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Submitted by
tom
a Weekend Warrior
from uk
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Whytes level, afan | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Simple, cheap and light headset with sealed cartridge bearings. | | Weaknesses: | None so far... | | Similar Products Used: | Various other FSA headsets and hope. | | Bike Setup: | 05 coiler, sherman fireflys, ex729's bulbs etc etc | | Bottom Line: | Good reliable headset that has had far more abuse it deserves. Much stronger than its construction and weight sugest and its still running smooth even after a whole UK winter in the saddle. FSA need to source bearings from somewhere and it sounds to me like some people have had bad experiences with seals being out of tolerance. Not so with mine, I wish i'd have bought another one of these before forking out for a hope on my other bike | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tom
a Weekend Warrior
from uk
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Whytes level, afan | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Simple, cheap and light headset with sealed cartridge bearings. | | Weaknesses: | None so far... | | Similar Products Used: | Various other FSA headsets and hope. | | Bike Setup: | 05 coiler, sherman fireflys, ex729's bulbs etc etc | | Bottom Line: | Good reliable headset that has had far more abuse it deserves. Much stronger than its construction and weight sugest and its still running smooth even after a whole UK winter in the saddle. FSA need to source bearings from somewhere and it sounds to me like some people have had bad experiences with seals being out of tolerance. Not so with mine, I wish i'd have bought another one of these before forking out for a hope on my other bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, ON. Canada.
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$28.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Well priced, nicely made, quality machining, very smooth and uses sealed bearings. | | Weaknesses: | None found yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Cane creek VP-A71 (OEM on my KONA) | | Bike Setup: | '04 Kona Cindercone with lots of upgraded parts (Mavic XM317 rims, Fire XC Pro 2.1s, '06 Marzocchi MX Comp ETA fork, WTB Rocket-V saddle, Avid Ti Speed Dial brake levers, Thomson seat post etc, etc.) | | Bottom Line: | The cane creek A71 headset on my KONA Cindercone lasted for two years before the whole thing turned into a big rusty seized mess. I didn't want to spring for a Chris King so I did some looking in the product review area and found that the FSA Orbit XL II was well rated, reasonably priced and fit my application. A quick search on eBay netted me a sweet deal. This is a very nicely made component from FSA, the bearings are completely sealed and provide for a nice smooth rotation. If you're looking for a nicely priced, good quality headset I would highly recommend you give this one a look. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Spokane, WA, United States
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | internet vendor | | Strengths: | light, looks good, performs well. sealed | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | Cane Creek | | Bike Setup: | Motobecane Fantom elite. XT exerything | | Bottom Line: | This is a SMOOTH headset. Everything is sealed so dirt does not get in. It is also fairly light. I would recommend this to anyone. Why spend $100+ for a Chris King. Lets face it. Headsets rarely brake or malfunction unless you are abusing them. This one will last FOREVER. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KJ Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Orem, UT USA
Date Reviewed: January 17, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Well made, solid. Crown race goes on easy. | | Weaknesses: | THe funky expansion cap. I don't use it. | | Similar Products Used: | Aheadset, Shimano, Ritchey. | | Bottom Line: | Great headset. I have two bikes with this headset on and one brand new headset waiting for my next project. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a Weekend Warrior
from Poughkeepsie
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything/anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Chucks Bikes | | Strengths: | Very light & strong. Smooth operation. The sealed bearing system is great & makes for a super smooth turn. Install is real simple.
| | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Cane creek | | Bike Setup: | Ironhorse plus extras | | Bottom Line: | Great product even at full price I just got lucky finding it cheaper. Super clean look & movement. Worth the money & upgrade. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, BC
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything fun | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Strengths: | Super smooth, fairly light, no maintanence | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Other open and sealed headsets | | Bike Setup: | TST Ti hardtail, Marzocci MX Comp ETA, FSA Orbit XLII, Thompson hardware, Shimano drive, Crankbrother Candys, Chris King Hubs, Mavic 717 rims, etc | | Bottom Line: | This is a great headset for the money. No problems thus far and is still as good as new. This headset has been in pooring rain, snow, mud, you name it and none of it gets in. For the price, I don't know if you can get a better headset. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Lincoln, NE
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Platte River State Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Trianlge Mountain Bikes (.com) | | Strengths: | Great headset. Good value. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Cane Creek Aheadset S-2. | | Bike Setup: | Redline Monocog Singlespeed, LX cranks | | Bottom Line: | The cane creek i had on the monocog started to loosen itself and i was getting a lot of motion in places where there shouldn't be. The Orbit XL II is super smooth and it works great, no more unwanted movement. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a
from Grand Rapids, MI
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Fort Custer | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | bikeco.com | | Strengths: | Price, smooth, sealed bearings
| | Weaknesses: | none
| | Similar Products Used: | stock stuff | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Marlin, bontregor stem, Race Face Next carbon bar | | Bottom Line: | This thing is extremely smooth, light, and is very inexpensive compared to other headsets. So far had no problems. Its 18$ at bikeco, but only comes in blue, which works for me. Good product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Vegas
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | single track | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$19.00 | | Purchased At: | bikeco.com | | Strengths: | light weight, good design, price, slide-on crown race | | Weaknesses: | Same as my post below, Conex, bearings/grease | | Similar Products Used: | S-6, S-2, Aheadsets, oh yeah, a Dia-Compe | | Bike Setup: | Another Orbit XL II in a Trek Y, URT, XT level or better, all newer stuff | | Bottom Line: | As a follow up to my previous post on Orbit XL II, here's a little more info on another headset in another bike. Actually I have been building bikes for awhile and run 4 mtn and 1 roaddie (need to break down and sell a couple). When I saw the Orbit's Mtbr reviews and the price at bikeco.com late last summer, I decided to order a couple of them, one of which I reviewed below. The second one went into a Y-bike (small frame/URT) - front end has SID XC, Mavic 517 32h, 3x, 14/15 db DT Swiss. This bike I ride on ocassion but gets most of it's use by a friend who is 55lbs lighter (130lbs) and rides somewhat less aggressively than I. She takes it a lot easier through the rock gardens and I figured that the headset would be fine. For initial installation, had LBS knock out the old cups, check the headtube (was OK), and press in the Orbit cups.
No apparent problems but I decided to pull it apart and check the "sealed bearings". Although it had no squeeking or clicking sounds, both bearings (same sealing label/# as below posting) had tossed a whole lot of grease. Cleaned, repacked and reinstalled and so far it's OK but really not getting that heavy a use. Then I pulled the S-6 bearings out of the Dakar and the S-2 out of the other Y-bike ( large frame), there was negligable grease leakage and both sets seem to be OK. If the Orbit's hold up with the new grease (TREK synthetic with teflon), would be great.
By the way, I called FSA and their customer service guy was outstanding. Said the conex equipped Orbit sets were discontinued several years ago and the Conex didn't fit some steertubes. Didn't know of any problems with weak bearings. Also, said for wet conditions (n/a here in Mohave desert), try a premium grease like the Phil Wood waterproof stuff (I found at Cambria $5.00) which I will do anyhow next time I pull them apart. Can get new Orbit bearings through LBS, but no bearing upgrade available. Recommended that the FSA Extreme Pro might be needed for the rock garden poundings. Probably good advice, but these Orbits should be holding up a lot better. Value and Overall ratings go up for the customer service; and I still suspect that these r not the "normal" Orbit II quality bearing sets/grease packing because of the other reviewers comments and what the other brand sealed bearings looked like after similar use.
In this bike, bearings should have looked like new after the more limited, lighter riding - but don't want to hurt the ratings unfairly; just get some info out. If anyone knows of a steel/stainless steel bearing set that will fit, please email me.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zenith
a Weekend Warrior
from AZ
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Hawes | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | SuperGo | | Strengths: | Price, Looks | | Weaknesses: | Conix | | Bottom Line: | I ran this headset on my Heckler for 5 trouble free years. I only had to service it once after cleaning my ride with a hose upside down. Excellent product for the money. I absolutely beat on this product and it held up to the Sonoran Desert. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Southwest desert
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$19.00 | | Purchased At: | bikeco.com | | Strengths: | price, lightweight, crown race a split slide-on type | | Weaknesses: | bearings, expanding/conex style steertube insert fitment | | Similar Products Used: | cane creek s-2, s-6, ZS, aheadsets | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Comp Hardtail, Manitou Six Deluxe, Bontrager Racelite, XTR, Truvativ Stylo Team, etc | | Bottom Line: | Bearings trashed after about 4 hours of riding XC singletrack, intermediate level. About half of the time, it was moderate speed through rockgarden. No jumps, drops, hucks or crashes. Started hearing a clicking and, thanks to the riders posting here on MTBR, I suspected headset rather than fork bushings. Got home and loosened stembolts and checked preload; it was fine. I overtightened the preload until the "click" went away but it took way too much wrenching. Went ahead and pulled the headset bearings out; both bearings had tossed a lot of grease and felt a little rough. You can pick the keeper ring out of the OEM FSA bearings, pull apart, clean, and repack with a premium grease. I don't know how long it will last on mine (already worn) but it might be a good fix on new bearings. The bearings are labeled in the plastic seal ring as - TIEN HSIN INDUSTRIES CO. LTD 1 1/8" SEALED CARTRIDGE BEARING.
I usually don't and didn't ride in the rain or mud; and did not get the headset wet when cleaning the bike.
Also, back when I was installing the new Orbit XL, the conex type expander (replaces the starnut) wouldn't seat down into the top of the steertube. The shoulder up under the topflange, just below the O-ring seal was slightly larger than the inside diameter of the Manitou Six Deluxe (rebadged SX-R)steertube. Had to take the conex apart, carefully dig out and remove the O-ring, then carefully let just the "too large shoulder" spin against a sharp edged grinding wheel until it was ground down enough to fit into the steertube. Then it worked great given that you "pre-expand" the conex just enough so the teeth drag and bite slightly when sliding it down into the steertube - you can then easily tighten it .
OK, guess I tried cheap and got what I paid for. If the repack trick works, might be an OK headset. But shouldn't have to bother; a good set of bearings to start with would have been nice. Note: A couple of stainless steel 1 1/8" cartridge bearings alone cost $30 from Cane Creek. Too bad they won't fit correctly in this setup. For me, this headset has been more trouble than it's worth even at $19. Maybe the $50 XL II has better bearings and a better fitting conex. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lrcordell
a Weekend Warrior
from D.C.
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Strong build | | Weaknesses: | Lower seal | | Similar Products Used: | Tioga, King | | Bike Setup: | '98 Kona Lavadome w/ Z2 Atom Bomb, LX & XT | | Bottom Line: | I ended up with the Orbit XLII by accident. My LBS owner installed it when I had asked for an Orbit Extreme--brand new at the time (1998). FSA offered to rectify the situation through my LBS. The process lingered on for a couple of months, over which time I was lied to by both FSA and my LBS. I recognize that it was not FSA's responsibility to cover for the mistake of the shop owner. However, the demonstration of incompetence and lack of ethics that ensued was disgusting. The outcome is that I have never, and will never again purchase an FSA product.
The XLII is a tough headset. It works very smoothly when properly greased and maintained, just like anything else. The lower seal is not effective however. It makes disassembly and repacking of the lower bearings a more common job than it really should be. IMHO, the lower seal is the most important factor determining the value of a headset, given a reasonable overall build quality. The XLII is at the bottom of my list based on this criterion. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank
a Racer
from Chicago
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Reasonable price. Well made, good design. The split crown race is a great idea. If you have multiple bikes and forks, it make it easy to swap out the front end. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | King, Cane Creek, FSA XLII(older model), Aheadset, Campy | | Bike Setup: | Gunnar SS w/Mars Super fork | | Bottom Line: | An excellent headset. The current model(the one pictured above) is a bit better than the older model, as it has better quality and smoother bearings. Sure the King on my Ibis is a great headset but I've had no problems with the headsets on my other five bikes either.
The Orbit XLII is smooth, solidly made and if any of my other headsets burn out I'll replace it with an FSA. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doooooooood
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, TN
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Sealed bearings, good durability, smoooooth. | | Bike Setup: | Old piece o' crap hardtail with a bunch of new components. | | Bottom Line: | An excellent value on a sealed bearing headset. Nice and smooth, holds up well to wet weather (I even stored this bike outside for 6 months with no problem) and even survived me bashing the cups in with a block of wood! I know there are better headsets out there but probably not for this price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Testor McGillicudy
a Cross Country Rider
from North of 49
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Strengths: | Install it and forget it! Sealed bearings, anodized aluminum, sweet!! | | Weaknesses: | None.... | | Bottom Line: | I highly recommend this headset! I installed it last year, adjusted it correctly, and haven't even looked at it since! Personally, I like the Conix setup. Remember, kiddies, the cap is only for setting the tension on the headset bearings. It's the stem that holds the fork in place. Once you have the correct tension set and the stem tightened down you can throw the cap away if you want! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cable guy
a Cross Country Rider
from singapore
Date Reviewed: January 10, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | all | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | 7-11 | | Strengths: | wording wont scratch easily..quite nice
good value.....it just a headset | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | wild mongoose | | Bottom Line: | very good headset | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J.P.
a Cross Country Rider
from Kinnear's Mills, Québec
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Canada.com (great site) | | Strengths: | Roll smooth, Hold tight, Look good, Sealed, Easy to install by a minimaly talented person | | Weaknesses: | Don't fit double crown and need some customisation (not really a problem if you use your head and hands!...) | | Bike Setup: | Manitou SXR 00, Koski stem, Race face low riser bar (nice front combo) | | Bottom Line: | A stupid bike mech (if he could be called so)at Demers bicyclettes (Jean-François...) ruined my first one by not fitting the Conix to my fork as it should and convinced me to never trust a bike shop mech again. I bought another one and did the job myself and thighted at the right torque it worked like a charm.Seals resist to sandy and muddy conditions very well. Go ahead and try it :) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al Campbell
a
from London
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | easy to fit
smooth
trouble free | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Chris King, Cane Creek, Race Face | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Truth, Hope minis, Pace forks, rest is Race Face and xtr kit.
, | | Bottom Line: | Fitted this when I built the bike, it wasin my spares box and I was too lazy to move my CK headset from my old bike.
So far as good as the CK at a fraction of the cost. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
weather expert
a Weekend Warrior
from iowa
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | mountain.bikeco.com | | Strengths: | cheap. smooth. never needed re-adjustment. maintenance free. | | Weaknesses: | no "cool factor" like king or raceface. | | Similar Products Used: | momentum, various oem headsets. none ever failed on me. | | Bike Setup: | Mrazek hardtail set up for, of course, XC. '99 Z2 atom, topo/222 front wheel, michelin lite s tire. | | Bottom Line: | install and forget. it's that simple. i've never got a problem with it since initial installation. what else do you want from a headset? for under 20 bucks how can you go wrong? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bird Legs
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilkes-Barre,PA,USA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Rim Bender Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | bikeco.com | | Strengths: | Fine fit and finish, ease of installation, excellent quality considering the price!! Conix is way,waaay better than any star fangled nut! | | Weaknesses: | Absolutely none!! | | Similar Products Used: | Aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Fuji Alum. hardtail, 4" travel air fork | | Bottom Line: | I got tired of replacing cage bearings on rinky headsets and decided to upgrade and when I saw the price at bikeco for this headset I couldn't pass it up. After reading all the reviews I could find on this unit I was put off by some of the negative comments regarding the Conix binder. What a surprise! FSA impressed me right out of the box! Turns out the Conix binder is the best ever alternative to a star nut. I've had star nuts pull apart while trying to remove the play in a cage bearing set-up..nuff said. Conix works great, install it and forget it. I have not adjusted this headset since installation three months ago and I'm currently averaging 60 miles a week. It's smooth ,solid and substantial. Why would a $50 msrp headset sell for $15? red was the only color available that's why! Guess what?, my bike is red and black! Lucky me! I did have to buy some spacers since the stack height was different but that was all I needed to make this thing work. Follow the directions, torque specs included, and you won't have any problems. 5/5 chilies? You bet Muy caliente! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Downhiller
from Redwood City, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | Pretty strong. I have done some good sized drops with this headset and there have been no probs. | | Weaknesses: | Not that smooth. Sand just got in it from race and although the bearings are sealed it managed to get through. Lubed it up again, but still makes noise. Oh well, for the price it was good while it lasted. | | Bike Setup: | Super 8 | | Bottom Line: | Buy this headset if your on a budget, which is what i did. Now i have to upgrade because it broke. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Holden McGroyen
a Weekend Warrior
from Lebanon
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | cambria bike | | Strengths: | Feels like giant gorilla paw holding steerer tube in place. But smooth, well-lubed gorilla paw | | Weaknesses: | that darn conix... | | Similar Products Used: | Aheadset (yuchy, dirty little thing) | | Bike Setup: | Crapy Iron Horse 2.0 frame, but I took care of all the stock parts with decent-to-pimp level componentry (Answer Stem and Manitou Mars '01 fork are all you need to know for this review) | | Bottom Line: | Its a fine, fine way to ride a bike. But the conix can be hell to adjust...normally it works great, but if the plug starts slipping inside the steerer tube, and then the cap get stuck in the plug, you are skrewed. It might just be the wierd Mars steerer tube. If you were really clever, you could use the old star flanged nut from your old headset with this one. Its less nice for tiny adjustments, and probably detracks from the gorilla (gorrila?) grasp feel, but if you want to change stem without an hour of hassle, it may be the way to go.
EAST SIDE STUNNAZ 4EVA | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank
a Weekend Warrior
from Orchard Park ,ny,us
Date Reviewed: November 17, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | tamerack single track | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Purchased At: | price point | | Strengths: | This thing is so silky smooth. man it turns better than butter and smells twice as good. It comes in nice colors. and is easy as heck to install | | Weaknesses: | ABSOULUTLY NONE WHATSOEVER THE THIS THING ROCKS YOUR SOCKS!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | old threaded tiwanese noname(crappy) | | Bike Setup: | 97 gt agressor w/ 2002 rs judy sl and race face crank | | Bottom Line: | if you want a headset that rocks your socks and doesn't fold like them get this headset....the best purchase i ever made for the money.it's worth MORE than 5 chili's | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
derek
a Weekend Warrior
from alberta
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | a good one | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | looks good, smooth...eh! | | Weaknesses: | none i've noticed | | Similar Products Used: | diacompe aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Azonic DS1, Z1, Roox, Raceface, Snafu, LX/XT, in other words the goods | | Bottom Line: | A good buy, install and forget it, and it's smooth..eh' | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
allan
a Weekend Warrior
from NYC
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Sprain Ridge Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | www.mountainbike.com | | Strengths: | tough, big, tough.....smooth,smmmmooth,....
easy install | | Weaknesses: | none so far. | | Similar Products Used: | aheadset | | Bike Setup: | Spec. FSR enduro Pro, Tomac riser bars, Atac pedals,Thomson seat post,Sefas seat, Pana Fire DH 2.3" tires, Tooth Fairy. | | Bottom Line: | Very smooth ....looks beefy and massive. Steering is a breeze......looks like it will hold up in the wet real nice and last forever. And the price is right, and match my red anodized Mavic rims.( the only color they have is blue at the store i got it at). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KDC
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, SC USA
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | I don't have to mess with it. It is smooth and durable. | | Weaknesses: | If any, I would say Conix, but it does the job. It is a bit of a weight addition, and is not really better than a typical "binder," but it is a good concept. | | Similar Products Used: | Dia Comp (no good, in my experience). My girl's has been good though. | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakota (steel hardtail). | | Bottom Line: | This has been a good headset, to this point. I blows the Dia Compe that came on the bike off the trail. That thing was useless within a couple of months.
It is light enough, quite durable, and inexpensive (for the quality). I had never installed a headset before, and found this one to be easy, with a little online, and included-with-the-product instruction.
Even though it is not a King, I can't give it less than 5 "flamin' chilis", because it has performed without a flaw, and it is not expensive (25 bucks now!).
Buy it if you want a good, sealed bearing headset at moderate cost. Don't buy it if you think you need to spend 100 bucks on a headset (?!?). If you find it for considerably less than most places "without conix," buy it. Conix is fine, but I wouldn't pay extra for it. (I have seen it sold without conix.) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rickard
a Cross Country Rider
from sweden
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Strengths: | This was a sheap headset for the things you get with this light and very smooth headset. Easy to install, very smooth, no problems at all, and light.BEsides that, its a very good looking headset, aspecially if you have a black Ritchey WCS steem like I have (worlds lightest steem!). | | Weaknesses: | NONE! NADA! Do you get it! This headset is almost to 100% of alumnium of superior quality and should cost 100 bucks ore moore, thsi is almost as good as "the king"himself...I´m sorry, I was suppose to talk bad but I couldn't do that, becorse there is nothing bad ore even near bad regarding this headset.... | | Bottom Line: | This headset is good, what moore to say?
+++ VERY LIGHT (max 110 g with everythning, eaven nut)
+++ VERY TUFF ( this will just run, and run and run..)
+++ EASY (easy to install and the bearings are like..ah!)
+++ SMOOTH ( its so smooth that you..ahhh!! supersilent!)
+++ VALUE RATING HIGH
(this will save you money and time becorse it will keep on going and not be destroyed after been subjected to water, mud, mud and moore mud..).
If you have money for this but not for Chris King, then you are a .....you know!! if you do not buy this. ITS GREAT!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Lewiston, Maine, USA
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | www.bikeco.com | | Strengths: | Easy install, strong! | | Weaknesses: | None yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey Logic -> Piece of Junk! | | Bottom Line: | |
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$ 45.00
