Headsets

Gareth Watkins said:

Hi Folks New here so please bare with me! I am in need of replacing the headset on my old mountain
bike and a mate has given me a rather spankin pair of suspension forks to replace the old standard
ones, but the current headset is threaded and the forks require a threadless headset and a stem. I
have a stem coming my way via ebay but I am completely unsure as to how to fit the headset, ie,
all the different bits and what order they go in. What holds a threadless headset in the frame?
Does the stem, onced clamped to the top of the forks, hold it all in place?

10/10. The bearings are pre-loaded by a gentle tightening of the star-fangled nut in the centre,
then the stem bolts are done up tightly to lock everything in place. The star-fangled nut
then serves no purpose apart from keeping water out of your steerer tube!

Also, do I need a specialist tool to

Quoted message said:

fit/remove a threadless headset?

Just allen keys of the correct size are OK for adjusting and servicing it, but the two head tube
cups and the fork crown race should be pressed in by a good bike shop using the correct (too
expensive for home use) tools. I've fitted headset cups with a mallet and a block of wood, but not
on any nice bikes.

"Gareth Watkins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi Folks New here so please bare with me!

Wrong NG. The nudists are on uk.rec.naturist. ;-)
___
Michael MacClancy

Gareth Watkins said:

........I have a stem coming my way via ebay but I am completely unsure as to how to fit the
headset, ie, all the different bits and what order they go in. What holds a threadless headset in
the frame? Does the stem, onced clamped to the top of the forks, hold it all in place? Also, do I
need a specialist tool to fit/remove a threadless headset?

Headset cups and crown race is best fitted/removed by a bike shop unless you have the suitable
(expensive) specialist tools and/or knowledge. Fitting and adjusting bearings and stem is quite a
doddle though - only need an allen key or two.

Stem holds it all place. Top bolt and cap (on headset) is only for pressing the stem down onto the
headset during adjustment to precisely set the preload on the bearings. Stem clamp bolts are then
tightened afterwards.

Quoted message said:

Is there any online help pages on things like this

This is a good'n: www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_headthreadless.shtml

note. Star nuts are not always suitable or desirable so you might have/want to use an alternative
fastener device instead - which may or may not be supplied with your headset.

and see: www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_forksize.shtml
- Leave steerer tube a bit longer than you think you'll need it to allow for error and future
changes of position, etc. Can use spacers ontop of the stem (as well as underneath) and
eventually cut steerer again if you like.
- Get a selection of 2 and 5mm spacers to fine tune stem height.
- Stem can be fitted either way up depending on what angle you want.

~PB

"Gareth Watkins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi Folks New here so please bare with me!

No thanks. I only get naked with very special friends.

T

Gareth Watkins said:

Hi Folks New here so please bare with me! I am in need of replacing the headset on my old mountain
bike and a mate has given me a rather spankin pair of suspension forks to replace the old standard
ones, but the current headset is threaded and the forks require a threadless headset and a stem.

Beware. Most threaded headsets were in the old 1" size, threaded in 1
1/8th. The two are not interchangeable and the number of suspension forks available these days with
1" steerers in virtually zero. You may be lucky but check first before you spend too much money

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." Mark Twain

In message <[email hidden]>, Tony Raven <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Beware. Most threaded headsets were in the old 1" size, threaded in 1
1/8th. The two are not interchangeable and the number of suspension forks available these days with
1" steerers in virtually zero. You may be lucky but check first before you spend too much money

If you're after a good pair of suspension forks in 1" ahead, Pace still do them as a special order.

--
Thomas Letherby Remove NOSPAM to reply.

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Headset cups and crown race is best fitted/removed by a bike shop unless you have the suitable
(expensive) specialist tools and/or knowledge.

Oh Pete I'm surprised you said that. Headset cups can be fitted with a long bolt or threaded rod, a
nut or two and some large washers - just taking it slowly and carefully to make sure they go in
straight, and (according to my headset installation instructions) make sure you're pressing evenly
on the load bearing surface in the centre rather than on the flanges. Fitting the crown race I'd
agree is better done by the LBS if you don't have/want to buy either a slide hammer or suitable
sized piece of tubing to make one up - C+, when it did a workshop piece on fitting headsets,
suggested that you might be able to use a piece of seat tube "off an old bike" for 1" steerer tubes.
Unfortunately I didn't have an old bike to hand to cut up for making a slide hammer when I did it...
Besides, I needed one for a 1 1/8" steerer.

Of course, general mechanical skill is always important, especially when making do without the
special tools.

Rich

Richard Goodman said:

Quoted message said:

Headset cups and crown race is best fitted/removed by a bike shop

^^^^

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

unless you have the suitable (expensive) specialist tools and/or knowledge.

Oh Pete I'm surprised you said that. Headset cups can be fitted with a long bolt or threaded rod,
a nut or two and some large washers - just taking it slowly and carefully to make sure they go in
straight, and (according to my headset installation instructions) make sure you're pressing evenly
on the load bearing surface in the centre rather than on the flanges.

I didn't say that it was *essential* to use bike shop or specialist tools/knowledge just that it's
BEST to, and I stick by that. I think it does take "specialist knowledge" (or a good level of
general DIY skill - which amounts to the same thing) to use a threaded rod, mallet & block of wood
or any other DIY method without having a fair bit of risk *or* difficulty. I've myself been there
done that... not very well at all, so therefore I cannot recommend any novice with no previous
experience tries the job with any nice equipment. I know not everyone agrees with me but there you
go, that's my opinion.

Particular trouble is, some cups are a very, very tight fit in the head tube because actual
dimensions (of cups and/or frame) often vary slightly from what they're supposed to be. This is
especially bad news when the cups are ligtwieght alloy types.

The job is so much better with the proper tools. Cyclus professional headset press* is only £30 -
although there's the remover and crown tools to buy (or make if you /can/ make good ones) as well.
So it's best for most people to get this particular job done at the LBS, IMO - along with only a
very few other jobs (eg. facing and certain alignment jobs). I am a big fan of DIY bike maintainance
and building but there are still a few exceptional jobs.

~PB

"Thomas Letherby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Tony Raven
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Beware. Most threaded headsets were in the old 1" size, threaded in 1
1/8th. The two are not interchangeable and the number of suspension

forks

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

available these days with 1" steerers in virtually zero. You may be

lucky

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but check first before you spend too much money

If you're after a good pair of suspension forks in 1" ahead, Pace still do them as a
special order.

--
Thomas Letherby Remove NOSPAM to reply.

Many thanks for all your replies. Looks like the best thing to do is take a trip down to my local
bike shop (nearest is Halfords but I'm sure you will all yell with pain when I mention them so I
shall go a little further for a decent shop) armed with my spangly new forks and get him to fit a
new headset. Shame, as I've managed to get a rather nice bike together from all sorts for the sum
total of about thirty quid! And that was mostly cables, grips, a new chain, etc. Everything else has
been what I had kicking around in the garage and what friends have donated from their garages!
Better give the old wallet an airing then! Cheers all Gareth

I said:

therefore I cannot recommend any novice with no previous experience tries the job with any nice
equipment.

By nice "equipment", I mean nice bike or headset. Cyclus headcup press (and I'm sure any other
similar pro tool) works so well that anyone remotely sensible could use it well. Tip: apply grease
inside head tube

With my attempt at a home made press, I found it difficult to find washers of a suitable size,
shape, thickness and strength, and I had difficultly in keeping the thing aligned properly. Turning
a small nut with a spanner while trying to keep the whole assembly in order is also physically
difficult compared to using the chunky well-fitting parts and huge handles of the Cyclus press. PB
DIY Skills 0 Quality German Engineering 1

~PB