Is it harmful to replace the race on an alumimum steerer?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 21
Bikes: 1985 Ross Signature 294S, 2001 LeMond Zurich, 2001 & 2006 LeMond Poprads, and a bunch of 1980s and 1990s MTBs.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Is it harmful to replace the race on an alumimum steerer?
I am installing a new Ritchey WCS headset on a Lemond Poprad, including replacing the race on the aluminum fork (which has an aluminum steerer). I haven't worked with aluminum steerers before...is there any problem with changing races on an aluminum steerer? I'm asking because I removed the old race carefully and went to install the new one, but the new one slips onto the steerer with minimal effort (all the way to the fork) - it is not tight enough. I'm hoping it's just a problem with the new race, but I'm worried that perhaps the metal on the aluminum steerer was "mashed" to a particular shape by the previous race, and now a new race won't fit properly (?). Is this a concern with aluminum steerers? AFAIK this is the first time the race has been changed on this fork.
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 21
Bikes: 1985 Ross Signature 294S, 2001 LeMond Zurich, 2001 & 2006 LeMond Poprads, and a bunch of 1980s and 1990s MTBs.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Hammer and flat-tipped punch, working slowly and evenly around the race.
#5
Señor Cardgage Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hudson Valley, NY
Posts: 349
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 21
Bikes: 1985 Ross Signature 294S, 2001 LeMond Zurich, 2001 & 2006 LeMond Poprads, and a bunch of 1980s and 1990s MTBs.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
It's a 1-1/8" steerer, so there should just be one standard, right? It turns out the problem was with the race (whew). I took the fork to my LBS, they slipped on a couple of other 1-1/8" races, and there was plenty of interference in the fit. The LBS mechanic surmised the Ritchey race slips all the way on because the race is aluminum, but I don't see why that should make any difference. I measured the race ID with my calipers and it was 30mm, as it should be. Weird. Anyway, I found another race that matches the Ritchey race pretty closely and fits the steerer just fine. Thanks for the comments.