Bicycle Mechanics - Should there be slight freeplay with headset when fork is installed?

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esophagus6
06-30-03, 11:26 AM
I recently just built up my first bike with a 1 1/8 Chris King Headset installed at a LBS along with a RockShox fork. I built the bike up at home and after installing everything I noticed that there is some freeplay/wiggle with the fork coming from the headset. ie. If I brake and try to push the front wheels back and forth there's movement. This also happens if I rock the front wheels against a wall. I have confirmed and the wiggling is not from the brakes. It is coming from the headset.

Is this normal?

I checked the ParkTools website and it doesn't sound normal, but I really can't think of anything that can be wrong. The headset is all new as well as the frame and it was installed at a LBS by a mechanic.

On top of the headset, I have a 20mm spacer, 30mm stem, and another 10mm spacer.

Thx!

mechBgon
06-30-03, 02:07 PM
The CK's develop a touch of play during the first 50-100 miles of road riding or probably the first one or two off-road rides, as they get settled in. The play can and should be adjusted out by the same methods as with other Aheadsets. Park Tool's or Sheldon Brown's sites should, uh, steer you in the right direction ;)
Grendel
06-30-03, 02:23 PM
Another thing to check if all else is normal is whether your fork sliders have a little slop in them. Have someone rock the bike with the front brake engaged while you feel for play in the headset cups and then on the fork sliders. It's probably just that the headset has settled in a little bit as Mech mentioned earlier, but if it can't be adjusted out then check your forks.

esophagus6
06-30-03, 03:09 PM
Originally posted by mechBgon
The CK's develop a touch of play during the first 50-100 miles of road riding or probably the first one or two off-road rides, as they get settled in. The play can and should be adjusted out by the same methods as with other Aheadsets. Park Tool's or Sheldon Brown's sites should, uh, steer you in the right direction ;)

Come to think of it, this happened only after my first ride on the bike around the block after it was built...so, I hope you're right.

I was losing sleep over this. :o Can't wait to go home after work to adjust it. :D