Threaded headsets aren't going away, even if most modern road bikes have moved on. Plenty of classic steel builds, restorations, and older quill-stem road bikes still need a quality 1-1/8" threaded headset to keep rolling — and that's exactly the niche the Ritchey RL1 External Cup EC Threaded Headset fills. It's the entry-level option in Ritchey's headset range, built with alloy cups, steel races, and retainer bearings for the kind of build where price matters but you still want a name on the box that knows what it's doing.

The headset uses an EC34/28.6 upper and EC34/30 lower configuration, which translates to a 34mm head tube interface for a 1-1/8" (28.6mm) threaded steerer with a 30mm crown race seat. It's an external cup design, meaning the cups press into the head tube and sit proud rather than recessing inside. Stack height is on the taller side compared to integrated systems, which is normal for this style and part of why it works with older frames designed around external cup geometry.

One thing worth flagging before you order: the compression cap is not included, and this headset is not compatible with Ritchey WCS Carbon forks that have an integrated 45° crown race. If you're working with a standard threaded steel or aluminum fork, you're in the clear. If you're not sure what crown race your fork uses, measure before you buy — or bring the fork into Excel and we'll sort it out.