I have an old Raleigh Grand Prix ('70-'73, not quite sure, it was the one with the hand painted lettering) and I'm sick and tired of the headset I have in it. It's such a headache. Can I use any 1 inch threaded headset I find for it? Also, I found a "new" campy record headset on ebay and was wondering if it had sealed bearings or not. I just need a headset that will stay put and won't come loose every other week. Could anybody give me any recommendations for 1 inch threaded headsets?

Tange Levin - less than $20 and very, very smooth. I have one on my Palo Alto and I like it a lot. Here are links to the three flavors it comes in (available in black, too):

Tange Levin CDS Threaded Headset, 1'' Chrome, European Standard

Tange Levin CDS Threaded Headset, 1'' JIS, Chrome

Tange Levin CDS Threaded Headset, 1'' Semi-JIS, Chrome

Levins and their variants are great headsets if they fit. You should look at teh stack height required for your bike and that accommodated by teh Levins that are on the market today and see if it will work for you. Some Levin variants are really short and some are not.


Road Fan

Make sure you get one with the correct size crown race...

Also a big fan of the Tange levin, BUT to throw some cold water on your plans, this might have the infamous 26tpi Raleigh threading. If so you will have to retain the top threaded portions of the original HS that mates with the threads of the fork. You can substitute the rest of a Levin... +1 to measuring the forkcrown (but it's probably 26.4 ISO, not 27.0 JIS).

You're exactly right. But my bike is actually a Carlton and is one of the bikes Raleigh just rebadged. My fork crown is 26.6 or a 27...I'm not sure...I just mailed it home, so that's on hold. I was told to buy a 27 and a buddy of mine has something to cut it down. Suggestions?

If you buy a HS with a 27.0 crown race, no buddy (nobody) can cut that DOWN to fit a smaller 26.anything crown. it's the opposite problem: the race is already too big to fit. You'd have to build up the crown (by brazing brass on it) and mill it to be the correct press-fit with a 27...not worth the hassle. Just pop off the original race and measure that one's ID, then buy your Levin with the same diameter race.In some cases where the crown is just a hair too small for a tight fit, I have "pricked" the surface with a centerpunch to raise some material, or used Loctite Green.

The Tange headset looks like a great deal. I'd like to get one for my 1984 Raleigh Supercourse but I'd like to make sure I get the correct one. I'm guessing I need the JIS. Is this correct?

Thanks

Joe C.

You can get my personal favorite for a few dollars more. Roller beaings will never index and aluminum will never rust.

https://www.xxcycle.com/a9,,en.php