If you're building up a frame with a 1-1/8" straight steerer and you need a headset that just works without overthinking it, this is the one. Ritchey's External Cup EC Threadless Headset — the entry-level Logic — has been a workhorse in the parts bin for years, and the formula hasn't changed: steel cups, retainer ball bearings, deep insertion cups, and a price that makes it a sensible choice for everything from a budget build to a backup set in the toolbox.

The construction is straightforward. The smaller upper bearing saves weight while the oversize lower bearing handles the higher loads, and deep bearing cups give a solid insertion into the head tube. That load split matters because the lower bearing takes the brunt of braking forces and front-end impacts, while the upper mostly deals with steering inputs. Sizing the bearings to their actual job is what lets a steel headset stay reasonably light without giving up durability where it counts.

One compatibility note worth flagging before you click buy: this headset is incompatible with Ritchey WCS Carbon forks that use an integrated 45° crown race. Those forks need a matching upper assembly. For standard 1-1/8" steerers with a separate 30mm crown race seat — which covers the vast majority of forks out there — this is the correct part.