Repairs on Dawes Galaxy

Hel said:

Hi all

About five weeks ago I sent my Dawes Galaxy into the local bike shop
for a service as it had never had one in the 2 yrs I'd had it, and
I've been planning to take it on a few adventures this summer.

Well the news wasn't good - it turns out the headset had worked itself
loose inside the frame, requiring a new headset and repair work on the
frame. The frame has been off for repair and come back. However,
they're still waiting for a headset. I don't know too much about
headsets but apparently it's a threaded one which is quite hard to
get hold of, and the suppliers are taking their time about things.

So I'm now getting quite impatient, I've got other bikes to satisfy my
cycling urges, but I've lost my ability to transport stuff around,
and I miss my bike! I also want it back in time for London to
Brighton.

I guess what I want to know is, does what they're saying sound
reasonable? Is it really that hard to get a replacement headset for a
Galaxy? (IIRC I got the bike about Jan 2003) I'm inclined to trust
the LBS, they've always seemed pretty reliable, but I'm starting to
feel like I'll never get it back, and not sure if there's anything I
can do aside from wait.

It all sounds a bit unusual, but I don't know about unreasonable.
Threaded headsets are still very plentiful so it would be easy to find and
fit another headset, but perhaps not the exact same model.

Is it a proper old fashion local bike shop or a chain or franchise like
Action Bikes or Halfords? Anyway, I suggest waiting as long as you can
bear then demanding your bike back and taking it to another shop. Best of
luck.

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

Is it a proper old fashion local bike shop or a chain or franchise like
Action Bikes or Halfords? Anyway, I suggest waiting as long as you can
bear then demanding your bike back and taking it to another shop. Best of
luck.

Proper bike shop, not a chain. Only been open about a year I think, but
have been quite reliable / helpful with repairs in the past and seem to
know their stuff (I say that having encountered my fair share of
clueless monkeys working in chain stores) - this is the first problem I've
had...

Helen
--

(remove the last letter of the alphabet to e-mail me)

Hel said:

Hi all

About five weeks ago I sent my Dawes Galaxy into the local bike shop for a
service as it had never had one in the 2 yrs I'd had it, and I've been
planning to take it on a few adventures this summer.

Well the news wasn't good - it turns out the headset had worked itself
loose inside the frame, requiring a new headset and repair work on the
frame. The frame has been off for repair and come back. However, they're
still waiting for a headset. I don't know too much about headsets but
apparently it's a threaded one which is quite hard to get hold of, and the
suppliers are taking their time about things.

So I'm now getting quite impatient, I've got other bikes to satisfy my
cycling urges, but I've lost my ability to transport stuff around, and I
miss my bike! I also want it back in time for London to Brighton.

I guess what I want to know is, does what they're saying sound reasonable?
Is it really that hard to get a replacement headset for a Galaxy? (IIRC I
got the bike about Jan 2003) I'm inclined to trust the LBS, they've always
seemed pretty reliable, but I'm starting to feel like I'll never get it
back, and not sure if there's anything I can do aside from wait.

Helen
--

(remove the last letter of the alphabet to e-mail me)

Hmm sounds interesting. Not having seen teh bike it could have been that the headset worked loose (more likey beargin cage fell apart) quite hoe this damanged a frame I'm not quite sure. However that aside, I can;t believe that they are waiting gor a 1" threaded headset. Wiggle give a delivery time of 24 hours for both the Campag Chorus (£29.99) and the Shinamo 105 (£24.95) 1" threaded headsets, and I'm sure even your local H*lf*rds would have one in stock. All teis search took me 2 minutes and I didn;t even try that hard to find a cheap one. Personally I'd go for the Chorus.

Give them a bit of stick and point out you'll order one and get them to fit it for free (after all they've kept you waiting far too long). You're best getign them to fit it unless you've got a press (I know you can firt headset cups I've done it myself but it's better to get htem parallel)

Bryan

"Hel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Proper bike shop, not a chain. Only been open about a year I think, but
have been quite reliable / helpful with repairs in the past and seem to
know their stuff (I say that having encountered my fair share of
clueless monkeys working in chain stores) - this is the first problem I've
had...

Helen

Yet another Helen on a bike!

Cheers, helen s

Hel said:

I guess what I want to know is, does what they're saying sound
reasonable? Is it really that hard to get a replacement headset
for a Galaxy? (IIRC I got the bike about Jan 2003) I'm inclined
to trust the LBS, they've always seemed pretty reliable, but I'm
starting to feel like I'll never get it back, and not sure if
there's anything I can do aside from wait.

In the words of the great Viv Stanshall: "Five weeks? Blimey!"

My Galaxy has a Stronglight A9 headset. These are hardly rare. Evans
are quoting 5 - 7 days delivery and have them at £19.99. Settle Cycles
have them on sale at £16.99. Bob Jackson have got it for £15. Why not
ring round and find out if they're in stock? If they are ask your LBS
to get one for you from there. In any case, the Stronglight is not the
only one that will do. There are alternatives.

--
Dave...

Bryan said:

Give them a bit of stick and point out you'll order one and get
them to fit it for free (after all they've kept you waiting far
too long). You're best getign them to fit it unless you've got a
press (I know you can firt headset cups I've done it myself but
it's better to get htem parallel)

Yep, most people can do most jobs on a bike at home, but fitting
headsets is not for beginners.

--
Dave...

Quoted message said:

Yep, most people can do most jobs on a bike at home, but fitting
headsets is not for beginners.

A headset lasting 2 years is not good.For example I have a
peugeotPX-10 frame from about 1980, its on its third set of wheels and
the only original things on the bike are frame forks headset bars and
stem.The only headset I have ever wrecked was on a mountain bike, that
took ten years, and I weigh about 90kg.And headsets are not hard to get
as above.It seems a bit fishy.Perhaps the mechanic is on holiday.
I think that durability is probably best among the mid price kit, since
the very cheap stuff tends to be made of softer steel but lightweight
stuff of less steel or al alloy.

TerryJ

Bryan said:

Hmm sounds interesting. Not having seen teh bike it could have been
that the headset worked loose (more likey beargin cage fell apart)
quite hoe this damanged a frame I'm not quite sure.

Headset coming out of adjustment wouldn't damage the frame. Either
something much more unusual is going on or the shop is staffed by
numpties. In either case, the idea of sending the frame off for repairs
is worrying.

I'm afraid I can't think what the problem could be exactly. Reposting the
question to rec.bicycles.tech might get some more answers.

Quoted message said:

However that
aside, I can;t believe that they are waiting gor a 1" threaded
headset.

They might not want to replace the whole headset, but of course doing that
would be quicker.

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

Bryan said:

Hmm sounds interesting. Not having seen teh bike it could have been
that the headset worked loose (more likey beargin cage fell apart)
quite hoe this damanged a frame I'm not quite sure.

Headset coming out of adjustment wouldn't damage the frame. Either
something much more unusual is going on or the shop is staffed by
numpties. In either case, the idea of sending the frame off for repairs
is worrying.

Well what they told me is that the headset came loose and as I rode
around, it worked itself around inside the frame, causing the head tube to
"flare out" slightly - so when you hold the brakes on and try to
move the front of the bike back and forth, the headset area "rocks" when
it shouldn't.

Helen

--

(remove the last letter of the alphabet to e-mail me)

Hel said:

Well what they told me is that the headset came loose and as I rode
around, it worked itself around inside the frame, causing the head
tube to "flare out" slightly - so when you hold the brakes on and try
to move the front of the bike back and forth, the headset area "rocks"
when it shouldn't.

"Came loose" could mean two different things.........

It's unusual for head cups (parts that fit in frame) to come loose and I'm
surprised they could cause much damage to the frame.

Much more common is for the threaded parts at the top to come out of
adjustment. This causes rocking when brake is applied as the forks move
inside the headset. I've never experienced or heard of this causing the
cups to come loose or cause frame damage.

(I've cross-posted this reply to rec.bicycles.tech)

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

It's unusual for head cups (parts that fit in frame) to come loose and I'm
surprised they could cause much damage to the frame.

The only possibility I can think of would be with and "Integrated"
headset where the cartridge bearings lie directly on machined surfaces
in the head tube. Given that this is a Dawes Galaxy, rather than a racer
I suspect that this is unlikely. I don't see how a misadjusted headset
could possibly cause the cups to come loose unless they were installed
badly in the first place!

Jon

Jon Senior said:

Pete Biggs said:

It's unusual for head cups (parts that fit in frame) to come loose
and I'm surprised they could cause much damage to the frame.

The only possibility I can think of would be with and "Integrated"
headset where the cartridge bearings lie directly on machined surfaces
in the head tube. Given that this is a Dawes Galaxy, rather than a
racer
I suspect that this is unlikely. I don't see how a misadjusted headset
could possibly cause the cups to come loose unless they were installed
badly in the first place!

Or a poor fit in the first place, or some other problem occurred that
somehow upset the headset in turn.

I hope Helen isn't being messed about by people who don't know how
to adjust a headset. I would only expect that kind of ignorance from...
<company deleted for legal reasons> :-)

~PB

Hel said:

Well what they told me is that the headset came loose and as I rode
around, it worked itself around inside the frame, causing the head tube to
"flare out" slightly - so when you hold the brakes on and try to
move the front of the bike back and forth, the headset area "rocks" when
it shouldn't.

Sounds reasonable as there are a lot of ill fitting headsets about. One
cure would be to ream the frame and fit a headset with a longer than
usual pressfit (BMX?). As the shop is only one year old they might not
have the reamers for old fashioned 1" stuff.

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

Pete Biggs p@honeydewbiggs{remove_melon}.tc said:

Bryan said:

Hmm sounds interesting. Not having seen teh bike it could have been
that the headset worked loose (more likey beargin cage fell apart)
quite hoe this damanged a frame I'm not quite sure.

Headset coming out of adjustment wouldn't damage the frame. Either
something much more unusual is going on or the shop is staffed by
numpties. In either case, the idea of sending the frame off for
repairs is worrying.

I've seen a head tube flared by a loose headset before - the constant
knocking was enough to deform the top of the tube and allow the cup to
move slightly. This was on a Cannondale MTB frame. I'd imagine the
headset would have to be pretty loose to do this; definitely enough to
notice when you braked.

Did you check the headset was tight every now and then by applying the
front brake and pushing/pulling the bars to find any play? If so, it
would seem unlikely that this has happened. I wouldn't like to
automatically jump to blaming the shop, but if you've taken reasonable
care of the bike then it's a possiblilty. As others have mentioned, a
manufacturing fault could also be to blame.

It's probably time to remind the shop who's boss here (you!) and see
what they have to say for themselves. 1" threaded headsets are certainly
not rare.

Cheers!

Mark

Hel said:

About five weeks ago I sent my Dawes Galaxy into the local bike shop for a
service

....

Quoted message said:

Well the news wasn't good - it turns out the headset had worked itself
loose inside the frame, requiring a new headset and repair work on the
frame. The frame has been off for repair and come back. However, they're
still waiting for a headset. I don't know too much about headsets but
apparently it's a threaded one which is quite hard to get hold of, and the
suppliers are taking their time about things.

Good news on this - the day after posting I called the shop again, ready
to tell them all about the abundance of 1" threaded headsets you guys had
pointed me at on the internet... but it turned out the headset had finally
arrived.

They said they'd give me a call when the bike was put back together. Which
they never did (they're not very good at making phone calls) but I went in
on Saturday, unsure if my bike was ready but prepared to stand around
menacingly all day until it was - fortunately they had it ready for me
when I got there.

Apparently the original headset was a poor fit for the frame, which caused
the problem of the headtube flaring out. It's now fitted with a standard
1" threaded headset - I don't know why it took so long, I can only assume
their suppliers are [censored].

So I now have my beloved Dawes back. Next task - finish up on the SON
front wheel I've been building for it!

Thanks to all who offered advice...

Helen
--

(remove the last letter of the alphabet to e-mail me)