Originally Posted by
BarracksSi
How does that little clock secure into the steerer? Do you have to remove the top cap completely? I'd like to get one myself, but I'm wondering how the headset doesn't work loose (I've got a rental MTB at the moment whose stem simply will not stay straight; it needs the top cap to keep the fork in place).
BTW, the cap doesn't really hold anything in place. Many caps are just plastic. It's how you do this right. First, keep the stem loose, rest the bike on the floor make sure all the headset parts, spacers, etc come in place properly then tighten the cap just enough to pull everything together. Then tighten the stem bolts. It's the stem that actually holds the fork and headset in place. Once you tighten the stem you can remove the cap, it doesn't do anything any more.
Oh, and the steerer tube can't protrude over the stem. There needs to be at least 2-3 mm but not more than 5mm between the end of the steerer tbe and the edge of the stem clamp so the re is enough room to pull up any slack when you tighten the cap.