the frame second hand I have little else to go on apart from the serial number. Giants achieve is pretty poor and I can’t find this frame.



The inside of the frame does say this, in the bottom:-

EC425


I’ve tried my local bike shop but the seemed reluctant to help and said they didn’t keep headsets in as there were so many. I’m not rich, I can’t really afford a nice new bike and I have to lock my bike up in some pretty questionable areas, so I have to make do with something that isn’t to expensive/wouldn’t mind too much if it got nicked. But I need my bike for commuting to work so I don’t have to use public transport.

Charliekeet

What’s the new Giant frame? (Edit- What model I mean.)

HillRider

Your fork has a 1-1/8" steerer and unless the steerer is much larger at the base than 28 mm it's a straight 1-1/8", not tapered 1-1/8"x1-1/2" steerer. I presume your old frame took a "standard" 1-1/8" headset which fits a 34 mm headtube ID. Your new frame requires larger headset cups but 42 mm isn't a Cane Creek standard so I don't know for sure what you need exactly.

Perhaps a direct call or e-mail to Giant will provide this information given the serial number.

Poundcake

it looks like a 2006 carbon composite frame but the decals are different. Otherwise to the naked eye it seem to be the same. I found a review on it, but it didn’t say headset.

Product

Name XTC Carbon Composite
Brand Giant
Weight (kg) 1.35
Seat Tube Angle 73
Head Tube Angle 71
Frame Material CarbonFibre

I sent a support form to Giant yesterday with the serial but because it’s so old they might not wanna help.

wesmamyke

Giant did make some proprietary headsets. I have a slightly later XTC and it seems to have a 44mm standard headtube, although at the time I don't think anyone else used that size.

Might be one of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cane-Creek-...QAAOSwOINesy-v

Poundcake

Wow thanks so much for getting back guys. This is super complicated plus due to age of the bike some shops seem quite reluctant to help.

Ive took pictures of everything but I can’t add them cause I’m a newbie. I was told by one shop to invest in a good set of vernier calipers today.

Charliekeet

Agreed on having calipers, but I haven’t heard of a shop being like “go do it yourself as we’re not interested in ordering you a part cause this 14-yr-old bike is too old for us.” I’d try another shop

HillRider

The 44 mm headtube is more common now as it will take headsets that can use either 1-1/8" straight steerers or 1-1/8"x1-1/2" tapered steerers. My new Surly Midnight Special has a 44mm headtube.

The headset you reference uses Zero Stack cups top and bottom but the OP's frame marking implies an External Cup at least as the lower stack.