(Oops, I hit the wrong button and sent this direct to Otis the first time. Here it goes out to the list...)
Otis wrote:
> I have an early 70's Super Course that I've been using as a fixed gear
> beater to run errands on and such. But I've come to like it enough to
> upgrade the parts a bit. The stock headset is junk, and I thought no prob
lem
> I have used NR and Dura Ace English headsets around I could donate to the
> cause but they do not want to thread on. Looks like a little finer pitch,
> and the bearing race nuts I have all seize before they clear the top of t
he
> steerer. So just what size is this, and is there a decent, affordable
> headset available (needs a 27.0 fork race as well)? Thanks in advance.
As usual, Sheldon "Nottingham" Brown covers this pretty well:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
> The stock Raleigh headsets have proven to be unusually long lived, so
> it will rarely be necessary to replace one, unless you wish to install a
non-
> Raleigh fork.
>
> You can even mix and match. If your Raleigh headset cups are worn
> out or rusted on the load-bearing bottom section, you can replace just
> the bottom with any standard ISO 1" headset parts, and re-use the Raleigh
> upper assembly.
My take is that the parts are common as dirt (off any Record, Grand Prix, etc) so if some part on your bike is thrashed, you can surely find a workable replacement from your junkpile, or a friend's junkpile, or your LBS's junkpile. It's the most earth-friendly form of recycling. But yeah, the stock headset is all steel, tough as nails from what I've seen, and generally ought to work fine. No shame to your fixie in sticking with it.
Peace,
Tim Victor Greensboro, NC
ps: Having had the distinct pleasure of chatting with him for a while this afternoon, I can say that Sheldon is as pleasant and erudite in person as his web presence suggests. Even though I'm a townie, this is my first Cirque and I can' t begin to say how much fun it's been already.