# head tube ID for CX-1



## southpointcycles (Feb 28, 2004)

Does anyone know what the internal diameter of CX-1 head tube is? The headset that came with my 2009 frame is worn out & I wanted to confirm whether I could replace it with a standard FSA press fit headset (44mm ID) or if it is a proprietary width.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

I "think" it has to come from the dealer. Make sure you have your Vaseline handy when you buy one...

I searched, but couldn't find one that would work. Mine was over $100 to replace. The replacement from the dealer was slightly different, better I hope..I'd hate to have to pay $100+ every six months to keep my bars smooth turning. So far, my new one's been a lot better than the old one...I only had to adjust this one once after install...probably when the bearings 'bedded-in'...the one that came originally, that sucked! I was always having to fuss with it till it finally turned to crap in about 6 months of riding.

Other than that, the CX-1 is a wonderful bike for me. about 15k miles on mine so far, still think it's my best frame so far.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Hard to believe that the headset is proprietary and that it has problems withing 15,000 miles or 6 months. I truly wish Colnago hadn't gone away from the external headset because my Chris Kings seem to work flawlessly for years and years and miles and miles.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

fabsroman said:


> Hard to believe that the headset is proprietary and that it has problems withing 15,000 miles or 6 months. I truly wish Colnago hadn't gone away from the external headset because my Chris Kings seem to work flawlessly for years and years and miles and miles.



Mine got crunchy and impossible to adjust in fewer than 15k...more like about 2k...I certainly don't get 15k in six months of riding.

Agree, Colnago usually doesn't make many mistakes with their bikes..they are conservative with changes. But having an outside bearing..that has become pretty 'old school' and probably cost them some bike sales. If you can't sell bikes, you go out of the bike business..so they followed along with what prospective buyers were looking for in a High Dollar frame...They just made a slight production mistake that I think they fixed fairly quickly..As I said, the replacment I got from them was slightly different looking and it's been fine now for 6-8k miles. But to get the bearing, one must buy the whole "headset" which includes two carbon spacers and a new binder..and of course, it comes in a box with that cool little clover leaf on it...that has to be worth $, too.


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

You can buy a CX1 headset from PBK for a little under $100 after you enter the USA10 code.

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A1199


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Kenacycle said:


> You can buy a CX1 headset from PBK for a little under $100 after you enter the USA10 code.
> 
> http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A1199


 I don't agree with the practice of making things just slightly different so that they become brand and model-specific/exclusive. 

Far as I could tell with micrometers and a large stack of old and new headset bearings on my bench alongside the Colnago one...there ain't any difference except the angle of the race seems to be very very slightly different than any other you can buy, off the shelf, for about $10. Ya think that makes the Colnago steer better than any other bike with the same size headtube? Nope! It only makes it so that to get a simple replacment bearing to fit, you must buy $100 worth of stuff and toss the rest out..or put it in your bike tools and keep it forever for....nothing other than I dunno..


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