New threadless headset - there's too many!

[RomSci]

Hi all,

During my recent LEJOG, the Aheadset in my 2013 Dawes Ultra Galaxy became quite notched (or brinelled if you want to call it that). I was able to keep it at bay for a few 100 miles at a time by regreasing and shifting the balls around a bit, but that only works so many times. It has done about 3500 miles overall and has not been completely neglected during that time, but I reckon I could have packed it out with new grease more often than I did. Anyhow, it is of the loose balls in a cage variety and will probably have a pretty-looking pattern in its crown race - time for a new one!

Highly subjective recommendations appreciated - the new one should above all things be robust, be as serviceable as possible (i.e., cartridge bearings), and have seals that actually manage to keep the weather outside and the lube inside! Models like the FSA Orbit XL II strike me as quite expensive for two bearings and some metal bits, but I am happy to be convinced of their merits if dishing out some money would mean one less component on the bike to be concerned about.

Thanks in advance!

[Brucey]

you might be at the point where you need a new one now, but if you want to have an interesting experiment, fit a full complement of balls to the races. If you want to do as little as possible, fit loose balls (no clip) to the lower race only. Even with some extant brinelling, a headset treated thus will often start to work OK again because the dents don't line up with the balls. You will usually get about half as many balls again into the bearing, which makes the assembly about half as strong again.

You will typically get more, larger balls in a loose ball headset than in a cartridge one. And as you have found out if the thing starts to give you gyp on tour, pulling loose balls out is pretty easy, where by contrast finding another cartridge bearing of the right type in an LBS en route is liable to prove impossible; there are indeed too many different versions.

BTW my apologies if I am jumping to conclusions here but 9/10 damaged headsets are caused by excessive preload on the bearing. The top cap should be barely nipped up, i.e. about like you would manage with your pinky on a 1" long allen key; that tight. Then tighten the stem, and then if the stem tends to move in service it is usually OK add a little more preload to the top cap.

I've seen a lot of people tighten the top cap just like they would any other M6 bolt and then they moan that their headset didn't last very long. No surprise there.

cheers

[hamster]

Campagnolo Record last well, have beautiful bearings but above all have grease ports in the side so you can re-grease them without dismantling. Yes they are around £40, but last and last and last.

[iow]

Models like the FSA Orbit XL II strike me as quite expensive for two bearings and some metal bits, but I am happy to be convinced of their merits if dishing out some money would mean one less component on the bike to be concerned about.

Thanks in advance!

usually available on ebay at a reasonable price: example
it's my usual choice when building a new bike. never had a problem with one. pick the seals out and re-pack with grease each year and it should last you a very long time.

[iandriver]

Head sets seem to be one of those components where paying RRP is a thing of the past.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HSFSOMX/fsa ... mx-headset

[RomSci]

Thanks for your replies

you might be at the point where you need a new one now, but if you want to have an interesting experiment, fit a full complement of balls to the races. If you want to do as little as possible, fit loose balls (no clip) to the lower race only. Even with some extant brinelling, a headset treated thus will often start to work OK again because the dents don't line up with the balls. You will usually get about half as many balls again into the bearing, which makes the assembly about half as strong again.

I read that tip before on Sheldon Brown's page. Would have given it a shot if I hadn't been in a northbound string of Travelodges when it first happened

You will typically get more, larger balls in a loose ball headset than in a cartridge one. And as you have found out if the thing starts to give you gyp on tour, pulling loose balls out is pretty easy, where by contrast finding another cartridge bearing of the right type in an LBS en route is liable to prove impossible; there are indeed too many different versions.

Two lines of thought here -

1) As you say, en route replacement with cartridge bearing would likely prove to be impossible, and loose ball bearings would be much easier to service.

2) Failure/degradation modes for headsets that I'm aware of seem to be gradual (onset of brinelling, roughness of the bearings), and something one could live with until being able to pop in a new cartridge at home, whereas the loose ball variety might well be knackered beyond repair by that point.

Of course my hope would be that either scenario is purely academic from here on, as my next headset-to-be (loose or cartridge) will last me a lifetime!

BTW my apologies if I am jumping to conclusions here but 9/10 damaged headsets are caused by excessive preload on the bearing. The top cap should be barely nipped up, i.e. about like you would manage with your pinky on a 1" long allen key; that tight. Then tighten the stem, and then if the stem tends to move in service it is usually OK add a little more preload to the top cap.

No apologies necessary - I'm aware of the top cap bolt only being there for pre-loading. That said, like many others I might still be in the rather a bit too tight than too loose camp, and that might well have botched up the bearings. One day I will admit that I am too hamfisted to not have a torque wrench..

Campagnolo Record last well, have beautiful bearings but above all have grease ports in the side so you can re-grease them without dismantling. Yes they are around £40, but last and last and last.

I like the idea of grease ports. Ribble's homepage says the threadless version is no longer available though? Is the "hidden"/ITS version a replacement? I've never heard of those terms..

usually available on ebay at a reasonable price: example
it's my usual choice when building a new bike. never had a problem with one. pick the seals out and re-pack with grease each year and it should last you a very long time.

The other bit of maths I have to do.. Do I let my LBS replace the headset (who would probably want to order in the headset themselves at above-discount prices), or do I bite the bullet and get a headset press myself. Are there any other exotic tools beyond the press that I would have to consider getting?

Thanks!

[cycleruk]

Hidden (integrated) Aheadsets are different from "normal" Aheadsets.
The "cups" are part of the headtube with the rest of the unit hidden inside.

I would have thought that any reasonable bike shop would have suitable bearings in stock, either loose or in a race, so that you could replace them without to much hassle.

[Brucey]

re the servicability; Water ingress kills headsets with some facility and there are only two answers to this; keep the water out or clean/regrease often enough that it doesn't get the chance to do any damage. Headsets with a grease port are a smart idea, shame there are not more of them; I've only owned a coupe of A-head headsets that were well enough sealed that I didn't feel the need to service them on a fairly regular basis.

As others have commented you can pull apart cartridge bearings and pack them with fresh grease and this can prolong the life of the headset. However, with few exceptions this is more difficult than with a loose ball headset so depending on your proclivities you might choose to use one sort over another. In addition the number and size of the balls inside many cartridge bearings is pretty dismal so just on strength grounds a loose ball headset can often be better.

One you have carefully chosen your headset, dealt with the adjustment and the water ingress issues, that is it; it should last many years. Choose, service and/or adjust your headset badly and more trouble is inevitable.

In your shoes I'd try loose balls in the present unit; very little to lose by doing this, and it works more often that you might expect.

cheers

[fastpedaller]

Can I suggest you also get good ball bearings - not the 'steel balls' that frequent a lot of cycle shops. I recently bought a new discounted headset from a leading cycle store for £2.86 (yes you did read that Correctly!) , bought some grade 10 bearings off a popular auction site (sold by a bearing specialist) and it really is as smooth as silk. bearings cost more than the headset though

[RomSci]

Hi,

Not forgotten about this, and all your helpful replies were much appreciated - it's just that I was bloody slow at getting the cycling momentum going again after LEJOG. Been back on the bike for a fortnight now, and decided before that to give new bearings in the old headset a try. They've been doing very well so far with no noticeable indexing!

[Valbrona]

Stack height. If you buy one with a lower stack height the steerer will have to be cut or a spacer used. Buy one with a higher stack height and it won't fit. Lot easier to get a straight replacement. You will find out ...

[CJ]

Every Dawes bike I've had to review since Dawes was no longer really Dawes has come with and over-tightened headset. So the damage is already done and it's only a matter of time before the balls make those dents objectionably deep. Answer and new lease of life it full complement of loose balls. Works every time. Good as new, better in fact for reasons given.

A properly greased, not more often but the THE RIGHT SORT OF GREASE, applied ONCE and left for years, like until the bike next needs a respray or some other major work, provided the bearing is also properly adjusted and then left well alone, can last indefintely.

Proof: our 1978 Mercian tandem, still has its original one-inch Campag headset, maintained just like that, its whole life - so far. And that tandem's done a lot of miles.

[Godlykepower]

If you fancy taking out a mortgage, then Chris King are probably the best you can get and will outlive you and your bike.
Downside being that they are well over a hundred quid.

If you can wait a couple of weeks, then I have an FSA Orbit Equipe that will be coming with my new Genesis frameset, that will be surplus to requirements, as I have another Chris King lying around that will be used. You can have the FSA for a couple of beer tokens if you want it.