10 Best Bike Headsets
for May 2023

The DeeRu 1 1/8" Light Bicycle Aluminum Headset Top Cap & Stainless Steel Bolt MTB Bike, Bolt Cap Covered is a great replacement headset top cap. It replaces your old and worn out headset top cap, making your bike look newer and better than before. Made from premium aluminum and stainless steel, this headset top cap is lightweight and strong. The 1 1/8" thread size of this headset top cap fits most standard 1-1/8" handlebars and fork stems. The stainless steel bolt is durable and corrosion-resistant. The bolt head is 5 grams, and the bolt body weighs 7 grams. The DeeRu 1 1/8" Light Bicycle Aluminum Headset Top Cap & Stainless Steel Bolt MTB Bike, Bolt Cap Covered is easy to install. All you need to do to install this headset top cap and bolt is to remove the old headset top cap and bolt, and screw the new headset top cap and bolt onto the bicycle stem. The DeeRu 1 1/8" Light Bicycle Aluminum Headset Top Cap & Stainless Steel Bolt MTB Bike, Bolt Cap Covered is easy to install. It is made to be durable. This headset top cap and bolt is built to last.

The You+ 44mm Heavy Duty Headset is the strongest headset we tested. It's made of a forged steel cups and oversized 1/4 inch bearings in the lower cup, making it more resistant to breaking and twisting than any other in our comparison. The cups are CNC machined, so they're smooth and precise, and the top cap is forged, too, for even greater strength. The upper cup has a tapered thread, so it fits onto most forks with 1.5-inch standard taper pipe and 2.3-inch tapered threads. The cups and bearings are sealed, so they're easy to clean, and most dirt will rinse off. The headset weighs only 4.9 ounces, and it's precisely machined, so it's extremely light. The fit is precise, too, so it's easy to set up. This headset is intended for use with high-mileage mountain bikers, so it's tougher than most headsets. The bearings are oversized, so there's less friction, and this headset should last for years.

The Headset Press Fit Tool should be an essential part of any bike mechanic's tool kit. This tool can be used to install headsets on bikes, and because it comes with a flathead screwdriver already installed, it's less cumbersome than using a traditional headset press. The Headset Press Fit Tool is well-made, sturdy, and feels quite durable. The threaded bolt is long enough to provide leverage for pressing in the bearings, and the hole in the center of the bolt makes it easier to position the bolt. The threaded bolt is also removable, so you can easily clean the bolt with isopropyl alcohol. The base plate is coated with a non-stick layer, and it's capable of withstanding high torque. The baseplate isn't illumination, so you'll need to use a flashlight to guide your tools during press-fit procedures. The Headset Press Fit Tool also doesn't come with a flathead screwdriver, so you'll need to buy one separately.

This headset press is well-designed and engineered, delivering plenty of power for the job. It bolts onto a standard M16 bolt, and it comes with two 6mm Allen wrenches, so it's easy to install. The parts are all well made, and the handle feels sturdy and well balanced. The press is heavy, so it's quite a chore to use, but it's surprisingly easy to operate. Our only complaint is that its threaded shaft is a bit too flexible, so it's sometimes difficult to press parts into place. Other than that, this is a great headset press, and it's well worth the money.

The CNC 1-1/8" Headset is a well-made, lightweight, and affordable headset. Its solid CNC machined construction makes it feel slightly more expensive than it is, and it's perfectly smooth and easy to fit. It's light enough for most bikes, and it has a tapered fork interface, so its adjustment range is wider than most headsets. The CNC 1-1/8" Headset is one of our top picks because it's easy to adjust and feels much better than other headsets on bikes with 30mm crown race. The CNC 1-1/8" Headset doesn't come with a set of adjustable headsets, which is common for lower-priced headsets. But, it is compatible with a wide range of headsets, including Shimano (73mm), Cane Creek (68mm), Avid (68mm), and Suntour (65mm).

Our reviewers are not professional bicycle mechanics, so we're not qualified to say for certain whether your headset will fit your bike. However, after trying several headsets on several different bikes, we found that the VGEBY1 headset from RedWhiteBlue was by far the most compatible. Not only was it easy to install, but it was durable, sturdy, and easy to install. The headset is angled to the right, and the cables are long enough that you don't need to run them up your handlebars. The headset also came with two different spacers that are different sizes, so you can choose the one that best fits your fork. Just keep in mind that the spacers are oriented with the notch facing toward the stem, so you'll need to change this orientation if your bike is different. We haven't tested the longevity of the headset, but it's only been on for a few months, and we haven't noticed any signs of wear.

This headset is well-made and sturdy, and it's considerably lighter than the titanium headsets we tested. It's also more comfortable, thanks to its higher handlebar clamp. The headset clamps are adjustable, so it can accommodate a number of different handlebar widths. The clamp screws are tightened with a hex key, so you can't tighten them enough to damage the bars, and there's enough thread in the clamp to lock the headset securely. The headset's end caps have threaded inserts, so you can remove the headset without tools. The headset is very easy to install. We removed our bike's existing headset, replaced it with this headset, and tightened the clamp screws. The headset stays in place, and there's very little vibration. The clamp screws are long enough to fit most handlebar sizes, and the headset clamp rotates 180 degrees so you can put it on whichever handlebar you prefer. The headset has two holes in the end cap, so it's easy to fit it with a bicycle lock. The headset is easy to install, and it's versatile enough to replace most headsets on road bikes, mountain bikes, and city bikes.

The Micro Trader Bike External Headset Sealed Cartridge Bearings has all the usual features one expects from a good headset, namely a sealed cartridge bearing, a 30mm diameter crown race, and 1-1/8'' steerer tube. The bearings themselves were quiet, smooth, and easy to install. The headset was easy to assemble and fit onto the bike, and the bearings fit perfectly in the headset. The only drawback is that the headset is made of plastic, so it's fairly lightweight, but that's to be expected on a bike headset. All in all, the Micro Trader Bike External Headset Sealed Cartridge Bearings is a great choice for commuters, mountain bikers, and casual cyclists alike.

The Ritchey Comp Logic Threadless Headset is one of the best headsets you can buy for your bike. It has a solid 1 1/8-inch steerer tube, which means it's compatible with a wide range of frames. It's lightweight, comfortable, and easy to operate. The cups are deep, so they don't rattle around, and they offer lots of room for longer stems. The cartridge bearings are smooth and durable, and they offer tons of grip. They're also easy to replace, so you can keep them in top condition. The Comp Logic is compatible with disc brakes, but the brakes should sit level with the top of the fork. And the headset is designed to work with both 1 1/8-inch and 1 1/4-inch steerer tubes. The Comp Logic comes with a set of cups, a spacer, and a tool, so you can install it yourself. The cups have a subtle Ritchey logo on them, and they don't come with a top cap, so you'll need to buy one separately.

The Hamimelon Bike Bicycle 1 1 8inches Threadless External Headset Sealed Cartridge Bearings (Blue) is one of the better headsets we've tested. It's made with high-quality CNC machined aluminum, and it's lightweight, too. The cartridge bearing is sealed, so you'll have no concerns about grease getting in and gunking up the mechanism. The headset has 1 1/8" threadless interface, so it's compatible with most bolt-on headsets, including most road, mountain, and cyclo-cross bikes. The 1 1/8" interface is also perfect for most headsets with 1 1/4" threads. The headset is easy to attach to the head tube, and it comes with installation instructions. The Hamimelon Bike Bicycle 1 1 8inches Threadless External Headset Sealed Cartridge Bearings (Blue) is reasonably priced, too, and it's one of only a few headsets we tested that fits most bikes.