Interesting headset...
 

So I brought my bike down to the bare frame yesterday in order to spray it with frame saver.

My headset was interesting. The trek booklet I have specs the headset as a stronglight, but upon opening mine (with a friend helping a LOT) we realized that it was a renault. Not only that, but there were no bearings in the headset. It was all roller pins!

Anyone know anything about these interesting headsets???

Thanks!

Does it look like this?

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

I am not sure about the "Renault", but Trek used a lot of French Stronglight headsets in the early 80's. Yes, the bearings were roller type usually encased in a plastic holder, for the top and bottom. They were lightweight headsets and the bearings usually lasted longer than the standard (at that time) carbon steel bearings encased inside a steel cage for the top and bottom. I think that you have an A9 headset, but someone may have to correct me on that one.

Hah, I guess it was stronglight after all.
It's pretty cool!

There are more types of bearings than just ball bearings.

There were Stronglight headsets on Treks thru the early '80s. Not usually A9s, but the same bearing system. My 1984 610 had one with Delrin rather than aluminum cups, and it was labelled Bernard Hinault, after the great French racer. Probably that's the one on the bike. The op should be able to just clean it out, maybe dress up the flat races a bit with very fine jeweler's rouge if there's any marring, and put it all back together to be ridden another 25 years.

I think the designator may have been B-9, but the Vintage Trek website will tell us for sure.

Those are the bearings, and the funny little flat angly washers are the races.

Actually, bearings are the complete assembly. Races, balls, rollers, etc are just parts of the bearing.

my trek 670 (1985) had a stronglight Hinault headset. I noticed that some
of the silkscreened lettering was wearing off. I'd bet your Renault was actually Hinault.

Marty

I'd wager that you're correct ;)

What are the differences between the A9 and the hinault?

The Hinault had plastic races, while the regular A9 was alloy.