I have an Inbred with rigid forks and a Cane Creek S2 headset.
I've recently had the stem changed and the headset has been adjusted so that there is no play in the headset.
I have just noticed though that if I apply the front brake and rock the bike there is a slight ticking/clicking noise which seems to be coming from the top race. I was wondering whether this is okay? Would it just be the bearings moving against the race as force is applied to the steerer or do I need to tighten the headset?
I can detect no play in the headset, either whilst rocking the bike or by grabbing the forks and trying to move them against the frame.
I have an Inbred with rigid forks and a Cane Creek S2 headset.
I've recently had the stem changed and the headset has been adjusted so that there is no play in the headset.
I have just noticed though that if I apply the front brake and rock the bike there is a slight ticking/clicking noise which seems to be coming from the top race. I was wondering whether this is okay? Would it just be the bearings moving against the race as force is applied to the steerer or do I need to tighten the headset?
I can detect no play in the headset, either whilst rocking the bike or by grabbing the forks and trying to move them against the frame.
The clicking noise could be play, perhaps just too slight to for you to recognise it as play . Otherwise it's worrying and a mystery to me.
I have tightened up the headset a little and the ticking has gone, the steering is still nice and smooth.
Just out of interest, since the ticking was only coming from the top race does it mean that by tightening things up until it stoppen that they bearings in the lower race will be under more load?
Just out of interest, since the ticking was only coming from the top race does it mean that by tightening things up until it stoppen that they bearings in the lower race will be under more load?
Yes, tightening the headset effectively pushes the lower cup on frame's head harder against the fork crown race, so load is increased on both upper and lower races simultaneously.
I have tightened up the headset a little and the ticking has gone, the steering is still nice and smooth.
Just out of interest, since the ticking was only coming from the top race does it mean that by tightening things up until it stoppen that they bearings in the lower race will be under more load?
It's more likely to mean that the load has been evened out over both sets of bearings, rather than being concentrated in the lower set (The upper set was mobile AIUI).
Although tightening up the headset removes the ticking sound whilst rocking the bike, sitting on the bike with the front brake on and rocking the bike with my body weight on the saddle can also result in a slight ticking sound from the upper race. Do I need to tighten the headset until this disappears too? I don't really want to overtighten things either. The frame and forks are steel with a bit of flex (I don't know whether this makes a differance).
I'm pretty new to bike maintainence and starting to try and find my way around the bike for stuff I can do myself at home. I'll take the bike into my local bike shop tomorrow so that they can check the headset and see how I've done.
Although tightening up the headset removes the ticking sound whilst rocking the bike, sitting on the bike with the front brake on and rocking the bike with my body weight on the saddle can also result in a slight ticking sound from the upper race. Do I need to tighten the headset until this disappears too? I don't really want to overtighten things either.
That's the danger -- overtightening. I think it's best to err on the side of play if in doubt, for the time being at least...........
Quoted message said:
The frame and forks are steel with a bit of flex (I don't know whether this makes a differance).
No.
Quoted message said:
I'm pretty new to bike maintainence and starting to try and find my way around the bike for stuff I can do myself at home. I'll take the bike into my local bike shop tomorrow so that they can check the headset and see how I've done.
