Here it is … my prototype MC3.1 Airheadset conversion kit complete with 1 1/8″ Chris King bearings. I’m going to play with the dimensions a bit to lower stack height just a tad more (make it more flush with the frame) and I’m also going to change the bearing seat press fit by 0.002″ as they were a little tight, but overall I’m pretty pleased. This brings the front end of the bike down about 1/2″ from my previous setup where I just put reducer spacers in the frame and pressed a regular NoThreadSet into that.
Check out the pictures below. Click on a thumbnail to see a larger version.
Airhead Chris King bearing conversion cups
Bare Cups
Bare Cups
Bottom Cup with Bearing
Lower Race Fit
Inside of bottom cup
RC660 Quick Metal to bond the cup in place
More RC660 on the cup itself
Bonded in place
Top Cup fitup (going to adjust the specs here to reduce the gap between the headset cap and frame)
Installed on the ’99 Pro frame
I can do a run of these if there is interest. I would need an order of 10 to make it worth my time. As for the cost, I’ll talk to my machinist about the price per pair of cups vs quantity produced … plus either a user supplied Chris King headset for the bearings, or an additional cost for me to buy a headset to pluck the bearings out of. I can make these to fit Cane Creek IS bearings as an option too, but the only IS bearings worth a crap are the 110 bearings. I’m only going to make one version of the cups, so if there’s a lot of people wanting CK bearings I’ll do that, if a lot of people want IS bearings I’ll do that instead.
-David
March 29th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Will this kit work for an MC2?
March 30th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
The bottom race should work an MC2, but the top will not. MC2 has the upper bearing inserted from the bottom of the headtube. Reset Racing uses a threaded collar to secure the upper cup. Google their kit.
This setup will only work on MC3.1 headsets.
-David
April 9th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Hey, would thesw work on a Q Pro Carbon frame?
Thanks!!!
-Chris
April 9th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
The Q Pro Carbon can be converted to 1 1/8″ much more easily … or you can just use King bearings and the original Aeros fork (which is a terrific fork).
See my posting about that here:
http://www.themacaddress.com/?p=99708188
Basically, the upper bearing is already a 1 1/8″ bearing (crappy IS bearing, but cheap to replace … maybe use a new style Cane Creek Split Lip sealed bearing for better longevity), and the lower is exactly the same size as a King 1 1/4″ bearing. So you can use those bearings with the OE fork (replacing the OE airhead lower bearing with the better sealed King one), or you can use a King Devolution 1 1/4″ base plate and put a regular 1 1/8″ fork in there.
-David
May 5th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Hey David, I just stumbled across your site as I was researching the Reset Racing kit. I pulled my ’02 Attitude (w/ Adroit MC3.1 headset) out of the rafters today to give my ’97 Mantra Race a break in the pits for a bit. I’ve been so bad about maintenance that the cable housing on the rear der literally exploded on me yesterday. …time to refresh the old girl w/ a new drivetrain. This will be be the third one in 13 years.
Anyway, your experience on the Reset adapter kit makes me question that purchase. How does your new approach compare in performance? …and did you get around to having a run of adapters made for the MC3.1?
Cheers,
Matthew
Portland, OR
May 14th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
The RESET kit’s lower bearing cup is very good. Good quality bearing and good fit. Re-use of the upper bearing is unfortunate however as the Klein Airhead bearings tend to be poorly sealed and bind up worse than most headset bearings under top cap pre-load.
My kit functions 100% as smooth as a Chris King headset because it uses CK bearings, top and bottom. Stack height and what not are very similar (the Reset kit sinks the lower bearing into the headtube like mine does, etc).
That said, Reset’s other kits that replace both the upper and lower bearing (MC3, MC2, etc) are very good (I have one on my ’97 Mantra Pro).
I haven’t made a run of these because I haven’t received any feedback. I have one extra set of cups I can set up for you if you’d like to send me an old CK 1 1/8″ headset for me to scavenge the bearings out of. Then you could post a review or something :-D
-David
May 21st, 2009 at 3:02 am
I’ve found your site very interesting… Can anyone provide information about the headset spec’d in the Klein Aura road bikes? These models were only produced for a few of Klein’s last years, by Trek. I’ve been thinking about getting one to compliment my Palomino. Does the Aura use an “airheadset” that could be converted to CK with a reset kit? Does the Aura use a more generic internal/integrated headset?
May 21st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Aura is essentially the same bike as the Q Carbon (not to be confused with the Q Pro Carbon) and Rêve. All use regular Cane Creek IS headsets (or bearings more properly).
You can convert it to use CK bearings … you just need a reaming/boring tool to take the 45 degree bearing mating surface off and leave a square lip instead. My machinist made me one such tool in trade for me tuning up his old Raleigh :-) Then you use some RC660 and bond the CK bearings in.
Cane Creek actually makes some decent bearings for the IS configuration now. The 110 and 100 bearings are a vast improvement on the poorly sealed garbage they used to sell.
-David
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:32 am
Hello
I’m looking after a Klein Mantra in good shape but I want to know if the SPOT ON pivot on the frame works on sealed bearings or on plastic bushings ?
Thanks
June 19th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Hey David, I just saw your post.
I’m interested. So, I need to find an old CK 1 1/8″ headset for you to use as a core. Do you need anything more than the bearings themselves? Chris King is here in Portland, so I’ll run by and see if I can get you the bearings. Let me know if you need anything else.
THx!
.matthew
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:33 am
All I need are the bearings. CK doesn’t sell them tho. I even offered to pay for a whole headset and just get the bearings and they said no. Maybe they’ll be more receptive in person.
See if you can get I.D. and O.D. measurements on their one.point.five headset bearing while you’re there!
-David
July 18th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
David,
I’m interested in the conversion, do I need to get an old ck headset or can you just use a new one? I like the way the your conversion sets in rather than adding height.
July 19th, 2009 at 6:06 am
An old or new headset will work, I just need the bearings to press into my cups. Since CK bearings are pretty durable and well sealed, you might as well save some money and get a used headset. I rebuild/repack the bearings after I’ve removed them from the CK cups prior to inserting them in my new cups.
-David
July 21st, 2009 at 4:16 am
Glad I just came across your site before purchasing a kit from RESET. Definitely quality items but the cost of shipping is about the same price of the headset! Anyway, please email me and let me know if you have any headsets for the MC3.1 Klein Adroit Pro. Please email me your price too. I can get you the CK headset…no problem there. Thamks!
Filip
July 24th, 2009 at 2:00 am
my husband has been trying to get a headset for his klien mantra pro as you know the top and the bottom are different he has no idea what the cup size for the bottom is his forks are 1/8 just wondering if you could help could send a reply via my email i would be etenally grateful to you if i can solve this problem for my husband thanks helena.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:16 am
My machinist is making a run of 10 pairs of cups for the Chris King bearing MC3.1 conversion. If you would like a set, post about it in the forums here:
http://www.themacaddress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=60
-David
July 30th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I have had 5 kleins and still own 3 with airhead sets. this is great.. Do you have plans to make cups for a 1.5″lower/1.125″ tapered fork? I have a 2001 adroit race that needs help with both the fork and HS so just checking before I do anything.
July 30th, 2009 at 7:36 am
The regular 1 1/8″ conversion kit should be manufactured any day now … just waiting to hear from my machinist still …
For a 1.5 to 1 1/8″ tapered fork, I have a solution. Now that interest is ramping up I’ll be looking at adding other options such as a tapered steerer kit. Watch the forums/main page for updates.
I will be trying to add a MC1 compatible unit to the MC3.1 compatible stuff I am working on currently. I may look into MC2/MC3 (bottom loaded bearings) as well, but Reset has an excellent solution for this … and their MC2/MC3 kit replace the top bearing with a very high quality unit (their MC3.1 kit re-uses the OE Klein bearing). The main improvement I would be after would be reducing stack height on the upper bearing.
-David
September 12th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I am interested in your conversion kit for my MC3.1 Klein Adroit Race. Can you place an order for me or do you have any in stock? I need one yesterday or asap if that helps. I have a CK headset to send you and will send the frame if I have to. I’m desperate as my frame is useless without it. Thanks,
Rob
September 12th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Morris, thanks for the interest. Working on a revised design at a different machine shop. Will post on the front page soon as I have cups in stock.
The 3.1 kit for the Mantra will work in the Adroit, but will not be dead flush with the frame like the Mantra kit is (bearing registers in the Adroit aren’t as deep).
-David
December 14th, 2009 at 4:24 am
Hi David,
I really need the MC3.1 kit for my Adroit. I have not heard back from you and I need it as soon as possible. Please email me @ rmorris67@comcast.net and let me know what I need to do. Thanks,
Rob
February 25th, 2010 at 10:23 am
I have a 1994 klein attitude can tell me where i can get a headset adapter so that i can put new handle bars and headset on my klein.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Andres:
http://www.reset-racing.de/reset/steuer_index_1.htm#klein
Cheers
-David
March 30th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Similar to Andres, I’ve got a 96 Klein Attitude that I’d like to upgrade the fork on. I’m told this is very difficult because of the size of the headset Klein used. Do you have a kit for this?
Thanks!
August 4th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
I’m working on an MC2/MC3 headset solution for older frames at present.
-David