Cube E MTB - Headset Bearing

[Geoffahs]

Looking for advice here. I bought a new Cube E MTB from Winstanley's back in March last year. After only a handful of rides, the lower headset bearing seized up completely. The handle bars would not self align - nearly had me off. Assuming it would be a warranty issue, I got back in touch with Winstanley. Over 8 months of photos and videos, and dozens of emails later, they have refused my claim, on the basis that bearings are a consumable item. Whilst I agree that bearings are consumables, in that they wear out, my view is that this one never had a chance to wear out, it just seized the first time I went out in the wet. I am left feeling somewhat hard done by, particularly as it took them so long to get to this point. They have quoted me around £50 for a new headset. I am actually very upset by their attitude to this.

So my question is, am I being unreasonable in thinking this should be a warranty rather than fair wear and tear issue? Any suggestions as to how I might take this forward, or do I just live with it?

[rjb]

The bearing should never have failed in such a short space of time unless it was overtightened or not fitted correctly or faulty.
If you aren't confident to replace the bearings yourself and adjust them correctly then take it to a reputable bike shop to have the work done.

[531colin]

Photos of dis-assembled headset?
Did you buy it in a box or pick it up assembled from the shop?

[tim-b]

If the lower bearing is exposed to road spray because you don't have mudguards then this is entirely possible

If you have mudguards then it depends on your appetite for a fight

[Cyclothesist]

I agree with the previous posts - the headset bearing should not have failed in such a short time. I'm surprised/disappointed Winstanley's aren't being more helpful.
Headset lower bearing failure is often a combination of water ingress (especially salty water) compounded by a completely inadequate amount of grease used when the bearing was fitted from new (looking at you Kona!). Like Tim-b said the quickest way to be back on the road is to have a new bearing fitted with a generous amount of marine grease applied. Mudguards will protect you, the drivetrain and the headset bearings from winter salty road water so if you don't have them fitted it's a worthwhile investment.

[rareposter]

I agree with the previous posts - the headset bearing should not have failed in such a short time.

Depends how much of the story we're getting. The OP says "a handful of rides" but with no indication as to what those rides were like in terms of weather. A handful of rides in the rain on salty/gritty/muddy roads or trails without mudguards can cause a lot of damage in a short time, especially if the bike has subsequently been jetwashed or stored away wet etc...

I'm more surprised by the apparent 8 months of back and forth - I'd be inclined after hearing "no it's not warranty" to press it once, then leave a snotty review and move on with life.

OP: I think after 8 months, it's time to accept you're not going to get anywhere with the original shop; take the bike to a reputable shop (ideally a Cube dealer but not essential) and buy a new headset. While they're fitting it, perhaps they could take a look at the previous headset, see if there was anything obviously amiss with it but bear in mind it could be anything from a faulty bearing to it simply being overtightened (or too loose) or subject to a lot of water ingress.

I'll make an assumption (from the shop you bought it from) that you're probably local to Wigan? There's an excellent Cube dealer and mechanic / workshop in a small town called Disley on the A6 south of Stockport. I appreciate that it's not *that* local to Wigan (probably about an hour's drive) but if you're interested, it's Cycle Space: https://www.cycle-space.co.uk/
Highly recommended, excellent workshop, they can fix anything and they'll know the bike cos they sell them.

[brumster]

The bearing needs to be examined by the dealer in order to determine whether a warranty claim can be justified and processed with Cube. Also worth checking if your Cube is equipped with an Acros headset. The integrated plastic headset cup housing the bearing have been known to crack if not correctly preloaded.

[hamster]

A new bearing is £30, probably the same in labour. It shouldn't have gone that quickly, but if the bike was ridden on salty roads, and left outside I could fully believe it. I have destroyed a set of brake cables in a single winter ride (snow and slush plus grit), similarly a complete set of brakes. In mid winter 200 miles can eat a chain off-road.

Let it go, preserve your sanity and move on?

[Geoffahs]

Thanks All, really helpful comments, appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Not local to Wigan, Winstanley just had a good deal on, and bike was delivered assembled.

It was only a few rides, but it was wet, and I didn't have a mudguard at the time, so I can see that the lower bearing would be exposed to moisture, but still think it should be able to resist a bit of this without turning up its toes, and it was late spring / early summer and off road, so definitely no salt on the roads. And I don't leave my bikes (I have a few) outside or jetwash them. That's what Winstanley suggested was the problem, which wound me up a bit. Feels like it gave up the ghost a little too easily.

Hamster / Rareposter - you are both probably right. Time to accept that Winstanley or, it would appear, Cube, are not going to give in, so let it go, preserve my sanity and move on. Shame though, I thought they were one of the good guys. Snotty review it is.

And thanks all for your other suggestions, really helpful.

[Brucey]

commonly headsets are built using ACBs which use 1/8" balls. It ought to be a five minute job to remove the bearing, and about the same to open it up. Usually these bearings are made with a clip (which is easily broken up and removed) and a little more than half the balls in it vs a more expensive 'full complement' bearing. It doesn't take much work to give the bearing a 3.1LFC (three and a bit lips, full complement) conversion; this makes it much stronger, and it will hopefully outlast the rest of the bike. To do this well, you need a packet of precision balls, some grease, an electric drill, and an angle grinder. The idea here is almost completely remove the unused fourth lip from the bearing ie. the upper lip from the inner race. This then allows the bearing to be reassembled and used as a FC bearing. If the fourth lip is not completely removed, it still permits reassembly of the bearing as a full complement type, but with a distinct 'click' as it goes together, so the bearing does not come apart when handled.
If you are a complete tightwad (or desperate) you can try using the balls taken from an old freewheel. These commonly 'wear together', thus becoming more equal in size than when they went in rather than less.

[rareposter]

Hamster / Rareposter - you are both probably right. Time to accept that Winstanley or, it would appear, Cube, are not going to give in, so let it go, preserve my sanity and move on. Shame though, I thought they were one of the good guys. Snotty review it is.

Your contract is with Winstanleys; technically you deal with them, they deal with the manufacturer in question. This would apply no matter what brand of bike.

This does highlight though some of the pitfalls of long-distance buying. I get there's an issue of packing the bike up, returning it to the shop etc but in those circumstances (potential warranty), the shop should say:

Take the bike to [local Cube dealer] who will assess it on our behalf and they will talk to us about it, at which point we will decide whether we:
Ask for the bike back so we can fix it.
Get [local Cube dealer] to fix it on our behalf and we refund them the labour.
Decide it's not warranty and you're in your own.

I'm surprised they can decide it's not warranty based on photos and emails.

But yeah, at this point, get it fixed up and move on, maybe with a mental note to avoid that shop again....

[Brucey]

annoyingly, actually fixing the bike should be neither difficult nor expensive to do.

[tim-b]

...and it was late spring / early summer and off road, so definitely no salt on the roads.

It doesn't have to be salty water, that just makes certain corrosion types happen more quickly.

Feels like it gave up the ghost a little too easily.

Many bearings are for high-speed applications and none of us are that quick, e-bike or not so bearings are typically under-greased for UK cycling

The manufacturer of the bearings indicates the standard percentage for the particular type of bearing. This is usually between 20% and 40%. The rotational speed of the bearing largely determines the amount of the percentage. If the rotational speed is lower than 50% of the maximum permissible speed, we recommend a lubricant percentage of 50% to 65%. If the rotational speed is higher than 50% of the maximum permissible speed, we recommend a lubricant percentage of 30% to 50%. https://eriks.com/en/know-how-hub/blogs ... brication/

Whack some water-resistant grease in (Mobil XHP222 is one such) for longevity. You can overfill a bearing, which must be avoided; you'll know because the seal won't "click" back in

[Brucey]

a 3LFC or 3.1LFC conversion will sort it out, to 'better than new' condition. Note that a 3LFC conversion is extremely unlikely to seize up, even if water gets in.