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Loose Kink Headset

Old 05-09-06, 08:43 AM
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Loose Kink Headset

Just picked up a Flybike frame that my son took to the local bike store to have fork and heaset installed.
I think the headset is a Kink Odyssey. The bike store used about 18 mm of spacers between the upper stack and the stem, and 15 mm of spacers between the stem and the upper cap. The headset became loose after one ten minute ride. He loosened the stem bolts and tightened the top cap, which has both a hex key hole in the top and flats for a wrench. Went out for another ride and the headset was loose again. We live 60 miles from that shop and will not get there for one more week.
Question-Do the spacers on top of the stem (15 mm) indicate improper setup? The Park site states that the steerer tube should be 3 mm or less than the top level of the stem. I do not know whether this applies to BMX's however. I'm thinking that the steerer tube is too long and would need to be cut to be 3 mm lower than the stem. Is this correct? I am hesitant to cut the steerer tube though, if this is the solution. Any help would be appreciated. Chris.
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Old 05-09-06, 08:46 AM
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Kink and Odyssey are different brands, ask him which one it is, but im sure thats not making a difference.

That seems to be alot of spacers.

Is it an integrated or regular headtube?
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Old 05-09-06, 08:49 AM
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Cutting the steeror tube is fine, it doesnt void the warranty either, (at least for Odyssey forks it doesnt)

Just make sure that the star nut is far enough down that you will not cut it off, and try to use pipe cutters, opposed to a regular hack saw, its more precise.
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Old 05-09-06, 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by KinetikBiker04
Kink and Odyssey are different brands, ask him which one it is, but im sure thats not making a difference.

That seems to be alot of spacers.

Is it an integrated or regular headtube?
Sorry about that. Just checked. The fork is an Odyssey 41. I thought the top cap belonged to the stem and that is where I got the idea that the stem was Odyssey. The stem he mentioned was a Kink, it has two back to back B's on the front.
The bike is a Flybike Simple I think. I think the headtube is regular. I notice from pictures of the threadless headsets that they have spacers between the upper stack and the bottom of the stem, but I have not seen any with spacers stacked 15mm high between the top of the stem and the top cap with bolt. I'm thinking that the bike shop may have installed the fork with too long steerer tube, and the spacers on top of the stem are preventing proper tightening. What do you think? Chris
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Old 05-09-06, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by KinetikBiker04
Cutting the steeror tube is fine, it doesnt void the warranty either, (at least for Odyssey forks it doesnt)

Just make sure that the star nut is far enough down that you will not cut it off, and try to use pipe cutters, opposed to a regular hack saw, its more precise.
Thanks for the reply, just responded to another post above. Do you think the length of the steerer tube is the source of the problem here, and if so, would you cut it just below the stem top surface? Lastly, I can wisk it over the local welder to cut with a pipe cutter, is this often done without the jig that Park tools recommends? Thanks again, son is going crazy-he dropped alot of money on this so far and still is not on the road. Chris
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Old 05-09-06, 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Barnaby
Sorry about that. Just checked. The fork is an Odyssey 41. I thought the top cap belonged to the stem and that is where I got the idea that the stem was Odyssey. The stem he mentioned was a Kink, it has two back to back B's on the front.
The bike is a Flybike Simple I think. I think the headtube is regular. I notice from pictures of the threadless headsets that they have spacers between the upper stack and the bottom of the stem, but I have not seen any with spacers stacked 15mm high between the top of the stem and the top cap with bolt. I'm thinking that the bike shop may have installed the fork with too long steerer tube, and the spacers on top of the stem are preventing proper tightening. What do you think? Chris
Thats weird, is it a flatland bike?

I cant think of any reasons why a shop would have installed a fork wrong, but i guess you could try cutting the steerer tube, becuase even if it doesnt work, you dont need all those spacers..
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Old 05-09-06, 09:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Barnaby
Thanks for the reply, just responded to another post above. Do you think the length of the steerer tube is the source of the problem here, and if so, would you cut it just below the stem top surface? Lastly, I can wisk it over the local welder to cut with a pipe cutter, is this often done without the jig that Park tools recommends? Thanks again, son is going crazy-he dropped alot of money on this so far and still is not on the road. Chris
If your going to cut the steerer tube, (this is how i did it) i put my new fork on (which happens to be an Odyssey as well) and removed all the spacers and put the stem on resting only on the top cup/race/headset and i cut just all of what what sticking out from the top of the stem, but first i made sure that the star nut thing was far enough down that i wouldnt cut it off and lose the luxary of a compression bolt, after cutting the steerer tube with a hacksaw and a vise thing (i would use a pipe cutter, its more precise, i had to end up filing my fork because i cut it uneven) i put a 1mm spacer on to take a little stress off the headset, and seperate it from the stem, just enough that it was seperated, but not enough to have it looking un-smooth and being low.


I hope that made some sort of sense.
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Old 05-09-06, 10:02 AM
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1) Chop the steerer tube; there's no reason to have any spacers above the stem.
2) Tighten the top bolt more; it's damn near the bearings in the FSA Impacts integrated headsets (Kink headsets are FSA Impacts without that company's logo on them, from what I understand).
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Old 05-09-06, 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Beerman
1) Chop the steerer tube; there's no reason to have any spacers above the stem.
2) Tighten the top bolt more; it's damn near the bearings in the FSA Impacts integrated headsets (Kink headsets are FSA Impacts without that company's logo on them, from what I understand).
This is basically what i wanted to say, but beerman did it in compact version, and english.
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Old 05-09-06, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by KinetikBiker04
Thats weird, is it a flatland bike?

I cant think of any reasons why a shop would have installed a fork wrong, but i guess you could try cutting the steerer tube, becuase even if it doesnt work, you dont need all those spacers..
Thanks again-The fork became mated with the frame by my son, who removed it from another frame and asked the shop to install it in the new frame that he ordered over the net. This is one of those situations (that I don't particularly like) where both parts were not procured through the shop whick is asked to do the installing. They benefit only from the labour charge, but the compatibility of parts is up to the customer here. I think though that they may have overlooked the length of the steerer tube relative to the headtube, and made up the difference by adding spacers on the topside, rather than cutting the Odyssey steerer tube to the proper length. I won't go after them for this though, I have noticed that the more experienced wrenches are no longer there, and the shop does little or nothing along the line of BMXs. It is up to us to get it right. The bike is a flatland bike as opposed to a dirt bike. My son likes to cannibalize frames to put parts on new ones. He disassembled a working wheel to use the rim with a new hub, when I advised using it as a spare and buying a new rim. Maybe I'm out of it though, but I still believe "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Thanks again, Chris.
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Old 05-09-06, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Barnaby
Thanks again-The fork became mated with the frame by my son, who removed it from another frame and asked the shop to install it in the new frame that he ordered over the net. This is one of those situations (that I don't particularly like) where both parts were not procured through the shop whick is asked to do the installing. They benefit only from the labour charge, but the compatibility of parts is up to the customer here. I think though that they may have overlooked the length of the steerer tube relative to the headtube, and made up the difference by adding spacers on the topside, rather than cutting the Odyssey steerer tube to the proper length. I won't go after them for this though, I have noticed that the more experienced wrenches are no longer there, and the shop does little or nothing along the line of BMXs. It is up to us to get it right. The bike is a flatland bike as opposed to a dirt bike. My son likes to cannibalize frames to put parts on new ones. He disassembled a working wheel to use the rim with a new hub, when I advised using it as a spare and buying a new rim. Maybe I'm out of it though, but I still believe "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Thanks again, Chris.
Haha, i like to use the term "If it ain't broke, and your not broke, fix it"

As in, whenever i have spare cash, im buying new parts.
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Old 05-09-06, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by KinetikBiker04
Haha, i like to use the term "If it ain't broke, and your not broke, fix it"

As in, whenever i have spare cash, im buying new parts.
Yes! That is how Matt looks at it and I guess he is not alone. I can't talk anyway, I have about 6 road frames with parts all over the house, so who am I to judge?
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Old 05-09-06, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Barnaby
Yes! That is how Matt looks at it and I guess he is not alone. I can't talk anyway, I have about 6 road frames with parts all over the house, so who am I to judge?
Haha.

You should let him get an account so he can post up on the forum, since he probly wont do stupid "noob" stuff becuase of you being on the forum(and knowing how it works), and im assuming he knows quite a bit about bikes...
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Old 05-09-06, 01:22 PM
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Thank You Keneticbiker and Beerman, as far as quotes go-this applies more to me since all my bikes are fixed-gear,
"IF it ain't broke-fix it till you are"
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Old 05-10-06, 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Barnaby
Thank You Keneticbiker and Beerman, as far as quotes go-this applies more to me since all my bikes are fixed-gear,
"IF it ain't broke-fix it till you are"
I like that one even better.

And your welcome.
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