Threadless headset

[Azza]

Hi, im looking at buying a new mtb which has a threadless headset. I dont know the difference between all the different headsets. But my main question is, if i ever wanted to upgrade my fork lets say to a rock shox reba fork, will it be compatible with the threadless headset ? Thanks. And the model above the one i want to buy has a tapered headset. Is that much better to have ?

 

[Cellar]

The tapered one is also threadless.

[Azza]

The tapered one is also threadless.

 

Ok then why do they have diferent names ?

[100Tours]

Threadless headsets have been the standard for MTB for the past maybe 15 years(?) The old standard was a threaded headset, but nowadays you can only fit those on retro singlespeeds.

 

The constraint that you have is that some of the new forks are tapered. This means the bottom headset race is wider than the upper race, and it accepts a tapered fork. AFAIK all the top forks are still available in straight cut models, so good news is you're ok with your threadless set.

[droo]

Current standard is tapered, and you can fit almost any fork to a tapered headset with the right adaptors.

[divernick]

Threaded headset:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/images/repair_help/headtype18.jpg

 

Threadless headset:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/images/repair_help/headtype30.jpg

Edited February 19, 2014 by divernick

[divernick]

http://www.eandsweb.com/bikes/pics/mtbr/140_4074.JPG

[divernick]

Tapered steerer

 

http://oldglorymtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/tapered-steerer-tube.jpg

Edited February 19, 2014 by divernick