FSA Orbit X

Price Paid:  $0.00 at OEM from Airborne.ne

Favorite Ride:
Franconia Notch

Bike Setup:
Now a Cannondale CAAD4 Saeco Replica with full D/A 10.

Summary:
Looks great, feels great, sure doesn't weight much. Occasional need for adjustment, but anyone who doesn't regularly adjust their headset replaces them a lot or lies.

I'm not a gentle rider. Potholes, cars, crashes, rain, road salt, grit snow, no fenders - and the only wear this headset has shown is slight rust discoloration on the metal on the lower bearing cartridge. A little Brillo (no soap) took care of that, but inattentive riders might destroy it that way.

This headset is currently in its 3rd frame, which is pretty gosh darn impressive, if you ask me. And still as smooth as a new King.

Strengths:
Very tough, still smooth after 4 years, nice looking, light, unpretentious.

Weaknesses:
Won't impress bike snobs like a King.

Similar Products Used:
Chris King ($125!?) Cane Creek S-2 (also good), Cane Creek S-3 (not as good) Orbit XL II (overbuilt, less prone to stay adjusted), Aheadset SAS, assorted no-name junk

Price Paid:  $60.00 at online

Bike Setup:
Ti racer, campag

Summary:
I've never had a headset so easy to fit. It hammered into the frame really positively, both top and bottom. Getting the lower ring onto fork race was a struggle, but that may well have been the forks, and anyway, better too tight than loose. Then you slot all the pieces together and it actually "clicked" into place! There was effectively no need to tighten the top cap. Plus it is lighter than most and has a relatively low stack height. I can't say anything about the durability yet, but in terms of set-up and spec's, you need a good reason not to choose this. Oh and it wasn't even expensive!

Strengths:
Weight and profile are tiny for the price.
You could train dolphins to fit it

Weaknesses:
Can't speak for durability yet

Similar Products Used:
WTB, Woodman, unbranded

Price Paid:  $0.00 at purchased with frame

Favorite Ride:
any ride in the sun

Bike Setup:
DeSalvo Steel frame, campy components

Summary:
Nice headset, easy to use and is smooth. Plenty of headset for a road bike

Strengths:
smooth, well built

Weaknesses:
none at this time

Price Paid:  $40.00 at Spicer Cycles

Favorite Ride:
constant left turns at high speed

Bike Setup:
Spicer custom aluminum track frame, Miche Primato Piste track group, Ambrosio tubular rims laced to Suzue Promax hubs

Summary:
I put this HS on my track frame at the suggestion of the builder. He said that for a sealed cartridge bearing HS, you couldn't get much better for the price, and he was right. This HS is smooth and looks very nice. No issues at all.

Strengths:
Smooth, smooth, smooth. Looks good.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Cane Creek S2, Cane Creek Aheadset, random no-name threaded HS on my beater fixie

Price Paid:  $50.00 at Mike's Bikes, Yucca

Favorite Ride:
Rides with more downhill than climbing

Bike Setup:
Basso Coral, Campy Veloce group, FSA OrbitX headset, American Cassic post, Selle San Marco Ozono race gel saddle, 3TTT bars&stem, Fir Net97 rims, Vittoria tires

Summary:
This headset is smooth! With a lower profile than I expected, it looks right at home on My Italian frame. It was recommended to me by Mike (from Mike's Bikes) when I balked at the high price of the Record headset he had. There were some install problems, but that was due to the fork, not the Orbit, and it uses this nifty split lower race that speeds canging the cartridge bearings for maintenance.

Strengths:
Low maintenance cartridge bearings.
Stylish, smooth and affordable.

Weaknesses:
None yet.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale OEM, Shimano DX, Cane Creek