Old school headset

Hi peeps, I have an older track frame (1960’s), with built-in headset cups. The standard 1 1/4 headset doesn’t fit, I tried the bearing race for what I was told was a 1" headset and its too big, and no-one sells the headset that in stores. Does anyone else have an older frame with the bearing cups (flange) built in. That have had a similar issue? Will post pics later.

Dad’s Malvern star is like this, I think.
Loose ball, etc.
Google those perhaps.

Is this what you need?
NOS Headset for Vintage Frames Malvern Star Speedwell - eBay Road Bike Frames, Frames, Cycling, Sport. (end time 18-Oct-10 21:24:24 AEDST)

A lot of older bikes have this sort of headset, you have a couple of options

  1. you can have the cups cut back/ grinded off which is expensive but allows the use of standard headset
  2. you can try and source a replacement old head set which will be hard I am going to try and buy the ebay one above thats almost impossible to get
  3. if you live in Melbourne then go to Home, BikeShed they were able to help me out with some head set parts.

Good luck with getting your bike working just remember that the old forks will have a small width then modern hubs and also the axel will be larger so you will need to file the front forks and strech them a little!

I see what you did there…

Personally not going to google loose balls!

Guilty as charged, lol

So I’ve decided to grind the cups off. Its a standard 1" tube under there. Loose balls are no good, I like security.

You’ll fuckin’ what? For the sake of ‘security’? Don’t hack some shit up so you can put something modern on there!

+1, its not that difficult to source, if your in perth, check out pal & panther.

No need to grind, I have what you need.
PM me if interested.

Loose ball bearings make for a really smooth headset.
But putting loose balls in can be a bit fiddly until you have done it a few times.
But that is part of the fun.

You didn’t get the joke… loose balls - no security…
I’ll leave that one hanging.

Its not about putting something modern in, its about getting something thats not covered in rust and $90+ dollars and also one thats black and not silver like everyone elses.
It was a nightmare looking for the right bits, and the fix was staring me in the face with the head tube being a standard 1". So I removed the cups… good riddance… squared off the head tube and put a nice new (black) headset in. Done.