Hatta Kranz headset
 

I just happily posted to the "What did you get in the post today?" thread because I am happy with what i got, but I am not as knowledgeable about it as I would like to be. So...

Can anyone tell me about the Hatta Kranz headset? Everything I can find is about the Swan and Super Swan, which seem to be both steel and both very nice. I think Hatta units were rebranded [as] Suntour Superbe. I have also read some stuff about cheaper Hatta headsets. But this is none of these.

Info on the Kranz i can't find. It is aluminum with steel races, and seems very well made and machined. It weighs 110g, with the original grease, which is quite respectable in my book. Probably 1980s with the angular design.

My example is NOS, spec JIS (it is going on a 1977 Koga Miyata Gent's Racer). It just worked well with the frame, I thought, which is why I bought it. And the price was fine. But I would love to know more about it. Thnx.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e3a541d4ac.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8820c00c4b.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...aa10bcd552.jpg

I've never heard of it, but that's a good-looking design. Should look great on a bike, don't forget to include a photo once installed.:)

Isn't it more likely that Suntour sourced headsets from Hatta? Like they sourced hubs from Sansin/Sanshin/Sunshine?

Yes, that's what I meant [clarified now in original post]: hatta made units were sold by Suntour as Sutour. Somewhere i got the impression that the Suntour units were identical to what Hatta itself sold under its own name, just with a Suntour branding, not that Hatta built something specifically for Suntour.

I

Here is another bf thread with the bit about Suntour:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...n-headset.html

That is nice looking. What do the bearings look like? I have a Hatta bottom bracket with the bearings in a fixed retainer, curious if the headset is the same. Also that looks like it might be a lower stack height so potentially a good one to add to a list of low stack headsets when need arises.

Here are the bearings:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0eb621e227.jpg
They look good to me for caged bearings.

The stack height, i am not sure. I wanted to build it in first and do a true headtube less built-in-headset measurement, but that needs time to build... I can estimate with the headset alone, and I will try tomorrow.

I agree it looks good! And it did in the eBay listing, which is why i got it without knowing about Hatta. It was about 37 USD NOS.

Interesting they did BBs to, i wonder if they were a bearing company with parts for various forms of transportation, rather than a bike company specifically.

I just installed it. Top is 25.5, hand tightened, with factory lock washer and no spacers. Bottom is 12.2, which is actually bigger than I thought, but the crown race is really nicely machined on the bottom, so taller than absolutely necessary but much nicer looking than absolutely necessary. If anyone ever looks, but I guess that is the definition of special.

so that is a 37.7 built in height. Not super low but not too big either. I will continue to keep my steel Tange Passages on hand with their 32mm height as a go to low stack set. Plus they cost under 20 monetary units and are in stock (at least where i live).

But this is clearly much nicer than the steel Passage.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...342d34e73f.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f207a45941.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9284b627b4.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...658ce071c2.jpg
I was actually worried about crumpling it while installing. It seems delicate. But it installed like butter and is very smooth. We will see... The full build is planned for this weekend. I just need another concave brake bolt fork washer, which i will get from the workshop tomorrow.

Hi, a build update:

https://www.bikeforums.net/23418923-post172.html