No water down the stem/fork.
 

I am thinking about different ways of "sealing off" my stem/fork at the headset so I dont get water down. Is it possible to use vulcanic tape around the stem or will it be impossible to remove later on?

not sure what volcanic tape is but maybe you could find heat shrink tubing in the right size.....

I dont know what it is called in english actually, so I just translated it from Swedish :) It is the kind of tape that you stretch while you put it on, and the heat generated due to stretch will cause the tape to "melt" together and form a single entity.

Try a section of inner tube.

I wish I could remember where I saw it, but in one of the books someone suggests making seals out of pieces of an old tube. Just cut yourself a couple of pieces that are (just guessing here) about 2cm wide and, voila!, you have seals like rubber bands that are the perfect size to stretch around the headset bearing/race sets. As pointed out in this tip, though, you can only install the bottom seal if the fork is removed. I will try to find the source for that, but that's essentially the deal. Another nice use for those little bands you are now making is to use them for securing your spare tube in your bike bag. I'd guess someone has probably written an article on "101 Uses for deceased inner tubes" somewhere ;) I always keep a couple around. Not quite duct tape, but very useful. I cut rectangular pieces for tire boots and keep a couple in my bike bag.

In english we call it self vulcanising rubber tape.
It could work very well.
Have you tried a smear of silicone sealant on the stem, just put a little on the top 1cm of the inserted part as you fit it in. Wipe off any excess before it cures.

Bobthe....

Remind me not to bid against you on Ebay :fight:

I don't believe I've ever seen this stuff. Has anyone seen this in the U.S. ? Or, is it called something else here?

I guess I should not bid against you either, Bob.

Ok, I found my original reference for the inner tube trick. There is a section called "Making Headset Seals" (!!!) in "Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair" by Jim Langley. He says to make the seal 1-1.5" in length. He also says that if you regularly transport your bike on a car top rack you should be using something like this as the grease can literally get blown out of the bearings at 65 mph. He then goes on to say that if you don't have such a seal for car transport, at least cover it up with a plastic bag or something.

Instead of dealing with all the hassle of covering or sealing your headset before every car drive, get yerself a King headset ;)

Eight King headsets and thousands of miles on top of the car for each one, and nary a whimper.