Last night, towards the end of my commute home, I noticed a strange sound coming from the front of my bike. I wasn't until I was outside of my apartment building, that the sound was coming from the headset. It's a squeaky noise that happens when I turn the handlebars left and right.

This morning it went away, but after an evening ride, the squeaky sound came back. What could possibly be causing this noise? My bike is only two months old with only about 300 miles on it.

Try this:
1. Lean your bike from side to side. Does the handlebar flop when you do that? (It should)
2. Hold your front brake and try to rock your bike forward. Can you feel a little "tick"? (You shouldn't)

I suppose it could happen but I can't imagine a headset on a brand new bike needing grease. I can easily imagine a new bike having a headset that's poorly adjusted. My advice is to take it back to the shop and tell them what you've told us. Readjusting your headset should be part of the sales deal.

Thanks. I tried your first suggestion, and it flops over to either side. But at a slower pace than before. with your second suggestion, there is some faint play. I'm gonna head to the lbs I got it from first thing in the morning and have them look at it.

It only takes a few wet rides (or car trips with bike on rack) to have water find it's way up and into the headset bearings. Once there the water won't evaporate quickly and the grease will be contaminated, rust follows.

That your headset sounds to be both loose (the faint play) and yet tight (the not turning with the bike leaned to one side) speaks to the possibility that the bearings are in bad shape. But without my telescopic and x-ray vision (sorry I leave those eyes at work) I can't say for sure. Andy.

More likely, at 300 miles, we're seeing the consequences of installing one of those little plastic sealing rings upside down, or just off to one side and mashed.

+1