Submitted by
Brian
a Downhiller
from The Swamp, FL Date Reviewed: February 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
If I told it wouldn't still be
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
I reviewed it in 12/02 and I am still riding with it. ZERO maintenance!!!
Bottom Line:
If I ever need another headset this will be it if they are still making them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Downhiller
from Liverpool, Emgland Date Reviewed: August 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Spital
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
Liesure Lakes
Strengths:
Split lower crown, and quite low stack height.
Weaknesses:
The upper cup has exploded. The bearing part of the cup has seperated from the part of the cup that inserts into the frame without the steerer bending or headtube ovalizing.
Similar Products Used:
Race Face DH SL, much better. Got a Chris King Ti on order. Hopefully it will last a bit longer without wieghing in like a tank.
Bike Setup:
Mountain- Orange Patriot 7+ with 1.5 headtube and Sherman Breakouts, Hopes, Mrp, Monkey Lite DHs etc. BMX- Trls 250s Ox-plat, Odyysey forks, profile cranks and hub with Ti bits.
Bottom Line:
Probably strong enough for a MTB just couldn't hack it on the BMX even though it was never crashed and both the frame and forks where faced and reamed to high tolerances (.025mm)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Big Louie
a Weekend Warrior
from Stockton Date Reviewed: November 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The mean streets
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Wooly Hat Shop
Strengths:
Simple Design, uses quality 7075 alloy, uses 'proper' sealed cartridge bearings that only cost a couple of quid to replace from any decent bearing supplier, NOT these 'angular we rip you off price crap job bearings'. Split bottom race, no more beating the beggars out of your forks trying to get races off and on.
Weaknesses:
Conix adjuster is pants, stick to star fangled nut set-up. I've had 2 now and both have come with a crap seal for the bottom bearing that is way too big to be any use, it looks as if they just found these 'seals' lying around the factory floor and thought 'we cant bin them, best stuff them in the packaging for our headsets to confuse people as to what they do'. Crazyness!
Similar Products Used:
Richtey Scuzzy logic (the worst headset ever, bar none) FSA XLII (again absolute pants, angular contact crap bearings)
Bike Setup:
Orange zero, hope hubs and wavey c2's, mavic, middleburn, azonic, irc....you know you want it....
Bottom Line:
Very good headset, simple to service, cheap bearings, looks nice in silver. The only problem I have is why does it cost 50 quid for two machined cups of 7075 and 2 bearings costing 3 quid each, bearing in mind a lump of 7075 bar stock is about 15 quid for 500g. At least 400% mark up on headsets, if not more! Not just having a go at FSA, all headsets are like this.....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from The Swamp, FL Date Reviewed: December 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
can't remember...too long ago
Strengths:
Zero maintenance for >3 years. Moved it to my new frame 'cause it is still as smooth as new. Looked under seals and grease is as clean as new.
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
none, been on these for >8years, only changed because I wanted a black one rather than silver.
Bike Setup:
Was Proflex 856 with NR-4 and Elite fork, now on a KHS FXT Pro frame
Bottom Line:
A "Best Buy"!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeffrey Li
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong Date Reviewed: January 18, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tai Mo Shan - Ho Pui
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Shun Lee Bicycles Co.
Strengths:
easy to set up super smooth tough and all that you want
Weaknesses:
none ! the price is reasonable and you will not complain about this product
Similar Products Used:
FSA Orbit II, FSA Orbit, Ringle
Bike Setup:
Intense Tazer
Bottom Line:
this is a good headset and it is smooth and cheap i have crashed quite a few times in this headset and there is no problem at all.. i especially like the piece of plastic which keeps the mud out... looks kinda cool..
i will recommend this product to downhillers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rikard
a Cross Country Rider
from Stockholm, Sweden Date Reviewed: September 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
XC
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
CykelCity
Strengths:
Very easy to set up and I only had to adjust the headset once. No futher adjustments just ride on and on. Smooth feeling is a keyword for this product.
Weaknesses:
The plastic ring at the bottom. (This is to protect the sealed bearings). A more secure construction please!
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey Scuzzy Logic PRO
Bike Setup:
SCOTT USA Pro Racing 2001. Manitou Mars Super. Shimano XTR/XT and some more components
Bottom Line:
Great headset for the money and maintenance free!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from NY, USA Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very smooth, no creaking or anything like that, maintenance free.
Weaknesses:
CONIX! It's a piece of crap...it came out when I tried to tighten it, it supposedly still works as long as it's in there, but I ended up getting a star nut instead.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Alchemy <--- piece of crap, but at least it was dirt cheap
Broke a headset on a Sunday called FSA Monday. Spoke to Tom ,recieved new headset on Tuesday noon,no charge exept for additional 1 day service. Kudos to FSA!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean Murphy
a Downhiller
from Spokane, WA, USA Date Reviewed: May 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Beacon Hill, Spokane, WA
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$95.00
Purchased At:
Bike Shop
Strengths:
Smooth, Matinence free
Weaknesses:
FSA conix
Similar Products Used:
Diatech, Cane Creek, many generic headsets
Bike Setup:
2001 Kona Stab Primo, 2000 Monster T, White 26" Sun Double Wide rims, Intense Down Hill Hubs, Michelen 2.5" rear tire, Tioga 2.3" front (soon to be michelen), Profile Mountain Bike Cranks, Dirt Works Gizmo Chain guide, Race Face 42t DH chain ring, Big Cheese pedals, Sram PC-51 chain, Shimano XT 11-32 cogset, Shimano XT rear derailer, Kona seat post, SDG Bog Boy saddle, Zoom 60mm Dh stem, Azonic PDW bars, Sram cheapo shifter, Gripshift grips, FSA orbit Extreme headset, 2000 Magura Gustav front break, 2001 Magura Gustav rear break.
Bottom Line:
I have had this headset on all my down hill bikes. It is the only part that has suvived. It is a great headset. I have never had to do any matinence to it and it always stays tight. The only problem I have ever had with it is the FSA conix. It is the goofy thing that they use to try to replace the star nut. It pulls out as soon as you try to tighten it. I would throw it away and get a star nut ASAP. I did that with in a week of buying the headset. They were expensive when I bought mine but now I think the price is down to alot less.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, PA Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Wissahickon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
easy to assemble. Installed in less than a minute. Great finish. Amazingly smooth, durable, sealed bearings keep the grit and water out.
Weaknesses:
would feel better if the bottom cup was sealed better although it hasn't affected the sealed bearings yet. Conix didn't fit an Amp Research fork i had.
Similar Products Used:
AC (sucks), shimano xt (heavy), diacompe (broke it BMX)
Bike Setup:
Giant ATX890 Tomac Edition, SID SL, XT, Cane Creek WAM TI
Bottom Line:
Great, cheap headset that you install and forget about and then never worry again. Would buy again but don't think i'll need to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: April 3, 2001
This is one of those products that you really can fit and forget... The sealed units keep out even the worst of the UK crud, and after two years, are still rolling as smooth as ever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pierre
a Cross Country Rider
from Gothenburg, Sweden Date Reviewed: March 29, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
CykelCity
Strengths:
Very good quality, no problems at all!
Weaknesses:
None, that I know of!
Similar Products Used:
FSA ORBIT XL 2
Bike Setup:
GaryFisher Procaliber, XTE with some XT, CrossMax UST, SID SL.
Bottom Line:
A very good not too expensive headset that I can strongly recomend!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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