Replacing headset in an older frame possible?
 

I've got a 1995 Mongoose MTB (from the good years!) that has been a faithfull utility/commuter bike. Cro-Mo steel frame. The headset seemed to be getting a little loose, so I took the front end apart this weekend to do some maintenance. When I got the fork & bearings out, I found the cause of the looseness - a cracked upper headset race (the part that presses into the frame's headtube and where the bearings run). Its a Dia-Compe headset, not sure if I oculd buy jsut an upper headset race. Q for you C&V repair experts - would the metal of this 20 year-old frame's headtube be too 'stretched' to properly insert a new headset, or should I just scrap the frame and look for something new? (like a no-name-unbadged Nashbar frame?) Lots of good parts on this bicycle, but the 'Mongoose' label makes it almost worthless for a bike thief to steal. Any opinions?

Should be fine. I assume this is a 1" threaded headset? I don't know much about MTBs, but you should be able to easily find a replacement.

You should be able to get a new headset. This might be a good time to visit your LBS, they can be sure to get the right size.

The short answer is yes you can simply replace the headset. The hard part is finding a good replcement. is it a threaded or threadless? 1" or 1 1/8" and lastly and most important the stack height.

They should be able to match the pitch on the race, but it may be cheaper to replace the whole headset. Get out your calipers and see how ovalized it is. If its less than ~1-1.5 mm out of round, use the expanding press fit loctite. Or take it to your lbs and they'll likely do just that.

Its a 1 1/8" threadless set-up. Not sure of the stack height, but there's plenty of steerer tube sticking up above the top of the 145mm headtube so that won't be a problem. I was thinking of just using a Cane Creek 40 series headset (a pretty generic headset). Also thinking I might even buy a new suspension-corrected fork (Nashbar has one for $49) that would raise the front end a little, which I'd like.