Types of Headsets for Mountain Bikes

"We have two fundamental types of headsets that are still in use on bikes today. The majorities of bikes have a thread less or clamp on style headset where the steer tube of your fork comes out through the top of your frame and your stem clamps on. Older bikes still use what is called a threaded style headset. Where this tube inserts inside of your head tube. Then this expander wedge as you tighten it, it comes up and keeps things from moving. I am going to focus on thread less headsets because bye and large that is what you see on today?s market. You have three types of headsets, three different main types of headsets. You have got an inch and an eighth head tube that means the diameter of this piece of your steer tube which is attached to your fork is 1.125 inches. That comes in two styles; it comes in an integrated style like this where the bearings are pressed directly into the frames. There are recesses in the frame for them. Then we have an external headset, where we have a cup which is pressed into the frame and then the bearings are on top of that cup. A lot of the newer bikes come with the integrated style headsets because they allow you to get a little bit of a shorter head tube length because your bearings are inside. It's also a pretty strong interface you can do all sorts of fancy stuff making and turning a relieved butted head tube. One nice thing about the external style especially on bikes that see lots of abuse it that it is a lot easier to replace something if you ovalize or dent one of these bearing races. Its some people agree or disagree about internal verses external headsets."