Thread: Creaks. Again!
View Single Post
Old 05-28-11, 11:47 AM
  #6  
FBinNY 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,696

Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter

Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5774 Post(s)
Liked 2,571 Times in 1,423 Posts
OK, by bellmouth I mean the flaring or enlargement of the end of the head tube. Think of the end (bell) of a clarinet or trumpet (though obviously much smaller).

When a mtn bike is ridden hard the continual pounding on the fork transfers to the inside of the headtube by way of the headset. It's the same as if you took a ball peen hammer to the inside end of the tube. The continual pounding stretches the metal making the inner diameter larger until the headset is no longer secure.

Now, with less force holding it, the head cup can move in the frame. It doesn't matter how tight you make the headset, since the movement is between the cup and frame. Since yours is only a slight creak, and not any serious (visible) movement, I venture that you can solve it by using a bearing retaining adhesive when pressing the headcup, or possibly by painting the lip of the cup.

If you have trouble understanding, you might print my posts and bring them to the shop for their consideration.

fb
__________________
FB
Chain-L site

An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.

Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.

“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN

WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FBinNY is offline