External Headsets

Threadless External Headsets VH-01

Name: Threadless External Headsets VH-01
Brand: VALORIDER
SKU: VH-01

110 gram external cup headset on two sealed cartridge bearings

Product overview

What It Is and Who It Is For

An external cup threadless headset, fully CNC machined from 6061AL-T6, running two sealed cartridge bearings. The set weighs 110 grams, measures 28.6 by 34 by 30 mm and gives a 33 mm stack height made up of 21 mm upper and 12 mm lower.

VH-01Model reference

110 g per setWeight

6061AL-T6, full set CNC machinedMaterial

28.6 mm x 34 mm x 30 mmDiameter

Threadless External Headsets VH-01 shown in detail

Key benefits

Why Buyers Choose This Part

Sealed cartridge bearings

Two sealed cartridges instead of loose balls and races, which is the difference between a headset that needs greasing every season and one that does not.

Machined as a full set

Cups, crown race and compression ring all machined from 6061AL-T6, so the tolerances match each other rather than being sourced from different places.

Five anodised colours

Red, gold, titanium, blue and black, which lets a brand match a headset to a frame without a custom run.

Problems It Solves

Loose ball headsets need servicing far more often than a sealed cartridge
Headsets that are not dimensionally consistent make frame assembly slow
A component range with no colour options cannot match a frame

Who It Is For

Frame builders specifying a headset for a straight 1 1/8 inch head tube
Bike brands completing an own-brand component range
Distributors supplying workshops with replacement headsets

Application Scenarios

Straight 1 1/8 inch head tube frames
Complete bike assembly on an OEM production line
Workshop replacement of a worn loose-ball headset

Technical Features

6061AL-T6 throughout, machined rather than cast
33 mm total stack height, which matters when you are calculating steerer length
28.6 mm steerer interface, 34 mm cup, 30 mm depth
Two sealed cartridge bearings

Specifications

Published Specification

Weight	110 g per set
Material	6061AL-T6, full set CNC machined
Diameter	28.6 mm x 34 mm x 30 mm
Stack height	21 mm + 12 mm = 33 mm
Bearings	2 sealed cartridge bearings
Colour	Anodised red, gold, titanium, blue or black

Every figure in this table is transcribed from the VALORIDER catalogue specification for this product. Nothing has been estimated.

Photography

Product Views

Threadless External Headsets VH-01 detail view 2

Threadless External Headsets VH-01 detail view 3

Threadless External Headsets VH-01 detail view 4

Compared With the Alternatives

The external cup sits outside the head tube, so it carries a taller 33 mm stack than our semi-internal headset at 9.5 mm, but it takes a larger bearing and suits frames that have not been machined for an internal cup. Choose semi-internal where the frame allows it and stack height matters.

Customisation and Manufacturing

Machined parts are cut from solid bar on the CNC side of the Shiyan Town plant. Alloy, tolerance and anodised colour are all specified at drawing stage, and the mark is usually lasered rather than printed so it survives handling and solvent.

Alloy and tolerance built to your drawing
Laser marking or engraving on the anodised surface
Anodised colour matched to an approved sample
Polybag, card or colour box packing

Use guide

Fitting and Living With It

Step 1
Confirm the head tube is machined for external cups before pressing.
Step 2
Press the cups square with a headset press, not with a hammer.
Step 3
Allow for 33 mm of stack when you cut the steerer.
Step 4
Preload with the top cap before clamping the stem, and check for play by holding the front brake and rocking the bike.