Get the tools and learn to do it yourself. If you're lucky enough to have an LBS like CDO, they will do it properly, but I've frequently witnessed teenage employees at lesser shops driving off crown races with center punches. Not many shop owners exercise the level of supervision of Dale or the other LBS owners on this list. Headsets are easy to remove and install with the proper tools.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
> > so the question (s): would this be better left to the bikeshop? or
> > is it possible to do yourself given some mechanical skill? if
> > possible for one to safely attempt which tools would be advised? how
> > does one determine 'stack height'? how may different thread types,
> > that is italian, english, french and so on, be id-ed?
> >
> > hope someone might spare some time for this,
>
> I was considering this a month or two ago, and even asked the list.
>
> As others have said, if you have a good LBS, it's worth taking it to
> them and paying $15-$30+ for one install. If you have more than three
> headsets to install, or don't have a good LBS, or just want to DIY, then
go
> for it
>
> The tools needed for removal / install would be 4; the fork crown
> remover (the ring on the fork), the fixed cup remover (the two cups on the
> frame's headtube), the fork crown installer, and the fixed cup press.
This
> doesn't cover facing, milling the headtube so the ends are parallel, but
> most felt that if there's a headset already installed, it's probably not
> necessary. Purchasing new tools could be from $100~250, finding used or
> substitute tools are much less.
>
> Stack height is the length of the fork from the bottom of the crown
race
> to the top of the fork minus the length of the headtube. If you have
excess
> fork length, you can use spacers, but if you don't have enough, you have
to
> use a headset with a smaller stack height.
>
> English and Italian are interchangeable, French are smaller threads.
> There's another thing to consider, crown race diameter. 26.4mm is for
upper
> end bikes, 27.0 are for low end bikes.
>
> Roy "late for work" Drinkwater
> Lititz, PA