Tandem Tom

I need a new headset for my 1984 Miyata 610. I think I am measuring things correctly so here goes. The Stack Height 40+/-mm, the race diameter on the fork 27mm, the ID of the Headtube 29.8mm.
So I am looking at the Velo Orange Alloy Headset JIS. I think this will work.
Other suggestions?
Thanks!

ljsense

That headset is $28 and seems like a reasonable choice.

My suggestion would be to go with a used Chris King 2 Nut or GripNut from eBay. You'll pay between $55 to $75 or so, but the value will never go down and if you sell your bike someday it'll make it much easier. If you list it on eBay it'll show up on people's feeds who search for Chris King stuff.

Plus, Chris King just makes excellent headsets and offer great support.

Wheels Of Steel

Did Chris King ever manufacture crown races in 27.0? That's an old JIS standard.

Hone the crown race down from 27.0 to 26.4. Then you can use any contemporary JIS headset. 30.2 cups in a 30.0 headset is fine. Best bang for buck:

https://www.jbi.bike/web/checking_pro...t_number=35529

I suspect these headsets are being rebranded for IRD and sold for twice as much. If you're not wanting to hone the crown race then any Tange will do:

https://www.jbi.bike/web/AdvancedCatV...fkawe45d9drh=4

ljsense

You're right, good point. You'd have to hone the fork's crown race.

plodderslusk

This is a cheap but decent JIS headset I just put on an old Marin Pine Mountain. Comes with two races, one for JIS and one for Iso.
Mr Ride CNC Road Bike Alloy Threaded Headset 1" Crwon 27 0mm Silver 74g | eBay

79pmooney

I'd look at Tange. They've been making headsets for decades. And they certainly have one for a popular Japanese bike. yopu can even mix and match parts. I've done that to customize stack heights.

As for the Chris King grip nut headset: my custom fixie came with one. I was tightening it every 200 miles except when I had pro mechanics, including the factory, do the same. For 7000 miles! Not acceptable in my book. Tange, old all steel Campy, Stronglight, and others were a once a year re-lube (if needed) and maybe a mid-year 1/8th turn tighten. An out-of-the-box $30 Tange is that now. The Tange I put in last August I adjusted once after the first ride. 1700 miles now and it is perfect.

I like to support local industries, but there are limits.

Ben

Chombi

Tange Levin is always a good "workhorse" headset choice for C&Vers, Otherwise, you can also treat yourself and your bike with an NOS (for the ones with the needle roller bearings) Stronglight A9 (if you can find one), that would cost much more than the Tange, but in the long run, very very much worth it.....

due ruote 

+1 Tange Levin ftw. Inexpensive, high quality, easy to adjust.

juvela

Jasik

JohnDThompson 

Tange's good. Most of their headsets are available in both ISO and JIS dimensions, and many have classic chrome styling that goes well with a vintage bike.

JohnDThompson 

Rivendell is offering a Tange/IRD headset with a roller bearing lower race. Apparently not in stock but "eta January" so any day now, I guess:



Headset Tange/IRD NeedL BlastR Roller Drive

Wheels Of Steel

Careful with VO headsets. They have unusually tall stack heights.

Centaurious

+100 Tange Levin, They have forgotten more about headsets then Chris King will ever learn because he doesn't make bearings, just holders for them. I can't wear out the one in my 1984 Raleigh Kodiak. I only use genuine Singer sewing machine grease when I service mine.

Grand Bois

What do you mean by that? Chris King makes headsets. A headset is nothing but a pair of bearings.

curbtender

Not just headsets, Salt and pepper shakers also...

nlerner

I had a needle-bearing VO headset on one bike, and after one season it developed lots of rust on the cups and bearings. Not particularly high quality materials, in my view.

tarwheel 

The Velo-Orange headsets are really nice, particularly the ones with sealed bearings. I personally feel they are perhaps the best value for the money in headsets right now. Chris King may be the gold standard, but why spend that much if you don't need to? I have never worn out a headset in tens of thousands of miles riding.

Grand Bois

To impress people like ljsense?

Italuminium

The twenty buck Tange sealed bearing headset is a CK with a slightly worse finish. A breeze to install, classic looks from 3 feet away and a no brainer for the money.

mechanicmatt

+1, it's a nice headset and I have one on a bike I rebuild but it just barely fit my setup. Tange tends to have lower stack heights and last forever to boot.

fietsbob

Good combo .. rollerbearing Bottom, like Stronglight's A9/Delta, for the loading and the Ball bearing upper which is Not so loaded . its the stabilizing Race.




BTW , CK does make the bearings that he puts Into the headsets , in house..

Grand Bois

You mean bearing balls? A bearing is cup cone and balls.

verktyg 

Easy way to check stack height:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/282672...7625424641013/




Honing isn't a very efficient way to reduce the fork crown race seat, nor is filing.

The best way is to find a shop with a fork crown facing tool and someone who knows how to use it. It's worth having the fork crown refaced, also the top and bottom of the head tube.



If you can't find a tool with a 27.0mm cutter, have it cut down to 26.4mm or 26.5mm. The smaller size crown races are easier to find.


27.0mm was the French standard for crown races. It's also the Japanese JIS standard for track bikes plus a lot of Japanese bikes like your Miyata came with that size crown race too.

The Stronglight A9 headsets are bulletproof. They're still available: new and used ones are listed of eBay all of the time. They were available with 26.4mm and 27.0mm fork crown races. The 26.4mm are the most common size. They have a stack height of ~38mm.



There are 2 new styles of Stronglight A9 headsets. The tapered bearing style has been dropped in favor of ones with precision sealed ball bearing cartridges. They look the same as the old tapered bearing style A9s.



I installed one of them on a bike and it's smooth as silk.



The other new style A9 headsets are made of black colored steel (probably painted) and have caged ball bearings. They're crude compared to earlier models. They're selling on eBay for low prices - you get what you pay for.




IMO, the simplest solution would be to go with a Tange headset. I've never seen a failure in any of their better models. They make a number of different headsets but these 2 are very good:

Tange Levin CDS has a stack height of 33mm with out extra spacers. They are through hardened alloy steel with precision ground races. They also have plastic dust seals. They're available with both 26.4mm and 27.0mm crown races. You have to shop around for the 27.0mm ones. They've been selling for $15.00 to $30.00.



Next is the standard Tange Levin headset which looks a lot like the old Campy headsets but MUCH better quality. They have a 38mm stack height and have loose ball bearings. they come in both 26.4mm and 27.0mm but you'll have to hunt around for one with a 27mm crown race.




Headsets are one of those things on a bike that I like to set and forget. I recommend getting the best one that will work for you.


VeloORANGE alloy headsets have a 41mm stack height which is the same as the old Campy headsets. They only come with 26.4mm crown races.

BTW, I've never seen a Campy headset with a 27.0mm crown race. Even on French bikes, they were 26.4mm.

I have a prototype Chris King from the early 90s on my off road bike. It's still working flawlessly.


verktyg

Chas.

Chombi

A good bargain headset with needle bearings is the Miche Primato.


Pretty much a copy of the Stonglight A9/Delta headsets, but relatively cheap at ebay, averaging the last time I saw them at eBay, at around 45 bucks for a new set.
So far it's working just great installed on my Alan Carbonio and no problems yet after 2 years. Good thing with the Primato too is the low stack height which I needed for the shortish steerer tube on my Alan. Long steerer tubes are easy to handle with cutting the tube to size or just adding spacers, but a short steerer tube could only be dealt with using a short stack height headset.

Tandem Tom

verktyg,After checking Velo Orange they do carry a headset with a 27mm crown race.