Seized spacers.

[fausto copy]

The aluminium headset stacking spacers were seized solid on Mrs.Copy's bike last week and despite penetrating oil and later heat, we had to cut one of them off with a Dremel. The steerer tube was severely corroded, which I've now cleaned off as best I can.
In expectation of getting a new set of spacers, I have lubricated the steerer with Copper Ease.
However, I've bought a set of Carbon Fibre spacers and wonder if it's now best to remove as much of the Copper Ease off as possible.
The reason I ask is that I'm not familiar with chemical interaction between steel and carbon fibre.

fausto.

[Brucey]

the carbon spacers are basically 'non critical' so it perhaps doesn't really matter if they react with copper ease or not.

BTW the fact that the a-head spacers were all corroded to the steerer is IMHO because the whole design is (for UK conditions) a bit crap.

cheers

[fausto copy]

Thanks Brucey, I knew I could rely on you.

I agree with your sentiments re Aheadsets.
It's only our two Raven Rohloffs that have them. We use them as winter bikes and in the worst conditions, so it's no wonder they got corroded.

Cheers, fausto.

[fatboy]

Given you've had corrosion issues I'd recommend checking for any lines of corrosion where the gaps in the spacers are. A mate of mine had his steerer sheer off in this way. Thankfully he was climbing a hill so going slowly (also good was the bike shop that loaned him a set of forks for the rest of our tour)

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Is the head stem aluminium or steel?

[fausto copy]

The steerer stem is steel and I've given it a good clean with fine emery paper.
There are no radial score or corrosion marks and I'm happy the steerer tube is safe and sound, thanks.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

The steerer stem is steel and I've given it a good clean with fine emery paper.
There are no radial score or corrosion marks and I'm happy the steerer tube is safe and sound, thanks.

Hmmmmm.............a picture would help.
I'd be inclined to buy an aluminium one, broken two or more bikes with steel (Apollo Halfords) stems and they do not seal on the steerer tube well, all had seized spacers, a bum to get apart because of the wedge, so water gets is easy and its rusty water from the steel steerer.

[fausto copy]

Apologies.......
the stem is aluminium sorry. Got confused, I thought you were asking about the steerer tube.
Reassembled all today, everything looks fine.
Never adjusted an Aheadset before. Seemed like a doddle.
Oil change to the Rolloff hub, new brake blocks all round, cleaned the whole bike etc., etc.

Then did the whole thing again with my Raven too (apart from headset adjustment).

5 hours solid work, now ready for me tea.

fausto.

[meic]

Then did the whole thing again with my Raven too (apart from headset adjustment).

How can you rebuild it without doing the headset adjustment?

[fausto copy]

It wasn't a rebuild, just a full service ready for the winter.

[Gattonero]

The aluminium headset stacking spacers were seized solid on Mrs.Copy's bike last week and despite penetrating oil and later heat, we had to cut one of them off with a Dremel. The steerer tube was severely corroded, which I've now cleaned off as best I can.
In expectation of getting a new set of spacers, I have lubricated the steerer with Copper Ease.
However, I've bought a set of Carbon Fibre spacers and wonder if it's now best to remove as much of the Copper Ease off as possible.
The reason I ask is that I'm not familiar with chemical interaction between steel and carbon fibre.

fausto.

The problem is in the materials, not the headset per se.
A steel part should be at least primed to be less sensitive to rust and corrosion. At least, some grease should have been applied, and not only for the spacers but for the parts of the headset as well.
There is no problem with carbon fiber and copper grease.

[Brucey]

The problem is in the materials, not the headset per se....

the A-head design has the same effect as a collection of small funnels attached to your bike, cleverly arranged so that they collect rainwater and direct it into places it should not go. ....

cheers

[Gattonero]

The problem is in the materials, not the headset per se....

the A-head design has the same effect as a collection of small funnels attached to your bike, cleverly arranged so that they collect rainwater and direct it into places it should not go. ....

cheers

Same can be for a traditional quill stem: despite the o-rings on the locknut, try to install a quill stem without any grease and see what happens after two years that's been there. And especially, you won;t remove a seized quill stem with normal tools, at least with an aheadset style headset you can cut down spacers or compression cones in a relatively easy way

[Brucey]

the clearance between a quill and a steerer is small and this single point of entry is relatively easily filled with something that mitigates the potential effects of water ingress. Any water that does get into the gap can run out of the bottom of the steerer, harmlessly.

By contrast an A-head setup has multiple points of entry for water, the gaps cannot be reliably blocked with anything (because they are so large), and the water runs thence into the headset bearings certainly and into the rest of the frame usually.

The net effect is that a well-greased quill stem can sit out in the rain 24/7 for several years and it will still move OK; by contrast an A-head setup (treated similarly) will have seized up with corrosion and the headset bearings will usually be rotted out too. There is usually a puddle inside the stem.

There is no comparison; the A-head setup was designed by someone who didn't give a thought to practical bicycles that see all weathers in countries where it rains; like many other features of modern bikes (like bottom brackets...) it is a maintenance hungry-feature of little benefit to the end user; it is really for the convenience of the manufacturer and little else, IMHO.

cheers

[mig]

am i right to think that Ahead setups come from the desire to alter stem length and handlebars more frequently?