Headset Adjustment Loosening on Weekend Ride
#1
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Headset Adjustment Loosening on Weekend Ride
I did a 5 hour ride this past weekend on my mountain bike. Nothing too extreme. Mainly twisty singletrack with a lot of roots. About 3 hours into the ride, I noticed a clunking sound coming from the front of the bike. The sound wasn't there for the first few hours, so I got off the bike and checked it out. Turned out my headset adjustment had somehow loosened. The stem bolts seemed tight enough (handlebars remained even), so I wasn't sure what had caused it. I did an adjustment on the trail, went on my way, and everything seemed fine for a while.
30-40 minutes later, though, the adjustment came loose again. Not sure how this could happen, since the stem was secure enough that it shouldn't have been sliding up the steerer.
The headset is an adjustable WTB threadless that came stock on the bike, a Marin Pine Mountain. I had done an overhaul of the headset a week prior to the ride, but everything went smoothly (though I had to use the mallet a few times to remove the steerer from the head tube). Any thoughts on what the problem could be?
30-40 minutes later, though, the adjustment came loose again. Not sure how this could happen, since the stem was secure enough that it shouldn't have been sliding up the steerer.
The headset is an adjustable WTB threadless that came stock on the bike, a Marin Pine Mountain. I had done an overhaul of the headset a week prior to the ride, but everything went smoothly (though I had to use the mallet a few times to remove the steerer from the head tube). Any thoughts on what the problem could be?
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I'm agree with sydney, it must be something that happened while overhauling the headset. Dbl-check the lower cup-could you have knocked it downward, away from the head tube, when banging out the steerer?
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Check that the crown race (the race on the fork) is solidly against it's seat.
Also, most threadless headsets have a split cone on top of the top bearing to center and preload the bearings. Did you neglect to install it? Did you put in in upside down?
Are you sure the stem is really tight enough to keep the bumps from moving it?
Also, most threadless headsets have a split cone on top of the top bearing to center and preload the bearings. Did you neglect to install it? Did you put in in upside down?
Are you sure the stem is really tight enough to keep the bumps from moving it?
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Thanks for the responses. I know the bits and pieces were reassembled properly---this isn't my first time maintaining a headset (though, as Sydney said, I must've done something somewhere if the problem didn't exist before the overhaul ).
I hadn't thought to check to see if one of the races had been knocked out of place, though, so I'll check that. As for the stem, it seems pretty tight, but I'll put a little extra effort into trying to move the handlebar to see if there is any give at all.
I appreciate you guys helping me out.
I hadn't thought to check to see if one of the races had been knocked out of place, though, so I'll check that. As for the stem, it seems pretty tight, but I'll put a little extra effort into trying to move the handlebar to see if there is any give at all.
I appreciate you guys helping me out.
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