Adjusted my headset - too tight?

[PJay]

I dropped my stem a bit and readjusted my headset, I think things are fine
but I'm a tad new to this so thought I'd check things out.

I tighten the top cap incrementally, tightening the stem pinch bolts and
checking for play etc. until I could detect no play at the lower race. At
this point I could detect a faint knocking/ticking from the upper race and
tightened things up again until this was eliminate. I guess that this was
probably the 'optimal' point.

Being a bit overcautious a sat on the saddle, applied the front brake and
rocked the bike. I heard some noise which, embarassingly, and with hindsight
I think were the brake blocks rubbing as the rim slipped with the rocking,
but consequently I tightened the headset up another 1/4 turn.

Steering is silky smooth and the chap at the bike shop could detect no play
and noted the smooth steering and said that everything was fine but the
headset I have (Cane Creek S2 11/8th) has cartridge bearings which I would
imagine are harder to bind so I was wondering whether there is any
possibility that the headset is too tight and might damage something (the
frame or the headset itself). Things aren't excessively overtight and
everything seems to work properly but I just wondered whether there would be
any point in re-adjusting it to be looser?

Sorry, pretty basic stuff I know but pretty new to bike maintainence
(enjoying it though) and lack confidence.

 

[Ken]

"PJay" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Steering is silky smooth and the chap at the bike shop could detect no
> play and noted the smooth steering and said that everything was fine but
> the headset I have (Cane Creek S2 11/8th) has cartridge bearings which I
> would imagine are harder to bind so I was wondering whether there is any
> possibility that the headset is too tight and might damage something

All bicycle headsets are subject to premature wear if you overtighten them.
In general, you should tighten them as loose as possible without any
noticable play when you push or bounce the fork.

 

[PJay]

Thanks,

The problem that I seem to have is that at the earliest point I can detect
no play in the lower race I can, when rocking the bike with the front brake
only, hear a clicking sound at the upper race. Tightening the preload a bit
more improves this.

The bearing cartridge is snuggly seated its cup and the compression ring
properly seated inside the cartridge and all this is presumably held in
place by the upper cover so I can't work out why there should be any
movement here at all. It's a steel frame and fork with a steel steerer so
fairly flexy so I suppose that there might be a small amount of movement
between the upper cup and cover.

Should I preload to remove this ticking sound or is the lower race the only
concern? I tend to worry about things being too loose.

"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "PJay" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>> Steering is silky smooth and the chap at the bike shop could detect no
>> play and noted the smooth steering and said that everything was fine but
>> the headset I have (Cane Creek S2 11/8th) has cartridge bearings which I
>> would imagine are harder to bind so I was wondering whether there is any
>> possibility that the headset is too tight and might damage something
>
> All bicycle headsets are subject to premature wear if you overtighten
> them.
> In general, you should tighten them as loose as possible without any
> noticable play when you push or bounce the fork.

 

[Mike Krueger]

PJay wrote:
> Thanks,
>
> The problem that I seem to have is that at the earliest point I can detect
> no play in the lower race I can, when rocking the bike with the front brake
> only, hear a clicking sound at the upper race. Tightening the preload a bit
> more improves this.
>
> The bearing cartridge is snuggly seated its cup and the compression ring
> properly seated inside the cartridge and all this is presumably held in
> place by the upper cover so I can't work out why there should be any
> movement here at all. It's a steel frame and fork with a steel steerer so
> fairly flexy so I suppose that there might be a small amount of movement
> between the upper cup and cover.
>
> Should I preload to remove this ticking sound or is the lower race the only
> concern? I tend to worry about things being too loose.

A steel frame, fork, and steerer is not really "flexy", it's just that
rocking the bike back and forth with the brake applied is not the most
accurate way to do it. Inflate the front tire to riding pressure, and
bounce the front wheel on your basement or garage floor. If you hear a
rattle or knocking sound in any part of the the headset, it is too
loose. Tighten preload until this sound dissapears and the front end
feels lively yet solid when you bounce it.

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

Mike Krueger wrote:
> PJay wrote:
>> Thanks,
>>
>> The problem that I seem to have is that at the earliest point I can
>> detect no play in the lower race I can, when rocking the bike with
>> the front brake only, hear a clicking sound at the upper race.
>> Tightening the preload a bit more improves this.
>>
>> The bearing cartridge is snuggly seated its cup and the compression
>> ring properly seated inside the cartridge and all this is presumably
>> held in place by the upper cover so I can't work out why there
>> should be any movement here at all. It's a steel frame and fork with
>> a steel steerer so fairly flexy so I suppose that there might be a
>> small amount of movement between the upper cup and cover.
>>
>> Should I preload to remove this ticking sound or is the lower race
>> the only concern? I tend to worry about things being too loose.
>
> A steel frame, fork, and steerer is not really "flexy", it's just that
> rocking the bike back and forth with the brake applied is not the most
> accurate way to do it. Inflate the front tire to riding pressure, and
> bounce the front wheel on your basement or garage floor. If you hear a
> rattle or knocking sound in any part of the the headset, it is too
> loose. Tighten preload until this sound dissapears and the front end
> feels lively yet solid when you bounce it.

That's not a very good test. Many things, from presta valve nuts to water
bottle bolts, can cause noise upon bouncing a bike. It all resonates
through the frame.

The best way I've found is to grab the headset so that the lower part of
your hand rests on the headtube, and the upper part is on the headset
spacers. Hold the brake and rock the bike forward and backward. If you can
feel relative movement, pinpoint it with your fingertips, which are more
sensitive than your palms and usually more sensitive than your eyes.

If the movement is between the headset and the headtube, tighten up the
headset. If there's no movement and it's equipped with a suspension fork,
the lowers/stanchions are likely the culprit. If there's disc brakes, the
brake pads are likely moving within the caliper, which is normal. If
there's no movement there, the disc brake rotor bolts are likely not tight
enough.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[PJay]

Thanks for the thoughts,

I was also wondering about that 'ticking' from the top race when rocking the
bike at a point where all play has been removed from the lower race.

I can't really see that there can be any play at the upper race as the
angled head of the cartridge faces down and mates with the upper cup and is
held in place by the compression ring even when no preload has been applied,
but tightening things up a bit more does seem to improve this.

I suppose it might be the upper cover moving again the upper up or maybe
spacer movement.

Thanks again,
PJay

"PJay" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I dropped my stem a bit and readjusted my headset, I think things are fine
>but I'm a tad new to this so thought I'd check things out.
>
> I tighten the top cap incrementally, tightening the stem pinch bolts and
> checking for play etc. until I could detect no play at the lower race. At
> this point I could detect a faint knocking/ticking from the upper race and
> tightened things up again until this was eliminate. I guess that this was
> probably the 'optimal' point.
>
> Being a bit overcautious a sat on the saddle, applied the front brake and
> rocked the bike. I heard some noise which, embarassingly, and with
> hindsight I think were the brake blocks rubbing as the rim slipped with
> the rocking, but consequently I tightened the headset up another 1/4 turn.
>
> Steering is silky smooth and the chap at the bike shop could detect no
> play and noted the smooth steering and said that everything was fine but
> the headset I have (Cane Creek S2 11/8th) has cartridge bearings which I
> would imagine are harder to bind so I was wondering whether there is any
> possibility that the headset is too tight and might damage something (the
> frame or the headset itself). Things aren't excessively overtight and
> everything seems to work properly but I just wondered whether there would
> be any point in re-adjusting it to be looser?
>
> Sorry, pretty basic stuff I know but pretty new to bike maintainence
> (enjoying it though) and lack confidence.
>