My headset is really loose and stiff ... when I try to screw it down further it just jams and becomes stuck and stiff in places.

Could someone recommend something ?

loose ? tighten its preload adjustment, the loosened srem bolts in back stem lets that happen

with the bolt in the center cap tightened, increases the tightness , then you re tighten the stem around the fork bolts.

If its also stiff its not working right. take the fork apart and replace the whole bearing set,
or clean and grease it at least.

or bring the bike to a shop. your Cannondale Dealer, then they can see
what replacement parts you need to buy.

Take your bike to a shop. The people there can actually see the problem in focus. You need new bearings anyway.

Whenever I see that issue, it is because someone who doesn't know much about bikes was putting the bearings in and they put the bearing(s) in upside down assuming you have caged bearings.

If you put the cages upside down in place, when you tighten down the headset, it will feel loose and then as soon as it tightens up, it will get very hard to turn and crunchy.

Bearings with cages can only be inserted one way.

From the looks of the bottom race the bearings are either in improperly or they have rusted so badly that they are no longer there. New Headset time.

rideforever1, Welcome to the forum.

I suggest a new complete headset. The two bottom races are out of alignment and I doubt the races are now any good.

Brad

+1 The rust and neglect shown in the pictures make the headset look beyond salvaging.

Hi thanks. Would you be able to point out a headset on a bike parts shop for me ? There are a lot of options and I don't know what is required. This is a Canondale hybrid.

I don't know anything about Headsets, although I have changed the chain and all the cables - that much I can do.
Cant be that hard to fit a headset can it ?

> yeah it's stored outside, no options unfortunately ... my plan is to change the chain and all cables once a year ... it's the best I can do

I don't know the specifcs for your bike, but www.parktool.com/repair
has a lot of useful information. So, once you get the right headset, they may be able to help you install & adjust it.

Removal and installation of the crown race (the race at the base of the steerer tube) is best done with specialized tools and the bearings of your headset may be caged balls or a specific configuration cartridge.

At this point, you would probably be better served by taking the bike to a Cannondale dealer as they will have the exact specs.

Huh, not to hijack the thread, but reading about star nuts on there it looks to me that if you are planning to cut the steerer down you can just force the nut further down the tube and then make the cut without having to remove/replace the nut.

ya, looks like the headset is toast, and if it were me, i might think about cleaning the bird poop off the top cap before taking it into the bike shop, just as a courtesy...

OP, you can buy a cover for it to provide some protection from the elements. Bike Nashbar or your LBS should have some at reasonable prices.

I don't think he's in N. America by the license plates. Does Nashbar ship over seas.

Brad

Yes, a starnut can be pushed down and still used if shortening the steerer but, based on the pictures, the steerer is not excessively long.

Google threadless headset to see sources, prices and replacement procedures. As noted above look at the Parktool.com result and also sheldonbrown.com first. Videos can be helpful to see the procedure, but videos often leave out important info. Replacing a threadless headset is not terribly difficult - you just need to check the one you have for correct dimensions.

Looks like the lower race is missing bearings... a replacement headset is not that expensive and it is not a big job to do although specialized tools make it easier.

Why is your frame covered in black tape ?

Wondering as if you put it there you probably know what is under it, if it came that way I'd remove it and see what it is covering.

I'm not the OP. My steerer will make my bike look like a submarine when I'm done building it up.

Yes, I knew you were not but you didn't ask about your own bike directly. My answer is still correct and you can indeed push a starnut further down the steerer to let you cut above it.

To keep the starnut square in the steerer while you are hammering it down, put the top cap back on the steerer and run a long M5x.8 mm bolt through it's center hole and thread it into the starnut. The top cap then acts as an alignment guide while you pound on top of the bolt. Also, measure how far you want to lower the starnut and mark the bolt that far above the top cap. Then drive it down until your mark is at the cap.

As with every other cutting job, measure at least twice before getting out the hammer or saw.

I'm going to measure twice and then bring it to the shop to have them cut. Will be the only part of the build I have them do.

I just replaced my derailleur cables successfully, after last week's chain and brake cables, so I think I will tackle the headset - saving so much money doing it myself.

I saw this part (cheap and well reviewed), it's 1 1/8 " ... although it says BMX / MTB ... I assume it will work on a Canondale Hybrid City Bike ??

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/f...t/rp-prod57088

Depends on your steerer diameter.

Headset replacement, as stated earlier, takes some specialized tools. It takes one special tool for the removal and another for the installation. I'm not sure if you can rig something up for the removal, but I've read online about people successfully using a threaded rod, washers, and nuts to create a cheap headset press to install the headset. I'm planning on doing this for my current build.

Sheldon Brown has instructions which just use basic tools ...

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/headsets.html

To buy the tools is very expensive - I checked !! I might as well buy a new bike.

Service at a Bike Shop , means you dont have to buy all the tools .

to buy a house is expensive, bike tools you buy a couple as you need them .

next time,.. impromptu seal .. cut a section out of old inner tube out,
and stretch it over the fork when you put it back in the frame ,

to better shield the bottom bearings from rain and wheelspray crud ..

Or pay a shop to do it.