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Submitted by
andykrow
a Downhiller
from Fort Collins
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | hmmm | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Strengths: | Cheap. Keeps working. | | Weaknesses: | I guess it's heavy but it says "DH" on it. Overkill for an xc bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Don't remember...it's been so long... | | Bike Setup: | Brodie Thumper, 66 Light, DHX 5.0, Holzfeller, Deity...other heavy things | | Bottom Line: | Ridiculously cheap for sealed bearings. Whoever said this won't last your bike doesn't know how to set up a headset proper. I've had mine for over 4 years, never a problem. Don't over-tighten! I greased mine a couple years ago, not sure it even needed it. Maybe I'll open it up again one of these months...LOL. Gets plenty of mud and evil sand/dust without issues. I've taken this everywhere - mostly freeride/dh but plenty of XC/AM too...generally 50 miles a week for that whole four years. I'll never buy anything else - the only reason would be image, and you only get that if you buy a King for 3 times as much. I guess you could get some pretty colors then...but I don't know how a King could work any better than the Pig... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fatcat
a Weekend Warrior
from los angeles
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Strengths: | Sealed bearings, heavy duty and cheaper than Chris King | | Weaknesses: | none--its a headset for crying out loud | | Similar Products Used: | Chris king | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Bullit | | Bottom Line: | This is a great buy for a sealed bearing headset. I've purchased 2 so far for my bikes and I am ordering another for a Stinky that I recently bought. I've read the other reviews about it rusting but you gotta figure that if other parts on their bikes are steel than they must be rusted too? Ya think? I wouldnt want an aluminum headset, its the part that gets the most pounding from the fork. Anyways save money and go sealed bearings with the Pig Pro. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fred Redwoood
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | internet retailer | | Strengths: | it's chunky, heavyweight steel, hard to break | | Weaknesses: | sealed poorly against the elements, and rapidly turns into a nasty rusty pile of poo. | | Similar Products Used: | fsa orbit | | Bike Setup: | XC hardtail | | Bottom Line: | As a headset it's big and meaty. Handled everything I could throw at it.
Unfortunately it's poorly sealed against the elements - I ride all year, and even when the sun shines, there is almost always some mud to ride through.
water broke past the bearing seal on the bottom bearing, and corroded the bearing, leading to it's failure after just 9 months of use. Spares for it are just about impossible to find, and generally it seems that it's cheaper to buy a new headset than replace the bearings anyhow.
gets 3 chillis for value it is pretty cheap for headset, but a 2 overall for turning into a nasty rusty mess. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Weekend Warrior
from Bergen, Norway, Europa
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Arnanipa | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Sykkelbutikken, Bergen, Norway | | Strengths: | Beefy and solid, no bearing play, sealed bearings, steel bottom cup, reasonable weight | | Weaknesses: | Surface rust on bearings after 2 months of use with frequent servicing, and the bike beeing stored indoors in between rides.
(ridiculously high price from local distributor, but that won`t draw any chillies here) | | Similar Products Used: | CC, tioga, tange, WTB, CK | | Bike Setup: | `06 MArin Wolf Ridge, SRAM, Avid, Hope/Mavic, Talas RC2 | | Bottom Line: | A magnificent headset if you live in Arizona, Andalucia, Algerie, or the Kalahari for that sake, but it is not suited for most other climates.
I stored mine indoors in between rides, and before summer had gone(2months of use) the well lubricated bearings showed surface rust. The quality of the steel used cannot be top notch, rust will eventually break through..
There has been no compromise in function though, so I guess it`s worth the bucks if you can get them at 40$, just remeber that this is not the type of headset that will survive your bike.
I bought mine based on the reviews below, but it`s definitely not worth 5 chillis
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a
from Vancouver Island, BC
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | BlueSkyCycling.com | | Strengths: | - Sealed cartridge bearings
- Durable
- Strong
- Cheap | | Weaknesses: | - None | | Similar Products Used: | Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Transition Preston with Marzocchi 55 TST2 | | Bottom Line: | Best I've ever had, this headset IS a pig. The headset is one of the few parts of your bike that you never want to notice, because if you do there is probably something wrong with it and you never think about this one, just set it and forget it. It can take a beating and even after riding in muddy conditions it will still remain buttery smooth. The sealed cartridge bearings it uses are way better than regular cartridge ball bearings. I plan on using this headset for a long time. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luis
a Downhiller
from Canada
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Ecclestone Cycle | | Strengths: | The sealed barrings, the sweet look, THE PRICE!! | | Weaknesses: | None other than the fact it would be cool to have different colors | | Similar Products Used: | Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Kona Dawg - ripped apart and rebuilt for freeride because the frame is super light but sooooo strong, manitou stance kingpin, MTX S-Type rims front and back, 16 inch frame, stock rear shock, tioga white tiger on the front and a nokian Gazza on the back, FUNN KILLA Stem and soo much more done to this bike | | Bottom Line: | I wouldn't buy any other stem, i have beaten the hell out of this thing and it hasn't even developed a creak yet, i do alot of urban freeride and downhill and it has served me soo well. for the two years that iv had it i haven't serviced it once, or taken it apart to clean it as there is no need. it truly is an install and forget stem i recommend it to anybody to get buy it over a king the price is amazing to | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Troy
a Weekend Warrior
from Kentucky
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Very sturdy, looks good, easy on the wallet. | | Weaknesses: | a little heavy | | Similar Products Used: | cane creek, aheadset | | Bottom Line: | Awesome product no problems what so ever.By far the best headset for the money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
danny
a
from Nottingham UK
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike show UK Birmingham NEC | | Strengths: | V strong, easy to maintain, good looks, smooth as a babies bottom. | | Weaknesses: | Erm havnt come accros any yet!! | | Similar Products Used: | Only one that durable havnt needed another | | Bike Setup: | 24/7 crosser 14", mx comps 2005, XT rear mech, sram x.9 shifter, hope minis, sun single track rims on DMR revolver hubs, DMR Moto tyres. Reflecters on the wheels!! maybe not! | | Bottom Line: | Buy it you wont need another, have used this one for alsorts of stuff street, dirt jumping, hucking, downhilling every thing actually apart from sailing and canoeing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ekim
a
from Manchester, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | Smooth, strong and cheap | | Weaknesses: | A little heavy, but it is made for hucking | | Similar Products Used: | Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Sugar 3+, 130mm Fox vanilla fork, Cane Creek Cloud Nine rear shock, Thompson stem, hayes disc, XT...blah blah blah | | Bottom Line: | I bought this headset when rebuilding my sugar towards a cross mountain ride. I have had no problems with this headset within the year that I have used it. It is still as smooth as the day installed and I have not performed any maint. on it. I have been through mud, rain, dust and dry with no problems. Handles what I can dish out with my roll over it or jump off of it riding style. I have only had to adjust it once shortly after it was installed, but that is to be expected. It is not as sexy as the King and a bit on the heavy side, but for $100 less who cares...its a freaking rock solid headset! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
hernan castaneda
a Weekend Warrior
from quito/ecuador
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Strengths: | was nice when it works | | Weaknesses: | yesterday I destroyed it | | Similar Products Used: | many low and mid ends headsets | | Bike Setup: | SC Bullit with z1 eta, 5th element, hayes mag, mavic heavy duty rims, etc. | | Bottom Line: | It was nice, really nice feel, but yesterday I destroy all the headset from inside. I am 230 pounds not so gentle with my bike, so I understand to destroy things, but 1 year for a DH headset it is bad. Dont get me worng when it work is really nice but yesterday I almost had to comeback walking from the trail to home. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chance McCabe
a Downhiller
from Bellingham WA, USA
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | ur mom | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Jacks | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | blows out soon, creaks, clunky feel. grinding felt right away | | Similar Products Used: | Chris king, cane creek Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Stinky primo with Syncros rims and saint everything | | Bottom Line: | don't even think about it | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Downhiller
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Sport Chek | | Strengths: | This thing is amazing. For the price that you pay, this thing is far better than any king headset, especially if you're hucking or doing dh. Buttery smooth after the first week or so. | | Weaknesses: | Sorry...it doesn't come in flashy Chris King colors, only chrome and black. | | Similar Products Used: | Cane Creak Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Norco Shore, pro tapers, diabolus stem, 24 double track rim | | Bottom Line: | This thing is such a good headset and it's great that they're sealed cartridge bearings. Sure it may not look as good a chris king but it works just as good. And for most of us working class peoples, that's all that really matters. All the dumb rich kids who's parents go buy them anything they want can go buy a King for 2x the price. For me, I'll stick to FSA. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Acevedo
a Downhiller
from Atlanta
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything at Pisgah | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | BeyondBikes | | Strengths: | Sturdy, Looks pretty cool, Nice finish, godd weight:strength ratio | | Weaknesses: | Not enough people buying them | | Similar Products Used: | Cane Creek, Ahead set, Chris King | | Bike Setup: | Yeti 575 FOX RP#, Marzocchi Comp ETA, Avid mechs 6", SRAM 9.0 shifters and RD, XT front, Mavic 717 - XT hubs | | Bottom Line: | I ride pretty reckelessly and still learning not to crash. This set has kept up with me. Why spend twice as much? Chris King is excellent, no doubt, but this PIG is just as good. I ride in pretty wet conditions and this set does not crap out. I took it appart after 3 days of riding in mud and rain to clean it, no need to.
Buy it, and don't go for the "is not a Chris King" thing. Is not about the brand name, is about the product quality. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J
a
from UK
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Summat Big | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Sealed Bearings for £20!!! Chunky, and every one else seems to like it. | | Weaknesses: | I dunno if i put mine in wrong but its a bit creaky... | | Similar Products Used: | Richey Logic (mostly plastic, DONT GET ONE) | | Bike Setup: | DDG Shooter
and...er... Zokes... (cough) | | Bottom Line: | Excelent, dont see why you shouldnt buy one, good solid and cheap headset apart from Chris King prob the best.
Dunno why i cant give it 5 for overall but maybey its just the creaking :( | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jonny carson
a Downhiller
from loveland CO
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | sealed bearings, toughness | | Weaknesses: | i laugh | | Bike Setup: | rocky mountain RMX stock except for a couple things | | Bottom Line: | this headset is sweet. it has performed flawlessly under all conditions consistantly since i got it. i cant beleive how well it works after the punishment it has taken and for so long. if you dont want to spend a frickload of money for kings then get this. put it on and forget about it no matter what you do so you can worry about other things. This headset is (. )( .) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J Lloyd
a Downhiller
from CO
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Apex | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | EBAY | | Strengths: | Price, super beefy, sealed bearings | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | 04 Kona Coiler, DH Pro headset, Azonic Outlaw wheels, RS PIKE race | | Bottom Line: | The best headset for the money. If your looking for a tough headset for cheap look no further. don't mess with a Chris King headset, get the DH Pro and spend the money you saved on more upgrades | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek
a Weekend Warrior
from Elmvale, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Sportchek | | Strengths: | Strong, Cool color (I got red) Sealed bearings, and easy to service. | | Weaknesses: | Weight? But it shouldnt matter because its the difference of a few grams. | | Similar Products Used: | Cane Creek TH Industries Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Soul Cycles Loki, RS Psylo, Rhyno lites, Sram Drivetrain, Primo pedals, Truvativ cranks + bb, bontrager crowbar comps, Deore levers + teflon cables, Radius street discs. | | Bottom Line: | Get this headeset, the ugrade to sealed bearings is worth the price. And I searched the price for this beast on the internet and at shops and I cheapest i found it for was $50 cad. Get it at Spotchek for $30 cad!! Ordered it in their catelog. They may not know how to service a bike or what the parts are used for, but their catelog prices are sweet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joey Conlon
a Weekend Warrior
from Mississauga, Ontario Canada and proud
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Can anyone say street | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$59.00 | | Purchased At: | Oakville cycle and sports | | Strengths: | this is a high quality Beefy headset and an excelent bang for your buck | | Weaknesses: | It's a really good product but in a rare case that happend to me I cracked the bottom cup and mangled the bearing from a 8ft flatland | | Similar Products Used: | nothing always use FSA | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mtn Flow 24. DJ2 and Hood worms | | Bottom Line: | This is a very strong product untill you start doing things over board. No headset would have taken an 8 ft flat land so it's understandable that it broke. Good job FSA an excellent product | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle
a
from Branford, CT USA
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$37.00 | | Purchased At: | Beyond Bikes | | Strengths: | cromoly lower cup, great bearings, looks strong, little picture of a pig on it | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | some old AHeadset which came with the bike | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Azonic Ds-1 | | Bottom Line: | Great headset for the price, i recommend it to anyone who is in need of a new headset. I love the fact that the bearings dont come out so there is no risk for them to get dirty when working on the front end of the bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brown Tetth
a Cross Country Rider
from Morro Bay CA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Strengths: | The lower bearing makes my King look wimpy, but the upper cup's a bit thin, but quality of the bearings seems true, awesome bang for the buck | | Weaknesses: | Upper cup looks a bit thin but so far so good, price makes it hard to argue with, how can FSA do it? | | Similar Products Used: | king, crane creek, loads of caged bearing crap... | | Bottom Line: | They seem to be giving away a very well designed BB for next to nothing, the lower bearing/race is el beefotronic, upper OK but at this price this is a true poor dudes ubber King, and possibly better bang for the buck over time, sorry little bling here but WTF if you ride and like to save major $$$ ;) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Igor
a Weekend Warrior
from Lynn, Lynn - City of Sin
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Getting cheaper and cheaper: 29$ NEW! That's like 3 times cheaper than King
Install and forget
Looks nice and beefy
| | Weaknesses: | A bit tall, but that's not a weakness | | Similar Products Used: | King
Pig (not sealed version) - good too | | Bike Setup: | Big Hit with Monster, 6 way, grimecas, 3.0 nokians ... | | Bottom Line: | BUY IT! King : 3 = price of Pig DH. It is install and forget type of headset. Highly recommend. FSA is making steel and long version now, should be the sickest! It's just great working product that is worth every pennie!
I think cambria has them for 29$ | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Downhiller
from Aliso Viejo
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | I like all of the good ones | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Revo Cycles | | Strengths: | Absolutely Bullet Proof! Deep Insert on the lower cup. Lower cup is overly stiff Cro-mo with massive cartridge bearing. | | Weaknesses: | weight. | | Similar Products Used: | All | | Bike Setup: | DH bike. | | Bottom Line: | Best DH headset out there. King headsets are OK, but they don't press deep enough aside from the steelset. The big problem with King headsets is that nothing grips the steer tube, and you get a clicking with long travel forks on small headtubes. The Pig DH Pro works flawlessly, and costs less than half as much. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mo
a Weekend Warrior
from bethesda, MD USA
Date Reviewed: January 10, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | cheap, strong, looks very nice. Cartridge bearing so when you remove your fork, grease doesn't get all over you. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | aheadset | | Bike Setup: | SC Bullit, DJ2, prodigy dh cranks, 5th element, singletracks, azonic shorty etc | | Bottom Line: | An amazing headset for the price. I used to want a king headset because they had the cool colors but this is just as good as one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sam neufeld
a Downhiller
from the praries
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | kerplop | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came stock | | Strengths: | stays tight and runs smooth | | Weaknesses: | It is a bit heavy but who cares its for dh | | Similar Products Used: | funn headbanger, aheadset | | Bike Setup: | rm6 | | Bottom Line: | I had aheadset on my old bike, when i destroyed that i got a headbanger which came loose every 2 weeks. I have had no trouble with the pig and have done no maitenence on it.
It just works. what else can I say go buy one | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dirty Old Niige
a Racer
from NZ
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Rivals King Headset for expected length of life
A snap to service | | Weaknesses: | Likes mid to thicker greases to run at its optimum | | Similar Products Used: | Tioga
Cane Creek
Chris King
WTB | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel | | Bottom Line: | One of My All Time Faverout Head Sets | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JeFF
a Downhiller
from T.O., Onterrible
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | secret | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Trail Blazers | | Strengths: | -Looks cool
-Strong
-Smooth
-Great Rep
-I can see my reflection in it | | Weaknesses: | -Top cup could be cromo as well | | Similar Products Used: | -King
-Greaseguard
-cheapo Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | VPS Shore, S7, Race Face, 8" Avids, Dual 24" Doubletracks . . all the goodies | | Bottom Line: | No complaints so far. This headset is smooth, looks cool, and takes a licking. I know countless people that are using Pigs and have no problems what so ever. Sure, it's not as flash as a King, but it gets the job done.
Not to mention that this thing CANNOT be beaten for the price. Awesome value! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Parnell
a Weekend Warrior
from Southampton
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | clump | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | chain reaction | | Strengths: | Perfectly smooth | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | diatec | | Bike Setup: | planetxbommer, 521'/bulbs, z4's, mr control.... | | Bottom Line: | perfectly smooth and has dealt with everthing i've thrown at it so far. Would be good 4 any type of riding. | |
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$ 40.00
