here's what i need:

-1" threaded
-26.4 crown race
-cartridge bearing
-black
-less than $50

is this possible? there haven't been any standouts.

*edit*

here's what i know of:

-ird technoglide ($80)
-ck ($100+)
-origin 8
-miche
-cane creek ($80)

Whatever the headset that was on my Premium Brew frame when I got it was exactly what you're looking for. Maybe contact BikeIsland and see what they use?

^the levin isn't cartridge bearing.

It wasn't a Levin. That's what I have now. The stock headset was definitely cartridge. If I still had it, I'd send it to you.

^hmmmm...from google searching, i think it's an origin 8.

I just checked Origin 8's website and yeah, it looked a lot like that (but had no branding). It was probably the same thing.

Not sure if this is what your looking for but iv used all these minus the Miche and they performed flawlessly.

https://www.ebikestop.com/miche_prima...ace-HD1600.php

https://www.ebikestop.com/tange_levin...ome-HD1001.php

https://www.amazon.com/Ritchey-Logic-.../dp/B001CN8ULU

^i guess i'll give some background. my tange levin cds is indexed pretty badly right now. i just don't want to deal with getting cheap, new headsets constantly. the cds only lasted 6 months, and i thought i did a pretty good job of keeping it greased.

If it only lasted 6 months, there was something wrong. Either there was contaminates in the grease or it was improperly adjusted. Id say if your wanting something that lasts forever, get a Chris King and forget it.

The best black threaded headset for less than $50 is probably the Stronglight A9 that Ben's is offering. This headset is no longer made, but Ben's still lists the headset and the replacement bearing sets.

It's not cartridge bearings -- it's roller bearings -- but it's probably as good a headset as anything less than $100.

ADDED: in general, the A9 headsets were not considered to be prone to "indexing." And, if you did have problems with the bearings, you could pop in a replacement set of bearings/races without difficulty.

Here's a photo, lifted from Ben's, that shows the bearings/races:

There's a British shop, SJS, that lists the A9 as "cartridge" bearings at about 33 GBP.

I've seen some ads for very cheap Stronglight steel headsets -- that's not what you want.

The original A9 headset introduced in the mid-1980s used roller bearings. These have not been manufactured in many years, but there seems to be old stock widely available still. The current headsets marketed as A9 by Stronglight do use cartridge bearings. I don't know how well the cartridges hold up, but here some pictures of A9 races I installed in my commuter bike in 1987 and did not touch, lubricate, or anything but ride for 20 years:



They held up pretty well. I repacked and reinstalled them and will check them again in 2027.

Find a shimano 105 headset for cheap or go with the miche. Either have sealed bearings and work fine.

I've never had to touch my 15 headset. Best $35 I've spent on a headset.

Cane Creek S2

This is a pretty interesting argument for Cane Creek over CK headsets.

threadless

alright, i'm starting to get confused at the difference between roller, needle, sealed, etc. bearings.

needle bearings look like little needles that roll on their sides

roller bearings are ball bearings

cartrige bearings are in cartriges that justdrop in (not loose balls, etc)

Sealed bearings are sealed cartriges that just drop in

For less maintenence, go with sealed cartrige bearings. You don't have to re-lube all the time like non-sealed. And when they wear out, you can just drop new ones in.

Not exactly. Roller bearings are not ball bearings, hence the name. Probably the most common application of roller bearings is the automobile tapered roller bearings that are use as wheel bearings. Needle bearings are just roller bearings with very small rollers. I don't know how small the roller has to be to be called a needle, but the roller bearings used in the old A9 headsets look way too big to be needle bearings. But, that's just my observation and if somebody wants to call them needle bearings, it's fine with me -- I know what's meant.

Those A9 bearings are not cartridge bearings in that the races and bearings are not all put together in a single unit, but the rollers are not loose, either. They're held together with a retainer.