The Ultimate Guide to Gravel Headsets
Optimizing Your Ride Experience
To demonstrate the importance of your headset, try riding a bike without it. Missing this minor piece will render your bike practically unrideable, thus proving once again that it’s the little things that count. While not exactly a small part, the headset is often overlooked but without it, riding a bike becomes almost quite literally aimless.
Understanding Bike Headsets
The headset is a crucial component of a bicycle that connects the fork to the frame. It enables the fork to rotate smoothly within the headtube, allowing the rider to steer the bike. The headset consists of bearings, cups, and crown races* that sit inside the frame’s headtube. The steerer tube of the fork passes through these bearings, allowing for smooth rotation and steering.
A well-functioning headset ensures precise steering and stability. Any play or roughness in the headset suggests a broken or badly installed headset, which can lead to poor handling and discomfort.
Headset types
Bicycle headsets come in various types; the type of headset is dictated by the frame design.
Threaded vs. Threadless
- Threaded Headsets
- Commonly found on older bikes and on some touring bikes
- Uses a threaded steerer tube and locknuts to secure the headset
- Require specific tools for headset installation and adjustment
- Threadless Headsets
- The standard on modern bikes
- Uses the stem to clamp onto a non-threaded steerer tube and a cap that compresses the system to pre-load and secure the headset
- Easier to adjust and lighter weight compared to threaded headsets
Integrated vs. Internal vs. External
- Integrated Headsets (IS)
- Bearings sit directly inside integrated cups in the frame's head tube
- Sleeker look and lighter
- Requires precise frame tolerances for a proper fit
- Internal Cups Headsets (Semi-integrated – ZS)
- Bearings sit in cups that are pressed into the frame's head tube
- Offer a balance between ease of headset installation and aesthetics
- External Cups Headsets (EC)
- Bearings sit in cups that are external to the frame’s head tube
- Often found on older and custom-built bikes
Anatomy of a Bike Headset
Built to handle the demands of cycling, a bicycle headset consists of bearings, top cap, crown races, cups and spacers (when applicable). The headset is intended to support stability and ensure reliable handling. Here we cover the different types of bearings, the material composition of top caps, cups, crown races, and spacers.
Bearings
- Sealed Cartridge Bearings
- Enclosed ball bearing in sealed cups and races where a rubber seal protects bearing against dirt, moisture, and other contaminants (cartridges)
- Bearings can be either stainless steel or ceramic or both
- Require less maintenance and offer smoother operation
- Long lifespan; notable for their durability and smoother performance in harsh conditions, especially when they are stainless steel bearings
- Semi-Cartridge Bearings
- Bearings sit in a retainer, with the seal being created by the headset top cap and cup.
- Inexpensive option
- Need to be replaced more frequently
- Open Bearings
- Consist of loose ball bearings set in a retainer ring
- Require more frequent maintenance to keep clean and lubricated
- Ceramic bearings
- Lightweight and corrosion-resistant.
- Very expensive but prioritize reduced rolling resistance.
Top caps
- Most often made from lightweight aluminum alloy and designed to shed water and prevent contaminants from entering the headtube through the use of specially-designed seals
- Steel top caps are more economical but heavier
- Cups and crown races – not an á la carte part, it’s their material composition that marks the difference
- Aluminum alloy
- Lightweight and less prone to rust
- Steel
- More economical but may be subject to rust, therefore requiring more frequent maintenance
- Heavier than aluminum
- Aluminum alloy
Spacers
Headset spacers are rings placed above or below the stem on the fork steerer tube. They can be made from carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, and even plastic. Spacers allow fine-tuning of handlebar height to improve rider comfort, fit, and overall bike handling
Headset size and Compatibility
Bicycle headset size is mandated by the internal diameter of the frame’s headtube, and by the fork steerer diameter. The Standardized Headset Identification System (SHIS) simplifies headset sizing by using a two-letter code followed by numbers referring to the sizing in the frame or fork. Let’s deconstruct what the letters and numbers mean:
- EC - External Cup, bearings sit in cups outside the headtube (used for either threaded or threadless steering columns)
- ZS - Semi-integrated OR Zero Stack, pressed in cups fit inside the headtube
- IS - Integrated System, bearings reside directly in the headtube’s integrated cups.
- Headtube inner diameter- the 2-digit number immediately after the letters refers to the inside diameter in whole millimeters (and is therefore not an exact measurement)
- Upper stack SHIS, directly following the cup type and head tube diameter you’ll find a slash followed by the steering column diameter
- Lower stack SHIS, this is similar to the upper stack but also refers to the crown race diameter. The forward slash for a lower headset is followed by the crown race press standard
So, for example, if your bicycle calls for a headset with an EC34/28.6, this means you need an external cup (EC) headset for a head tube diameter of 34mm to fit a steer that is 28.6mm in diameter.
Importance of matching headset to frame and fork
It is vital to fit the correct headset with your frame/fork. Incompatible headsets won’t fit your frame or will result in fork play, and possibly damage and/or safety issues.
The Right Headset for Your Bike
You don’t get to choose your headset but you can improve it with higher quality bearings. Sealed bearings are particularly beneficial as they reduce friction and ensure smooth operation. Materials like aluminum or titanium offer a balance of light weight and durability.
For those focused on performance, a lightweight headset with high precision is essential. Sealed cartridge bearings, with an aluminum top cap, and cups provide the best combination of lightness and reliability. If you don’t possess deep pockets, a steel headset functions exactly the same for a more modest price, yet requires more frequent upkeep.
*TIP: If you want to upgrade your bearings, you’ll need a caliper to measure the precise diameter of your bearings to make sure they fit your headset.
Budget and Material Preferences
When considering budget and material preferences for your headset, it's important to balance cost against weight. For entry-level options like Ritchey’s RL1 range, steel cups and crown races paired with loose ball bearings and a retainer ring offer a cost-effective solution. Mid-range options, such as the Comp range, feature steel cups and crowns with cartridge bearings, providing a step up in durability and performance. High-end options like the WCS range utilize aluminum alloy cups and crown races with sealed cartridge bearings to deliver a light weight, and long-lasting reliability.
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