In this second installment of Tech Talk , mechanic Tim Laflin explores the world of the important but often forgotten headset . I just put a new one on when I need it. Campy and Shimano have taken two different routes in this area. Shimano is using cartridge bearing in the Dura-Ace and 600. It might seem this way to the marketing guys that sell the stuff, but the fact of the matter is that Campy uses a full contact O-ring seal on their headset that keeps the dirt out.
Campy headsets last quite a while.
Shimano used to use plastic and metal rings to seal the headsets that did not seal well enough to keep the grease in or the dirt out. Older Dura-Ace was the best and they did not live long. Riders with older 600 headsets were getting mad about the longevity of the headset. Shimano jumped in and made a sealed unit for the headset and corrected the problem. The 105 has not received this upgrade.