How do I get rid of the awful headset?

[Katie.mtb]

Hi, I have an Orbea Wild 2024. It has one of those awful integrated headsets? Is there any way to change it to a normal headset. The frame does not have holes for cables. The plastic is so inferior. Thank you in advance

 

[mike_kelly]

Headset cable routing is a terrible idea, for cosmetics only. The only two ways to get around it are:
1. Cutout side holes for top tube internal cable guides
2. Run the cables externally like the old days. There are external cable guides available on Aliexpress that either stick on with adhesive or are riveted on.
I have had so much trouble with my cable housing binding because all the cables are bunched together as they come around the steering tube into the top tube, that I am going to mount my cables externally. A friend cut new holes for side mounted internal cable guides but it takes a lot of precision to cut the holes.

 

[Katie.mtb]

Headset cable routing is a terrible idea, for cosmetics only. The only two ways to get around it are:
1. Cutout side holes for top tube internal cable guides
2. Run the cables externally like the old days. There are external cable guides available on Aliexpress that either stick on with adhesive or are riveted on.
I have had so much trouble with my cable housing binding because all the cables are bunched together as they come around the steering tube into the top tube, that I am going to mount my cables externally. A friend cut new holes for side mounted internal cable guides but it takes a lot of precision to cut the holes.

Thank you, that's what I thought. I nearly didn't buy the bike because of the headset
It's carbon so it's probably not a good idea to cut holes in it

 

[irie]

Headset cable routing is a terrible idea.

Agree, will never buy a bike with that shite on it.

 

[mike_kelly]

I absolutely hate it. My seatpost cable is current binding and I am going to have to take the whole bike apart to adjust my seatpost height. All because of the internal cable headset. The problem is the dentist buyers, in love with the cosmetics, never do their own work on the bike so they never see how bad it is. I took one of my bikes into a fork tuning specialist and they refused to work on it for fear if they took out the fork they would not be able to get it back in, short of releasing all the cables.

 

[Plummet]

The answer is buy a different bike..... which is what i did.

 

[MJO]

This is why a run away from One77, the moment I saw that headset cable routing. Told myself, this isn't for me. Now I got SC Vala, with decent internal cable routing.