Before diving into the Headset let’s get to know about the hope Technology. Hope Technology is a privately owned bicycle part manufacturer based in the north of England employing almost 100 people. In the field of mountain biking, the name of the Hope might not be new for riders. They are famous for their design, craftsmanship, and product durability.
Their all components are first designed and made by the team at their own factory which is located in the Barnoldswick, Lancashire, United Kingdom. Hope has been scheming and industrializing cycling products at the absolute apex of recital for over 25 years. Headset is two bearings at either end of your bike frame’s head tube which the forks pass through.
Those bearings allow the forks to turn inside the frame, without wobbling around or moving forwards and backwards. It is an interface between the forks to the bike frame that hold it securely in place while allowing it to rotate to steer. While the interface requires lateral stiffness to withstand riding loads, including cornering, braking and potholes, it also needs to be rotationally free for steering.
Why Hope headset?
While riding a bike some time headset are often overlooked and neglected but it is an essential component to your bike. Your bike’s headset is the bearing assembly that keeps your fork attached to your bicycle, and it’s what allows you to turn your fork and handlebars to steer your bicycle. If these headsets are poorly attached or installed, it will be hard for both steering and bike handling.
Whereas, if your headset is attached rightly, then it gives you smoother turning, greater durability in that the bearings are a higher grade, the sealing is usually better, and finally they are usually lower maintenance. While buying the bike, there are a couple of different types of headsets to consider, you can go either for threaded or thread less. It depends upon your frame or fork type.
Basically, threaded headset works with forks have a threaded steer tube. It is found that these types o threaded headset are found in old lower end bike. Meanwhile thread less bike is used in those forks which have thread less fork.
Design and manufacture of hope headset
If you are looking for the good quality, and easy to fit headset then Hope is the best option for you. Hope’s integral headsets are not only smooth and reliable rotation on every ride. But with the multiple seals it protect it from water and dirt ingress and fully sealed cartridge bearings, its smooth performance will last too. Adding to the detail designs and component that are used during the initial phase of manufacture is Aluminium taper rings.
Apart from the taper ring other part including the cups, crown race and taper ring are also made from the 2014 T6 Aluminium. Because it is compatible with MTB frames with tapered head tubes and suspension forks with tapered steerers tubes. With the perfect fork, Hope’s Integral headset is only available in black color. The headset is made to fit low stack 1 1/8″ frames where two bearings fit directly into the frame.
If we said that Hope is one of the best mountain bike components makers, then it will not be wrong. They use their best quality stainless steel bearings, specifically to resist corrosion. However, small variation can lead creaking or a damaged head tube in the long run, thus hope is working on their best to ensure that our headsets fit as they should.
Apart from the black color you can also buy hope headset in any color. However, just because o the color variation, and good look we cannot assure that these hope headset are the best. So while buying the headset research and test the headset and look after those headsets that match your bike.
Credit: bike24.com
Performance of Hope Headset
As we already talked about the importance of headset on the trail. Many bike designer make three types of headset: Conventional, Integrated and Integral. The headset whose bearing sitting is outside of the frame then they are called conventional headset sees the headset bearings sitting outside of the frame. Whereas, integrated headsets set the bearings in cups that sit inside the frame.
Finally, integral headsets do away with replaceable cups, and the bearings sit directly in the frame. When it comes to hope they only specify top quality Swiss-made INA cartridge bearings conjunction with great sealing. As a result their headset runs smoothly for years, regardless of the conditions as compare to other headset.
According to many riders the tapered head tubes, oversized head tubes and straight or tapered fork steerer’s things get a little more complex. Thus, hope has Upper Cups and Lower Cups that allows you to select the upper and lower cups that fit your frame/fork combo. Overall, the Performance of the Hope headset is pretty good.
Not only that Hope Technology is one of the world leaders in engineering bicycle components. Since 1989, owners Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp have been pushing the industry in the top level. Their work in designing, testing and manufacturing virtually all products in-house at the factory in Barnoldswick, United Kingdom is one of the most fascinating.
Price of Hope Headset
A good headset is something your bike cannot go with. The newly designed CNC milled, high-quality processed Ahead headset comes with the sealed industrial bearings for 1 1/8 “fork shafts! Additional rubber seals on the bearings, cone and cover cap are available for a long service life. While purchasing the bike headset, notice that whether the headset’s squeeze ring and fork cone are slotted or not.
If those are slotted then it will be easy assembly, the headset also includes the HOPE Head Doctor, Ahead cap and expander set for gentle clamping in the fork shaft. In average Hope headset cost you around £105.00 now only £98.99. However, the price may be little higher but the quality and the product worth your money. As we said earlier that the money that you invest on the product depends upon the component they used to make.
Thus, it would not be wrong to say that it will be waste of your money on Hope headset. However, before buying consider the price and quality and the fact that it’s a product made by Hope.
Hope’s headset detail
Here are some technical specifications of headset,
Material: CNC milled aluminum, steel
Design: conventional
Steerers: 1 1/8 ”
SHIS top: EC34 / 28.6
SHIS lower part: EC34 / 30
Press-in dimension above Ø: 34 mm
Press-in dimension below Ø: 34 mm
Outside diameter above: 46 mm
Outside diameter below: 46 mm
Construction height above: 10.5 mm
Height below: 13.5 mm
Bearing: Industry – angular contact ball bearings, double sealed
Color: black, silver, red, blue, orange, purple, gold
Weight: 90g / 120g (including Head Doctor Expander)
How to install Hope’s headset?
Sometime fixing headset by yourself might be a subject of headache. Don’t worry we will help you to overcome this fear and guide you to fix your own Headset. At first unscrew the aluminium bolt from the wedge by the help of a 6mm Allen key. Then place those in aluminium bolt and top cap to one side. Following that gain by using 8mm Allen key, partly undo the bolt in the wedge unit, until the assembly is loose. After those places those wedge into steerers by the help of 8mmm Allen bolt head to the top. Incase if these wedge are tight then again t make it loose use before key. When the wedge is tight then loosen it again before using the key.
After putting into the steerers make sure that the wedges sits approx 12mm beneath the top of the steerers. However, sometime it might become snug at some time so don’t worry if some gentle persuasion is needed. i.e. tap it in with a hammer! Finally squeeze the Outer Ring together with your fingers to get it started. As usual by the help of the Allen key tighten the wedge until it is solid in the steerers. Later, then install the stem and spacer if needed bolt are undone and everything moves freely on the steerers will aid easy adjustment.
With the help of an Allen key, tighten the wedge until the steerers are solid. Later install the stem and spacer, unfasten the bolts if necessary, and everything should move freely on the steerers to aid in the easy adjustment.At last put the bolt on the top of cap and apply little grease to the threads. Then fit the bolt and top cap to the top of the stem. Lastly, gently wind the bolt clockwise with a 6mm Allen key into the now fixed wedge unit until a little resistance is felt
How do I choose the right mountain bike headset?
To fix mountain bike head set you must have knowledge on what is your headset and which one is perfect or your mountain bike. To identify your headset is Press Fit or Integrated. Press Fit headsets have headset bearing cups sitting between the frame and the bearing. After that measure the inside diameter of your frame’s head tube and measure the fork steerer’s tube as well. After noticing everything on your frame and tube you will get to know your mountain bike headset perfectly.
