Headset identification
 

I have a 1" crown race from a Reynolds fork and i have no clue what it is. Can anybody help me to identify it? There is an "AB" and "26.4" on it. Unfortunately, i'm not allowed to add photos....

Thanks.

Another detail, maybe it helps... the fork is from a PUCH Royal Force frame.

[MENTION=561967]100wheels[/MENTION] - welcome! You can post pics in your album in your profile. Others can then post in the thread.
Pics are critical.

If the headset cups have two horizontal lines it's possibly a Shimano 105 as I've seen pics of those on that model.
Is there a follow up question ?

Hey Garthr, i would say it has one line. In the meantime, i made a photo album, as SJX426 suggested, maybe you take a look ;) thanks!

OP has 2 pix of the crown race but none of the complete HS, so not much here to go on besides that it's marked "AB" and 26.4

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...65f7b72234.png
any pix of the exterior cups (If you have the Puch bicycle aren't there cups in that frame)??

I bought the frame "naked". That's all i found on it ;)

What is your goal here, do you want to get a complete correct headset for the frame and fork?

OK, well here's the only other pic and not sure what use ID-ing this will be but...doesn't look much different from a Tange (which could also be a Shimano made by Tange) however as to an exact model: I'd only be guessing.

if your goal is to install a new HS you can't beat a Tange Levin as long as the stack-height works with this fork and the Puch's head tube.
Just be sure to buy one with the 26.4 crownrace (they also come with 27.0)

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3c6ac82db2.png
just to get you in a ballpark, the standard steel Tange Levin stackheight (per Sutherlands) is 37.5
the Shimano 105 (HP1050) is 32.7
If you don't know how to compute what stackheight you need consult Sheldon Brown (or maybe somebody here has made a Wiki)

I'd bet a bushel of enchiladas it's a Dura-Ace UA-100 headset from the 70's. I looked at your photo and noted the proportion that the races themselves occupied to the grooved outer portion. Those grooves were a clue. Those frames appeared to only come with Shimano so it was either a 105 or DA. It only took a few minutes to find this :
https://www.velosaloon.com/products/...read-from-1978
You'll see this photo that shows the bottom side of the crown race, marked with 26.4 and two letters which are possibly date/batch or some other code :

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2cb5881eab.jpg

and from here you'll see the next photo that shows the top side the crown race with the same outer grooves around the bearing races themselves, the same as your posted photo.
https://www.velosaloon.com/products/...read-from-1978

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05d5032ab6.jpg

Further confirmation here :
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304167775054


The only thing that doesn't quite match up is the bottom of your CR pic appears smooth while the one in the pic appears grooved, it could be the lighting of your pic however. The ebay listed on though shows a smooth underside, so different years/batches of manufacture.

Yep, exactly! ;)

The "AB" is definitely a Shimano date code A is the year 1976, and B is the month of February.

So you need an ISO headset that has a stack height that fits your frame/fork. Stack height is Fork Steerer Height - Headtube Height.

From an old post by [MENTION=284466]coupster[/MENTION]

"First, measure the actual head tube of the bike. If the headset is currently out of the bike, great. If not don't take it into account. You want the measurement of the frame of the bike. Second, measure the length of the steerer tube of the fork. From the bottom of the crown race - if its still on the bike - or the top of the fork crown - if not - to the top of the threaded steerer tube. Subtract the head tube measurement from the steerer tube measurement. That is the maximum headset stack height you can use with that bike and fork combination. If you have any required spacers; brake hangers, accessory brackets, etc, measure their thicknesses and subtract them from your previous total. Any headset with a published stack height of <= to your measurement will work. If its less you can make up the difference with some spacers or cut the steerer tube. (I'd go for spacers) If its more you will need new fork."

Well willya lookat that? It does take a Village to get to the skinny on this!
If the original HS on this Puch was a Dura Ace from 1976 (and no idea what "UA-100" means cause that does not align with Shimano-speak, AFAIK!) then let's refer to Sutherlands again:
if your properly-fitting HS was say a DA HP-7100 then the stackheight was 39.7...if it was some other DA then might be a shorter SH but I don't see any in Sutherlands that are taller.

So once again: you probably could use a Tange Levin (SH 37.5) and add a 2mm spacer.
You should be 'golden'.

For fun .... I went on a little Dura-Ace fishing trip to see how the parts were labeled/categorized. Just like going fishing you never know what you catch. Inconsistency across the board is what I found. There is no definitive resource on all things Shimano, let alone Dura-Ace. Anyone claiming to "know it all", is only adding to the folly, even me writing this does ! The more I dig the more I found to dig for as the inconsistency only grew. So it goes with the hi-story of things, every time a story is told the plot expands :lol:. I would have thought the original Dura-Ace boxes showed a model number, but not from the tops and sides of the brown boxes I've found photos of. That's not unexpected though as with an original model there often is no model number. It's all for fun !

First generation Dura Ace https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...111&AbsPos=160

So I see now: Shimano went from the earliest (K-9XX) to this next gen (UA-1XX) before introducing all the HP-XXXX system which applies to Dura-Ace as well as all other head set models.
I had no idea but could have learned better if I had just visited Velobase

Yes guys, it's UA-100.

After some more research i found out that they used black version on Royal Force:
studiobrisant .com/en/shimano-dura-ace-ua-100-steuersatz-schwarz

Many thanks for help!

Hey John, why do you think it's 76? On VeloBase, they say:

That is Shimano's date code, A=1976, look up Shimano date codes.