grr bike headset

[Chilly]

So I got my sweet new Evans Cycles | Specialized Sirrus Expert 2009 Road Bike | Online Bike Shop sirrus for going to work on just before christmas. Only just started using it day to day and noticed the headset has been loose since I got it. so I took the **** apart, tightened up the main bolt in the middle (was loose, easy fix) and now when I put it all back its wobbly as a motherfucker. 50x worse than before I tightened the bolt up.

I've not lost any parts so Im thinking there's a subtle trick to putting them back together properly. I've got to run and get the bus now, since riding it like this would fuck the whole thing up. Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

 

[Tom]

Where is it wobbling? At the handlebar stem, or further down? Chances are that if you've tightened the star-spangled nut up and it's still loose you don't have enough spacers above and below the handlebar stem to push down on the top headset cup.

 

[DaGaffer]

Nice bike. I nearly bought that last year, but got a Marin instead.

 

[Chilly]

Where is it wobbling? At the handlebar stem, or further down? Chances are that if you've tightened the star-spangled nut up and it's still loose you don't have enough spacers above and below the handlebar stem to push down on the top headset cup.

There's play at the top, with the handlebar set rocking back and forth by 2-3mm. I'll check out the spacer situation, but as I say I didnt lose any parts so I'm not sure how I got that wrong.

 

[Chilly]

Il have to just take the whole bastard handlebar set off its cables and have it in pieces in my front room after work. failing that il just demand evans cycles fix it cos they supplied it without properly tightening the headset.

 

[Tom]

It depends what kind of headset it has, but it will be fairly simple to sort out. Just remove the top cap from the star spangled nut, pull any spacers off, loosen the handbar stem (2 bolts), and slide it off the fork steerer tube. You shouldn't have to remove the brake levers, there will be enough play.

My guess would be that the handlebar stem wasn't pushing down hard enough on the top of the headset when it was tightened up.

Don't overtighten anything. If you feel the bearings 'grinding' as you turn the fork, it's too tight. If you feel any play forward/backward while rocking the bike on the brake, it's too loose.

To re-align the handlebars, put a straight bit of wood through the fork where the wheel hub normally goes, and align the bars against that bit of wood.

 

[Chilly]

You were exactly right Tom, I had tightened the handlebars up before putting the pressure on with the vertical bolt as shown below. All sorted now, looking forward to some more biking

 

[Tom]

Think yourself lucky you haven't yet been in the position of hammering one of those bloody fangled nuts into the steerer tube That is an awful job

 

[Chilly]

heh, I'll try and avoid it!

 

[TdC]

Think yourself lucky you haven't yet been in the position of hammering one of those bloody fangled nuts into the steerer tube That is an awful job

what? I've done that a million times and never had a prob! Though, there are alternatives that you can get like this. I have one and it's fab.

 

[Tom]

Ooo thats a nice gadget.

*wishlists*