Bicycle Mechanics - Headset play... slight fork jiggle

Sorry, I'm trying to describe it the best I can..

I took apart my headset today on my new bike and when I put it back together the spacers, and other pieces didn't quite fit all back Perfectly, so I did my best to get it all back right.

Now there's a very very slight amount of play in the headset so that the fork moves a little bit. Every part is on correctly and tightened, but I just couldn't get the top part of the headset to fit in snugly, so there's a little space there causing the jiggle in the fork.

Is it safe to ride like this or should I take my bike back to the LBS and have them adjust it for me before riding?

If you can't figure out how to make everything snug by yourself, take it to a shop before riding it. A slightly loose headset can ovalize the head tube on your frame. There is no repair, short of a new frame, for an ovalized head tube.

Something is in the wrong spot or missing. Go back carefully. There is a part in the wrong spot or you left it out. The headset, threadless right? Should snug up easily.

I fixed it!

Well, Rev. Chuck motivated me to try one more time...

... this time I actually took off the front wheel and that for some reason really helped.

I put the fork against the floor (on carpet) and put every piece back and got everything back on snugly this time.

No play now, I'm still probably going to get a Chris King though.

I was making a very very stupid mistake, giving me the play in the headset:

I was tightening the stem before tightening the stem cap binding bolt.

I just looked at my bike repair manual and figured it out, then re-did it on both my LeMond and Pista, No more play on either bike, the LBS that assembled the Pista barely tightened the stem cap bolt on it.

don't overtighten the cap bolt. it should be just snug enough to prevent movement after the stem bolts are tightened.