New headset required after less than 100 miles?

[Pulse]

I got to the bottom of my headset grinding. My bike went in to the shop today for its 8 week service. Yes, 8 week!

In that time, I’ve done some very sloppy rides admittedly, but covered less than 100 miles so far.

This is what the upper bearings look like. He left the bottom bearings in, but advised I need a new headset really.

This can’t be normal, can it? Not pressure washed (I haven’t even used a hose).

[numtumfutunch]

My MTBs have different headsets but winter road bike uses one just like that. It's regularly ridden through all manner of weather, grit and filth and they last 5-6 years before feeling stiff and don't ever look as bad as that

What brand of bike out of interest and what did the shop say assuming you queried?

[Pulse]

It’s an MTB. A 2020 Kona Honzo ST. It wasn’t a cheap bike, put it that way!

He first asked if I had pressure washed the bike, which I haven’t. He then said this time of year, it will takes its toll, and also the headset in the bike is rubbish anyway and should be replaced.

[gazza285]

Pulse said:

... also the headset in the bike is rubbish anyway and should be replaced.

Upgrade time. It is a cheap headset.

[Pulse]

gazza285 said:

Upgrade time. It is a cheap headset.

Is that the right way to go about it though? I don’t necessarily mind upgrading, but it seems a bit off given how few miles the bike has done. My last bike did well over 10,000 miles and it never had any headset issues. I never so much as greased it.

[gazza285]

Pulse said:

gazza285 said:

Upgrade time. It is a cheap headset.

Is that the right way to go about it though? I don’t necessarily mind upgrading, but it seems a bit off given how few miles the bike has done. My last bike did well over 10,000 miles and it never had any headset issues. I never so much as greased it.

A better one with proper seals will last longer, plus you can replace cartridge bearings much easier. You might also think about getting one of the short fork mounted mudguards, this would much reduce the amount of crap thrown at the lower race from the front wheel.

[King of Ko]

My mtb was £3500, the bottom bracket needed replacing after about 200 miles, upgraded to a Hope and I’ve done about 4000 miles without issue since. IMO bearings are always worth upgrading.

[Pulse]

Thanks everyone for your replies so far.

Does anyone know what headset I should be looking at? I see there's quite a few Hope headsets.

[gazza285]

https://www.hopetech.com/products/controls/headset...

[nickfrog]

Hope is great stuff but you really don't need to spend that much to get a very high quality headset with proper cartridge bearings which will last many years if we'll greased. The Brand X ones for instance are very high quality yet very affordable.

[bigandclever]

I don’t know, but can’t help feeling, 2 months old and less than 100 miles should be well under some form of consumer protection. Naturally, if it’s a chocolate part it would make sense to upgrade but I’d think the supplier has to do ‘something’ towards that.

[dontlookdown]

Yes OP, it should last longer than that, even if it is unsealed. And odd that the top race went before the bottom. Usually the other way round, esp if you don't have a front mudguard. I would suspect that it was fitted ungreased to get like that so quickly.

You could make a fuss claiming that it was not of merchantable quality. Or chalk it up and fit a better headset. 50 quid or so will get you one with seals and cartridge bearings that will be a big improvement from Cane Creek, Brand X or FSB for example.

If you can fit some kind of mudguard to keep the lower bearing dryish, it will last a lot longer.

[TwilightJohnny]

Something's not right there. According to the Kona website the 2020 Kona Honzo ST should have an FSA No.57B headset which is a sealed bearing headset. I'd be asking some questions of the shop you bought it from.

https://www.konaworld.com/archive/2020/honzo_st.cf...

[nickfrog]

^^^Supply chains have been massively disrupted by high demand and C19 delays and things are still nowhere near "normal" on that front so it wouldn't be a surprise if the manufacturer had downgraded the headset for lack of an alternative headset to the one in the specs.
Perhaps the OP could buy the £24 Brand X on the basis that the shop would fit it for free as the new cups need pressing in.

Edited by nickfrog on Sunday 3rd January 10:18

[TwilightJohnny]

I'm totally conscious of that - I own a bike shop - but I find it hard to believe that is a level of concession a manufacturer would make. They simply wouldn't ship a bike designed for a sealed bearing headset with a caged headset IMO.

[nickfrog]

TwilightJohnny said:

I'm totally conscious of that - I own a bike shop - but I find it hard to believe that is a level of concession a manufacturer would make. They simply wouldn't ship a bike designed for a sealed bearing headset with a caged headset IMO.

I agree it's hard to believe but what's the alternative explanation? Would be interesting to have a pic of the head tube to see if the rest of the headset is the correct FSA one and "just" the bearing has been downgraded rather than the entire headset.

Edited by nickfrog on Sunday 3rd January 11:37

[TwilightJohnny]

I'm going with incompetent mechanic at the shop it came from.

[TwilightJohnny]

There is a pic on the wheel out of alignment thread and it looks correct to me. You can't just slip in a caged bearing where a sealed bearing should fit and expect it to sit correctly.

[TwilightJohnny]

So, either the shop is lying and that's not the bearing which came out of it, or they put the wrong one in.

[Evanivitch]

bigandclever said:

I don’t know, but can’t help feeling, 2 months old and less than 100 miles should be well under some form of consumer protection. Naturally, if it’s a chocolate part it would make sense to upgrade but I’d think the supplier has to do ‘something’ towards that.

Certainly should be. There's no way that limited life is acceptable.