AZ4Mtb

Any opinions or recommendations on a good replacement for a Ritchey 1" threaded headset that will go into a 90s MTB? Caged BB vs sealed bearing? Black is the preferred finish.
Thanks!

HillRider

Velo Orange sells a very good 1" threaded headset with (the preferred) cartridge bearings and it is available in black. It's not particularly cheap but very high quality. Look here: https://velo-orange.com/collections/...nt=51412446407

They also sell a caged bearing 1" threaded headset at a lower price point but only in silver: https://velo-orange.com/collections/...nt=51412446407

The stack height is 41 mm for both of these so be sure your steerer is long enough to work with them..

Crankycrank

What's wrong with just getting another Ritchey. It will just replace what you have with no worries about adding spacers or other fitting problems. Hell, if your crown race is in good condition you won't have to mess with removing/replacing another one. Ritchey makes a good threaded headset for the price and you would have to pay probably double or triple that to get something appreciably better. Proper installation is the best guarantee of a reliable headset meaning it should be pressed in square and headtube within tolerances etc.

Steve B.

Kona (Spell check corrected what should be Soma) sells a very inexpensive Tange. $14 or so. The website says it comes in black

https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/pro...2&category=979

2old

Don't know whether the entire headset is trash or just the bearings. If the latter, why not get some loose balls and replace? On the other hand, the $14 Kona also seems excellent.

'02 nrs

https://www.amazon.com/Origin8-Pro-Threaded-Headset-Steerer/dp/B002J97EGS/ref=asc_df_B002J97EGS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312131999963&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17195385062248473832&hvpone=&hvptwo=&h vqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016837&hvtargid=pla-570014582629&psc=1

mpetry912 

If you are serious, and don't want to just install junk from Amazon that will fail in 6 months, find an old style Stronglight A9 off ebay (Roller bearing type). you probably only need the lower assembly (cup, fork crown race, 1 bearing and 2 races).

The A9 is by far the most robust and simple 1" headset. It has rollers in a plastic retainer, running between conical races. I have the lower assembly in all the vintage bikes that I ride regularly. The upper assy basically just goes along for the ride. And it handles head tubes that are not perfectly faced. A truly great part.

There is a "new style" A9 that is not the same.

I can source a complete lower assembly for you if you can't find one on ebay, POR

Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA

HillRider

Ritchey's web site does not show any currently available threaded headsets. The OP would have to find an NOS one.

Also, if the old headset is in poor condition, the lower cup and crown race are the most likely items to require replacing.

well biked

QBP does have in stock plenty of Ritchey 1" threaded headsets, Ritchey's part number is 33000877001. Any bike shop with a QBP acct should be able to order one. The color of the headset is a mix of silver and black, mostly siliver, however.

JohnDThompson 

The roller bearing A9 is a great headset and would work well in the OP's application. Even better would be a Stronglight "Delta" headset, which uses the same roller bearings as the A9, but adds an O-ring seal to keep contamination out. Deltas are somewhat scarcer than the A9s, which are themselves not particularly abundant. People who have them tend to hang on to them.

I do see there are a few Deltas on eBay at the moment:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...glight%20delta

Failing the A9 or Delta, the Tange/IRD "Rollerdrive" headset is still in production and uses the same roller bearings as the A9 and Delta in the lower race. The upper race is balls, but that doesn't matter because the upper race only provides alignment, not load bearing.

https://www.rivbike.com/products/hea...r-roller-drive

Crankycrank

There are still plenty of them for sale though. https://www.google.com/search?q=ritc...eadset&ie=&oe= Yes, replace the crown race if needed but it may still be in good condition.

masi61

Tange Soma “Kyoto Loco” is available in white (if you can live with white), for $30. These look like they would be nice. The bottom cup houses a “double row” sealed bearing that looks like it would be quite durable.

veganbikes

For me I tend to go with Cane Creek for all of my threadless needs but I tend to go with Chris King for threaded stuff. My Proteus frame was going to have a 110 Classic but everyone was out so I went Chris King Gripnut since I had used them on another project and really love the look and the quality.

HillRider

No question Chris King is an excellent headset, I have one with 48,000 miles on one bike and it's still going strong. However, I don't think many '90's MTBs warrant the cost of a Chris King or Cane Creek 110 headset.

AZ4Mtb

Thanks everyone! I ended up going with the 1" Ritchey to maintain some consistency with the original bike parts.

veganbikes

I guess it depends on usage and your relationship to the bike or the value of the bike as a whole. Certainly something with cheap materials and worn out Acera or something is not worth it but a nice ti frame or something from Klein (before Trek) or a Fat Chance...would be hella worth it.