How To Tighten Road Bike Headset

Headsets are the bearings and cups that allow you to steer your bike.

How to tighten road bike headset. We show you how to tighten your headset in a few easy steps. Tighten the top cap. If you hear or feel a knock or rattle or clunk stop and try to re create it. If there is any movement between the bike and the spacers the headset bolt isn t tight enough.

Road cc first met rader and saw the prototype threadless headset at the world mountain bike championships in italy back in 1991. I own a cannondale super six 105 ultegra now carbon 2012 bike and i can t stop the wobble in the headset. It might not be the sexiest component in the world but it does a vital job. While it s possible to swiftly tighten a loose headset a closer inspection is required to discover the underlying cause.

We couldn t have expected this simple method of pre loading headset bearings to change the way we attach forks to frames forever but it did. This will most likely tighten the race a little despite any washers that may be between the two which means the headset will tighten a little bit. It can affect braking and steering and make the bike less safe. Again check the adjustment of the headset turn the handlebars back and forth then grab the brakes and rock then turn the handlebars at a 90 degree angle and rock as previously described.

The easiest way to find a loose headset is to pay attention when you re moving your bike around like rolling it up over a lip in the pavement or curb to park at a coffee shop etc. The headset is the bearing assembly that fits to a bike s head tube and allows the fork and front wheel to turn. How to bleed your road shimano disc brakes 13 18. Luckily tightening a headset is an easy job.

When it s working as it should you probably won t notice your headset too much but you will become conscious of it if it needs regreasing or starts to wear out because your steering will begin to suffer. A loose headset can make the whole bike feel a bit wobbly and unstable.