Intergraded Headsets?
 

What's y'alls' opinion of intergraded headsets?
I'm building a frame and am thinking about using an intergraded head tube.
How do they hold up compared to a regular headset?

Thanks,

--A

If you have the choice go with the press fit:

1. You can machine the head tube to higher tolerances than integrated head sets allow.
2. You can replace the cups very easily if they are damaged.
3. Wider selection of products.
4. In my experience regular head sets are easier to adjust and set up properly (this goes back to point 1. higher tollerances).

How about specifying an integrated headset instead of inviting wild speculating on the 999 different types out there.

Thanks.
The Chris King website prefers a press fit too.

Not sure if I want to use one yet.
I was looking for a general opinion. I have no experience with them.

http://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-...XHT_INT-37.jpg
^^^
That's the head tube I'll use FWIW.

For an MTB that takes a lot of abuse, a conventional headset or at least an integrated design that uses a pressed-in cup makes sense. For road bikes, I know of no type that does not work perfectly well. I've owned LOOK frames that use the IS standard slip-in bearings since 2004 and never had any problems. They are not hard to adjust and stay adjusted all season. It's still best to have removeable bearing seats with an IS headset. Frames that have the bearing seats machined into the headset would need to have the seats recut with a special tool, if the seats are ever damaged. Park Tool sells this cutting tool, but it's not cheap and many shops would not have one.

From a tolerance stack up perspective, integrated headsets have an advantage over pressed-in cup headsets. Fewer parts makes for more certainty of the dimensions of the final product. Of course this depends on the quality of the parts in question. In practice, it likely doesn't make any difference. You'll probably never notice the difference between the two.

In response to the Chris King hype about how your frame will be junk because of integrated headset damage, how often have you heard of this issue? That type of frame has been around a while and I've yet to hear someone say they damaged their frame that way.

I hate integrated headsets. Far too many different sizes. Cost to stock everything is prohibitive, for my shop at least.
Plus, I just don't trust them. Call me a Luddite....

Gentlemen I thank your for your thoughts.

Press fit it shall be, mostly because Nova is out of stock on the intergraded head tube size I need.

Integrated headsets are not new -- Bianchi was using them on race bikes back in the early 1950s. But for a variety of reasons they never caught on with customers until quite recently.