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Have a zs44 frame, straight steerer fork.. buy a tool and learn or take it to the bike shop which will involve awkward logistics?
What would STW do?
Mallet and a couple of pieces of wood
Bench vice and wood used as a press
Removal, long builders bodging screwdriver and claw hammer. Refitting nice flat piece of wood grease and claw hammer. I only work on my own bikes and I'm a tight ****.
Can you mechanic at all? If so, it's pretty easy. I have the "proper" tool but I don't use it any more, rubber mallet ftw.
Personally I bought the tool and pressed it in myself. Just triple check the cup is straight then press it in nice and slow - it is very simple.
I have now used the tool a few times so it has paid for itself.
Removal is also easy, especially if you don't need the old cups. Screwdriver and a hammer then hit it out.
With the tool it's easy. For a one off (if it's a decent headset it should be infrequent) then a lbs is easiest done the hammer and wood efforts it just didn't seem right....
I was surprised how easily my last headset went in. A bit of grease on the headset then pressed in using my homemade press (about a fiver for the length of threaded bar a few nuts and washers, topped of with a couple of wooden offcuts) and a final wee tap with a rubber mallet just to be sure. Just make sure it goes in straight.
Just make sure you put the right cup in the right end
Threaded rod, nuts, washers, couple of bits of wood and 2 spanners. Job jobbed.
I'm pretty machanicaly able, I can fit springs and shocks on a car for example.
The whole headset thing just seems like a bit of a dark art.
Either the bit of wood and a mallet option or homemade, threaded rod, washers and wood press. Both cheap and effective.
what he said
I use the hammer method as its quicker than the threaded bar method
Chuck the headset cups into the freezer overnight before fitting too.
Cyclus and X-Tools do some very affordable headset presses (although you do need to be careful that you get the right size). I've progressed from taking bikes into the LBS to fix punctures (years ago) to building up my own bikes and it's really rewarding.
Pressing headsets isn't hard but for my piece of mind I'd rather use the proper tool.
have a home made press that kinda works, but ultimately rubber mallet and bits of wood have been faster, easier and 100% successful (the 2 times in the last 10yrs I have done it)
For removal, Get an old bit of largeish copper pipe (22mm works OK, larger the better), cut a slit down it lengthways for about 8 inches, then tease it apart. pop in headtube, apply hammer. Tada, budget removal tool.