Hello all, a bit of 'modernisation' advice for the headset of this cheapy frame I just picked up.....

I have bought this early 90s Peugeot frame for €20.

It would obviously have come with a threaded headset and fork, but all the headset hardware has been removed. The inside of the headtub is unreamed.



I would like to install an old 1" threadless fork, which I have at home in the bike cave. I am 99% sure it has a crown race on it and a star fangled nut installed.

Therefore I'd like some recommendations for a cheap threadless headset that would be easy to install, with no pressing of cups etc. if possible, and also a brief explanation of how the headset cups sit in, or on, the headtube as it doesn't have any reamed recess inside.

I have used the search function, and am still unsure, so would appreciate any specific advice for hardware and installation for this little project.

Thanks in advance
Simon

Thats the bad news. And the steering tube should be checked for size and reamed for the bearing cups being installed. The top and bottom tube faces are normally faced at the same time.

In low end bikes where tolerences are wider (read less precision) the cups are often just pressed into the tubes without either of those operations. Those headsets aren't built to the same tolerence levels as more expensive ones<, but are in line with the build quality of the rest of the bike.

But based on your questions, I'd suggest you take the frame to a shop and have it measured and the headset installed there. Not all 1in headsets are actually the same size. You need bearing presses to do this properly and they won't charge a lot. believe me - it'll save you a headache.

I feared as much :-(

I was kind of hoping to try and install a threadless headset myself on this one. No matter.

I also have a (Peugeot) threaded fork from a 58cm frame. Should I make one of those cheap headset presses out of a long bolt and washers, buy a cheapy threaded headset and have a go at installing that instead? Any thoughts...?

Thanks all
Simon

If you really want to do it yourself (and don't want to buy a headset press) then you might want to just build one for yourself. Here's a thread describing how some folks have done that.

Installing threadless headset cups is identical to installing threaded cups so there is no advantage to practicing on a threaded headset.

The long bolt (or all-thread rod) plus nuts and big washers does work well if you work carefully.

When I was faced with the same problem a few months ago, I went with a Cane Creek S-2.

It's on the 1" threadless fork on my rockhopper. Using a homebuilt press I was able to get the cups in the head tube with no problem. I had my LBS face the fork crown and install the crown race and install my star nut. Think they charged me all of $15, which was mostly for the facing. I assembled it at home after that, with no issues. Was actually surprised how easy it was to adjust in relation to a threaded headset. Now if I could just raise the stem without kludgy adapters or new forks...

Really like the headset though - cartrdige bearings, and is buttery smooth.

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...2+Headset.aspx

I've been using a 2 nuts, bunch of washers, and a long threaded screw from home depot for years.
I use a pipe and a pvc to hammer the crown race in.

One thing too - shims to move from a 1" threadless stem to a 1 1/8th stem are rather cheap. Opens up a TON of different stem options - even on the smaller fork diameter.

The shims are not only cheap but they are included with most 1-1/8" stems these days. I've got a bunch of them in a box since I never had to use them.

Need an accurate measurement of the ID of the head tube,
to select the right headset insert parts.
the cups bottom and top that hold the bearings..

I used one of the options shown in that thread -- the one with the copper reducers -- and it worked great on an old Gitane frame. I felt like the reducers made a difference. I discovered after pressing in the new ISO headset cups that my frame was JIS in this regard (or possibly French, but I doubt it based on the non-French bottom bracket). Anyway, it's only a 0.2mm difference on the cups and I had one of the low quality frames Burton mentions, so I seem to have gotten away with it. I had to get the fork shaved a bit to fit the ISO crown race.

You could have ISO, JIS or French dimensions. If it's French, then the cup size is the same and you're using a different fork, so I think it's practically the same as ISO (assuming that's what your fork is). If it's JIS, then it's probably a lower quality frame, so you could probably get away with just pressing in ISO cups (although ideally you should get it reamed in this case). If it's ISO, then no worries with most off-the-shelf headsets.

A good quality caliper along with Sheldon's cribsheet should tell you what you need to know.

Many thanks everybody for the replies.
I realise this is a subject that has been done to death over the years so appreciate that people have taken the time to give me advice.
Looks like a trip to the DIY place is in order for some Vernier calipers, a threaded rod, some washers and nuts...

I have 2 options for the fork.

1) Steel, 1", threaded, ex-Peugeot Competition 500. I think it might be Columbus Thron. It's heavy and the (purple) paint is in poor condition. Here's a pic of the back of it:



2) Steel, 1", threadless, ex-budget mid-90s race bike, no-name. Silver and in very good condition.
Here's a pic before it was swapped out for a carbon one:



I am pretty sure that crown races are insatalled on both forks.

I also have a threaded to threadless adaptor, with a shim, so I am not 'restricted' to quill stems if i decide to go the threaded route.

I'm basically ineterested in whatever is going to be the easiest and cheapest solution really, and i am very keen to have a go at it myself to improve my limited skills and widen my knowledge base.

Crown races may or may not be compatible with your headset
I also got some type of brass fitting from the plumbing section to fit inside the cup. Kinda looks like a giant washer with a smaller diameter bottom.