Headset 101

[Mojoman]

You will need a stand but its not too difficult. Basically you remove wheels and front brake caliper, strip off the stem and remove the fork, checking which way your bearings and other bits and pieces fit together, give everything a nice clean, grease where its needed (I suppose all the new ones are cartridge bearings these days), reassemble, get the preload just right with the headset bolt at the top of the fork, tighten down the stem, fit caliper and wheel and thats that. I usually leave a little bit of movement in my stem right at the end of the assembly so once my wheel is back on I then straddle the bike and make sure I have that stem back on centre again and then tighten up.

 

Or your bike shop will do it for you! I check and clean mine when I pull off my fork for a service every so often.

[Omumborombonga]

Wait till you have a *** one. You'll know.

Amen

[Martin PJ]

Wait till you have a *** one. You'll know.

 

My bad experiences have come from parts that don't fit, or parts that I thought would fit, but didn't.

 

So I always buy from the shop and get them to promise me that it will fit. If it doesn't then I take it back.

 

With an on line purchase, you are relying on your judgement and experience to buy the right thing.