Are JIS headsets that unusual?

[Teuchter]

I'm In process of getting my fixed gear back on the road after powder coating a few weeks ago. It was originally an early 80s (at a rough guess) Falcon Oxford 10 speed road bike in Reynolds 501. After an hour trying in vain to fit the fork crown race from my new Tange Levin headset to it last night, I gave up before I broke something and hit google. Should have done this earlier as it only took a moment to find Sheldon's pages on headset sizes.

Back out to the shed and I discover I've got a 27.0mm fork crown and the headtube ID is a shade over 30mm (but smaller than 30.2mm ISO standard). All this indicates I need a JIS, not an ISO headset.

Looking online, I find there are very few available (at least here in the UK) compared to the huge selection of ISO 1" threaded headsets. Are frames that take these really that unusual?

I know I could get it milled to take ISO but Spa Cycles are selling a Shimano 105 JIS headset of suitably low stack height for £25 so I'm going to order that. The Tange will be put aside for later use in my Peugeot.

 

[raleighnut]

The 105 is a great headset<got one on my Worksop built 531 Raleigh

 

[Teuchter]

The 105 is a great headset<got one on my Worksop built 531 Raleigh

Cheers, good to know. Ordered it yesterday along with one of Spa Cycles' leather saddles.

 

[Cycleops]

Lets have a pic when it is finished.

 

[Teuchter]

Lets have a pic when it is finished.

Will do, though I've been sidetracked to another project, "modernising" my Peugeot at the moment. I'm introducing 90s technology with 8 speed STI shifters, dual pivot brakes and a cassette rear instead of the old sidepulls and 6 speed friction shifted freewheel. The Spa saddle is going on it and the old Brooks I did have on the Peugeot will be getting moved to the fixed gear bike.

As of a couple of weeks ago, the fixed gear was at this stage...


I'm in two minds over the green tyres.

The 105 headset went on nicely though I should have cleaned the grease off before getting my camera out.

 

[Cycleops]

Very nice, although I have to say green is my personal least favourite colour for bikes! Sorry

 

[Teuchter]

Very nice, although I have to say green is my personal least favourite colour for bikes! Sorry

Don't apologise... it would be a dull world if we all liked the same colours!

I can see issues in future persuading people in this neck of the woods that the bike's colour has nothing to do with supporting Celtic Football Club. I'm completely uninterested in football and as a biker, see this colour as Kawasaki green, not Celtic green. My Rangers fanatic step-son however was unimpressed with the colour, seeing it as a nod to his team's arch rivals.