I've had a Cane Creek IS-6 on my bike for a number of years now and recently repacked it with greased and notices the bearing races becoming very loose.

It appears they no longer make this headset.

Anybody know what I can replace this with ?
OR if the bearings from another can be used instead.

thx,

L

Cane Creek still makes a compatible headset, but they have changed their numbering system. Your headset is made to the IS or Cane creek standard, with 41mm OD bearings.

Any headset that is made to the IS standard will fit, including FSA. Just don't buy a headset made to the the Campagnolo or Italian standard, since it uses 41.8mm OD bearings.

https://www.canecreek.com/component-h...C&product=IS-8

I have a 2004 Merlin Cyrene that was built up with the Cane Creek integrated headset. I've had to replace it once (at 20,000 miles), now it looks to be crapping out again at 24,400. I would like to get something that will last - any suggestions? I've heard that Chris King has one but it requires modifying the head tube to fit, which will void the warranty (don't get me started on the ABG warranty).

A short-lived headset makes me think that either your luck is bad and you got a defective one, you ride in the wet a lot or you don't adjust it properly. If the first headset lasted 20K, so should the second.

You can't adapt the frame to another headset design. The CK headset requires a much larger 44mm bore.

A common mistake is apply insufficient bearing preload. I apply enough force to make the fork drag a little as it's turned, then back up the bolt, by 1/4 turn or even less - just enough to allow the fork to self-center.

I've had FSA headsets on several bikes. One has been in use since 2004 and it still works fine.

I have no integrated headset frames but I have had excellent results with FSA cartridge bearing press-in headsets and, I assume, they use the same bearings. I have over 17,000 miles on an FSA Orbit X and it is still in excellent condition.

I also agree on the preload requirement. I've read recommended preloads of from 8 to 20 inch-pounds for various model cartridge bearing headset.

Finally, the 2004 Merlin frame the OP describes may be one of the first integrated headset frames ABG designed Litespeeds of the same year had the same problem. These frames were designed to accept both Cane Creek and Campy standard headsets and, apparently didn't work properly with either. Litespeed would modify the frames under warranty to take only the CC standard if the owner complained.

Do Campag FSA and Cane creek all have to manufacture
their own sealed cartridge bearings ?

or is there an Industrial standard bearing that got packaged up
by their making the parts to utilize them on bikes?

Of course not. None of the bike component manufacturers actually make their own bearings. They either spec standard industrial bearings or have special bearings made if they can place a large enough order. FSA for sure uses TH brand bearings and says so right in their product literature.

Most likely, Campy does make their own bearings, since they are caged ball types, not angular contact cartridge types. See page 2 of the PDF.

https://www.campagnolo.com/repository...1-A-061010.pdf

Most others use bearings made by TH. They are bike specific and not an industrial standard that has other uses, like many hub and BB bearings.

OK, these are indeed caged loose ball bearings, not cartridges, but I seriously doubt Campy actually has a plant that makes bearing balls. I expect they buy from a standard supplier (SKF, Timken, etc.) and assemble them into cages for their headsets.

I also can see that TH could easily make headset-specific cartridge bearings given that Cane Creek, FSA and a few others use the same bearings so the tooling cost would have been worthwhile for a large enough order. They will make anything you desire if you order enough of them.