Matthew Bowne asked about Campy pista headsets.
The Campy catalogs show them from the 60's to the 80's. I can check the earlier one's if desired. I have also seen them on (and off) many original bikes from those timeframes as well. Including with the various different details specific to Campy headsets from these eras (e.g. 'lines' between the words on the top nut and cup shoulders (60's and 70's), or no lines (late 70's, 80's), more rounded top nuts in the 60's, etc.).
The pista does indeed have a lower stack height than the strada. This is due to the one functional difference between pista and strada headsets - the size of the bearing balls. Strada uses 3/16 balls, and pista uses smaller 5/32 balls.
FYI, 5/32 is the size of newer Campy headsets (C Record(?), Athena, Victory(?)), and can readily be found NOS, identified by the grey round plastic containers. In case you need balls for a pista headset, and want the special Campy size-matched grade 3 bearings. (They come in retainers, which works fine in pista, and like all Campy Record stuff, uses full coverage retainers, with more balls than most other brands).
The pista did come with loose balls, and smooth cups without the engaving of the strada headsets. The stack height was about 5mm lower than strada (~34mm vs. ~39mm). Gran Sport was similar to pista (smaller balls, lower stack height, non-engraved cups). Gran Sport had only two wrench flats on the top (adjustable) cup, while Record pista had 8 flats, like the Record strada.
I have no first-hand knowledge, but the only reasons I can think of that strada headsets were installed instead of pista units, is because that is what was readily on-hand when the bikes were built. But also perhaps the strada units lasted longer, due to the larger ball size. There was debate back in the day about larger balls being better (:P), and the general concensus at the time was that this was true. I have never tested this myself, and I see a lot more damaged strada lower cups/races, than pista one's. But I expect this is only due to pista units generally seeing far less miles in gritty wet conditions during the on-topic era.
Bill Roberts, Jacksonville, OR
Matthew Bowne Wrote: Some questions for the Campy Cognoscenti:
Can anyone tell me approximately what years Campagnolo offered a "pista" version of the Record/Nuovo Record headset? And more importantly, why? At first glance, it is nearly identical in design/construction to the more common "strada". I have always heard that the "pista" version had a lower stack height...but also heard that the only real differences were the lack of lettering on the sides of the cups and that they were packed with loose balls. Any pointers on dating one? Most track bikes I come across seem to have strada headsets installed. I suppose because they are much more commonly available and a headset is a part often replaced on well-ridden machines? Or were strada headsets installed on initial builds more than pista models for any particular reason? Any functional advantage of one over the other?
Matthew Bowne Trying to figure out what to do with this thing in... Brooklyn, New York