I was nervous fitting the Cane Creek 40 Headset EC34/28.6 I EC34/30 headset, worried that I’d damage it as I forced into the old frame. In the end, thanks to a headset setting tool, it all went off pretty smoothly and it seems to be well seated and the bearing cups popped in without an issue.

Seating the crown race on the fork was another matter, and despite having purchased a cheap crown race setting tool (a glorified metal pipe) I spent a nervous 10 minutes pounding it into place on the Surly Cross Check fork with a hammer. I finally got it seated and it seems to have survived the pounding. It just feels very wrong to be pounding precision made bike parts with a big hammer!

I’ve not cut the fork to size, fitted the star nut and tightened everything down yet as I’m still debating geometry and how high I’d like the bars. I’m waiting on the seat post to be delivered and then will compare the geometry of the whole setup with my existing bike.