I rode a white plastic Nylfor headset exclusively for almost 10 years so I am curious about the recent comments on its poor reliability. These headsets are not bulletproof, but neither are they a joke item. It is my testimony that they are viable headsets.
I have had steel headsets that didn't last as long as this plastic one.
Certainly the plastic is not as rigid as metal. My fork would rattle when crossing railroad tracks. But on the other hand I recently read that according to Jobst, headset pitting comes from running 'em too tight -- so now my fork rattles crossing the tracks anyway.
I never had the nylon bearings. Everyone tells the same story: "the nylon bearings exist but I don't have any". I used a large number of small steel bearings. I made up for the low stack height with a spacer made from a sheet of teflon.
I used a steel lockwasher; in my early setup this function was accomplished by the front brake cable stop gizmo for the "Super Alfa" centerpulls on my Zeus; in my later setup with Zeus 2001 sidepulls I used a steel lock-washer that was painted white on its outer edge.
When I switched to an English-threaded bike years later, it was of course no trouble installing the Nylfor on the new threads and continuing to use it.
I rode the 130-mile "Mt Hamilton Challenge" in 1987 on that Nylfor, 9 years after purchasing it.
I still have it. It is stained inside and out with rust from the bearings and frame, and the bearing surface is roughened, but even now it would be possible to put it back in service. I spent $4.00 for it at the Touring Shop in Corvallis in 1978.
Nylfor have earned at least one satisfied customer.
Brad Stockwell Palo Alto
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