Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Ok, my headset bearings are buggered. A set looks to be ~£30 and I have a Cane Creek 40. I'm thinking it might just be easier and better to upgrade to Hope. Any thoughts?

Would this be the one I need for an Orange Gyro?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-tapered-integral-headset/

Would it require any special tools to fit?

I'd get new bearings or fit something completely indestructible if an upgrade was on the cards, personally. CK?

The Gyro looks to be a straight 49mm headtube, so an integrated bottom cup won't work. You need a 4 top cup and and F bottom. Merlin have 10% off Hope over £50 so it works out pretty cheap.

http://www.merlincycles.com/hope-pick-n-mix-headset-cups-55430.html

Add in a head doctor if you particularly want one, but I wouldn't bother.
Technically a headset press is the way to fit, but I've always had good results with freezing the cups, and tapping them in straight with a piece of wood and a hammer.

I'd choose Hope over CK for headsets, they're excellent.

It's a 1 1/8 top and 1.5 bottom.

Yeh, I'd assumed that, but what you need to know is the internal diameter of the frames headtube to get the correct cups. Looking at the orange site it seems to be a 49.57mm internal diameter straight headtube and comes with EC49 (external bearing 1.5" internal diameter) bottom cup and a ZS49 (Internal bearing 1 1/8" diameter) top cup which would correspond with the Hope H and 4 cups respectively.

I have an unused and unopened CK inset that corresponds to that (bought in error and too late to return) which I'd do pretty cheap.

Ooh. How cheap?

Thanks for the advice, everyone, by the way. Headsets seem to have got VERY complicated recently.

Someone I know is selling this: http://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/giant-xtc-4-hardtail-27spd-hydraulic-disk-breaks-newly-serviced-and-comes-with-freebies/1088248752

Based in Putney.

Do many of you get trains to these events? I live in kingston-upon-thames with my enduro bike with me at uni but wanna try and get some more off road miles and events in

I post here occasionally when I drive to events, offering lifts. Never had a response.

#notbitter

Most bloody events are on Sunday's which I tend to work. So not been able to go out to play. This is compounded by me being fat, slow and having to ride the fatbike as my 29er needs the forks servicing.

@Howard

We may be driving to the entire so possibly you could get a pic with us.

http://youtu.be/CVDnNfC1HJw

I'm still waiting for you to take me to Thetford Forest.

Winter is coming (so the car park will be empty).

@dancing james sorry - are you saying you are driving now?

And what's wrong with your sids?

Annie may drive me over

The SIDS hydraulic control needs bleeding and the forks need to be relubricated.

Tyres need to be reseated and filled with fresh Stan's fluid. BB needs to be regressed. Hubs need servicing.

Gizza lift then :)

Come to this guys

Should be a real laugh :)

Sorted: http://instagram.com/p/vZI6DCDVI4/

Thanks for advice, it fits like a glove.

Is that 'Hope' logo centered?

Probably not. And every time a pedant asks me if it is I'll stare deep into their eyes before telling them so, and savour the moment as their worldview crumbles.

There's no 'ope for you.

And rightly so.