Hi, I have a customer who wants me to build a steel hardtail around his ZS44/ZS56 Chris King Inset 2 headset. Haven’t seen any head tubes from my usual suppliers - any suggestions? Or anyone sitting on one that’s surplus to your needs?
Mark Beaver
Tamarack Cycles
Steel head tube, that is… will be fillet brazing not welding.
Mark
I don’t have one, but I am curious, does one of these headtubes actually exist?
Firefly welds on a lower cup:
Prova has a custom paragon IS56 lower headtube that they weld to a 3D printed upper bearing seat and lug:
Tell him to use a different headset 
That’s a ridiculous size for a steel frame.
Well, I agree fully - but if I can’t source the head tube then he’s going to have to change! Agree on the huge size, I find even 44mm kinda fat looking on a steel frame.
If you need help to convince your friend, you can quote me:
“Sorry, It does not exist.” - Daniel
But in all seriousness, I couldn’t find anything. Chromag uses an IS56 headtube, which was the closest I could find (paragon makes one too). As @manzanitacycles says, there is no good reason to use a ZS56 headtube on a steel bike. That lower diameter is MASSIVE. You are typically using a 38-40mm downtube. A ZS56 lower HT would be almost 60mm in diameter.
I’ve got some if you’re still looking. How long?
Huh. 100mm. Where are you located? PM me, thanks.
PM sent
