humboldt'sroads

I am replacing my Cannondale Slice Premium fork (cracked steertube) with a Ritchey WCS fork (also full carbon) which didn't come with a crown race, and does not have a tapered steer tube. Can I re-use the race from my C'dale fork if using the existing headset?

humboldt'sroads

Really!?! 38 views and no opinions? Wow. I guess a thread not titled "Is Motobecane a good choice?" or "Does carbon fiber really explode?" isn't as refreshing as I'd thought?

bruin11

I don't know the answer and quite possibly the other 38 people who looked did not either but I googled whether crown race was reusable

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=crown+race+reusable

Andrew R Stewart 

If you came into the shop where I work I'd ask if you brought the forks with you. if so I'd measure and compare the crown race diameters and shapes. If they were the same i's say the race should fit the new fork, if the diameter was the same but the shape was different (say a conical shape at the seat's bottom on one fork but not the other) then no go. What i can't say is whether this will work WITHOUT looking at each fork. One problem that the industry has increased is the differing part fitting standards. cannondale is one of the bigger players in the game (and it is mostly just a marketing game) of company unique dimensional standards. Few mechanics can know the full range of possible combinations unless they have serviced both, and not too long ago at that. Now the question as to the race's condition and whether that aspect is good for reuse is another question... Andy.

gyozadude

It may be that not many folks have a Cannondale SPFork or have disassembled one. I haven't. So I don't know how the crown race has been attached and if there were special procedures at the factory in dealing with this particular carbon fork (e.g. bonding the crown race to the fork which would be hokey - but might be done) that might make removal a real pain or not recommended or if special tools were used to press fit over the standard tools. So no comment. But why not try it and let us know?

IthaDan 

Cartridge bearings? Wrangle the race off the broken fork (sometimes easier said then done if the fork is salvageable), and if the race's ID matches the new fork, take a hacksaw and cut a slot in the race if you don't have one already. Many new CARTRIDGE headsets are shipping with slotted races, you'll be glad you did this the next time you swap forks around.

JonathanGennick 

Races ship with headsets, not with forks. I reuse races, and am only careful to make sure that a given race + matches up properly with the rest of the headset.

humboldt'sroads

Thanks Jonathan, that's kind of what I thought, given the actual fork crown is flat (90 degree angle from steer tube) and the race provides a place for the bearings to sit.

IthaDan, do you mean to cut a slot all the way through the crown race so that it doesn't fit so snugly? I guess this makes since as it will be snug when the bearings go on and everything tightened down. I don't really anticipate replacing the fork again (I hope I've learned my lesson about torque spec's!).

a77impala

Slotted race? Got a picture. Are not races hardened steel and a hack saw will just ruin the teeth on the blade trying to cut it.

IthaDan 

Yeah, all the way through. I have an FSA headset with this and I have worked on origin8 headsets with the same thing.

https://img1.qbp.com/6SPsvm45/prodl/HD2146.jpg

a77impala

If there is a gap in the race would there not be a dead spot when you turn the fork?

Airburst

Only races for cup-and-cone bearings have to be made of hardened steel, I don't think the ones for cartridge bearings are.

Also, you can buy carbide blades for hacksaws which will cut through hardened steel. I seem to recall hearing someone on here talking about removing a seized BB cup by cutting it into sections with one.

M_S

Not with cartridge bearings.

humboldt'sroads

Update: Replaced fork and all went well. I must start by saying I went to Mike's Bikes Wednesday evening clinic where you have free run of their tools and service area and can do anything you please under the watchful eye of their mechanics. This was a very nice free service! Confirmed that the race for my integrated headset is not hardened steel, but I didn't cut it on recommendation of the mechanic at the bike shop as he said doing this on a race that doesn't come already slotted may cause noise in the future. Whatever. It wasn't difficult with the right tools. Quick and much easier than I thought for a change!

JonathanGennick 

I'm kind of glad to hear you left it uncut. I also would have left the race alone.

Glad the swap went well. That is a nice service that shop has.