• Preface
• What is an "Integrated" headset?
• The Conventional Headset:
• The "Integrated" Headset:
• The "Internal" Headset, yet another twist:
• Important Facts to Realize:
• Frame Preparation
• Marketing this
• Weight Comparison Table
• Appendix Page One - Non-Braking Forces
• Appendix Page Two - Braking Forces

Integrated Headsets Explained (continued)
March 2002

Frame Preparation

Conventional Headset Frame Preparation:
Proper frame preparation is critical for a good headset installation. A quality bike shop will always perform 2 steps:

1) Ream the head tube. This makes the holes in the frame nice and round, the right size, the correct depth and in line with each other.
2) Face the head tube. This makes the ends of the head tube flat and parallel to each other.

Frame paint can be pretty thick, especially powder coat. Many times, frame preparation just gets the frame paint out of the way so that you can get a good metal-to-metal connection. These steps insure that once the headset is installed, the bearings are nicely lined up with each other. If the bearings aren't lined up very well, all sorts of things can happen. The first one is that you may not be able to get a good headset adjustment, it may come loose all the time, might have a tight spots, and it will probably creak. Second, you can be sure that your headset won't last as long if your frame isn't properly prepared. BUT ONLY YOUR HEADSET WILL BE DAMAGED. AND IT IS EASILY REPLACED.

"Integrated" Headset Frame Preparation:
Although the people that make "integrated" headsets might tell you that they have a "self-aligning feature", the fact of the matter is that frame preparation is just as critical as with a conventional headset. Since frame manufacturers have traditionally had a hard time making the conventional head tube accurately, should we believe that making the integrated head tube is going to be any easier? The roundness and alignment of those little angled ledges is very important. And your shop can't fix it. Your shop doesn't and hopefully won't ever have the ability to cut or re-cut that ledge in your head tube. Even if they could, you wouldn't want your bike shop cutting away the inside of your integrated head tube. They could easily cut too deep and pierce your head tube, or cut the ledge deep enough that the top of the fork would hit the frame. That level of damage is nearly impossible to do with a conventional headset setup. What are you going to do with this frame when you have a problem? Warranty or the trash heap. What a waste.