HEADSET BEARING EXPECTED LIFE SPAN

[Slave]

I replaced my headset bearing a couple of weeks, maybe 6 weeks ago and the things are already pitted.

 

How long should these things last?

 

No, I do not ride like a hooglian and most times, try to keep my bike on the road since it is not a MTB. I had one off road excursion on Sat trying to avoid coliding with my fellow cyclist in front of me, but it was a short excursion and the gravel was not bad enough to give me any punctures (snakebite) wheel damage or any other side effects(Pun intended).

 

This is very inconvenient as I will now have to replace them again. The alst set was obviously pitted from the time I aquired the bike and I assumed that this was the way it was supposed to be. I changed them based on some info I got in this forum and for a while all was well.

 

Now it looks like I will have to do this work all over again. RATS.

[AndreZA]

Stop buying cheap headsets. the last time I replaced a headset was because I liked the look of the new one. My on on my Cruz runs on sealed bearing so if it "pits" you just replace the bearing and not the cups. It's the ane Creek S3.

 

 

[Slave]

M, I purchased them at LBS and assumed they would be good enough.

If they are el cheapos and not made to last, where else could I try?

Live in Alberton and there are not too many bike shops around.

Seems to me that it is the bottom race cup that gets pitted. Maybe I'll just get another and ask my neighbour to have it hardened for me.

[AndreZA]

If it used external cups then look at the S3. It is about R600-R800. Or you can get a Chris King for about R1500 and it will last you a lifetime, guaranteed.

 

 

[Mudsimus]

Yes...just get a Chris King. No worries..ever again.

[Slave]

Eina. If I get a Chris King bearing set it will be worth more than my whole bike.

[AndreZA]

Eina. If I get a Chris King bearing set it will be worth more than my whole bike.

 

yes, but you move with you to the next bike. The same with a Thomson post/stem.

 

 

[Mudsimus]

And dont forget to put it in your will.

[Johan Bornman]

You give a very general description of the headset's damage and not much about weather conditions or state that this is a roadbike. Hybrid perhaps?

 

Doesn't matter. A headset fails for one of two reasons:

 

1) Straight-ahead riding as on a road bike. The bearings them don't rotate much and the fore-aft flex in the fork gradually pushes out the grease between ball and race. The ball then welds (spall) onto the race and breaks off. This process is repeated one molecule at a time until the race is dimpled. This headset is then "indexed" and makes the bike difficult to ride. Symptoms are no more no-hands riding, fishtailing of the rear end and a definite click-click-click as you turn the handlebards.

 

2) Water ingression into the bottom set of bearings. Older bikes are designed so that spray from the front wheel goes directly into the bearing, quickly ruining even a new headset. The race rusts and is rendered useless very quickly. External headsets are much more prone to this problem than internal ones.

 

"Pitting" doesn't tell us much. What do the "pits" look like? What colour was the grease? What colour are the balls? Was there grit in there?

 

???

 

 

[Slave]

Good ol' JB to the rescue.

 

What would I do without your expertise man? You're like my Garmin dude, I'ml ost without ya. (OK 'nuff of that)

 

JB, when I installed the new headset bearings, I made sure that all the parts were clean and that I used clean grease. Wheel bearing grease BTW, a butterscotch colour. (AGIP).

 

I also made sure that I did not "use the bearing and race to get the bottom race into position." In other words, I tapped the race into place, slowly and painstakingly to make sure I did not damage it. I did not tighten the headset from above before everything was in place.

 

Bike is a roadie and as has been suggested, I'm one of those poefter types who only rides in fair weather. I have not ridden in the rain (OK, road was very slightly wet on Sunday am when I left home but not enough to cause any spray or get water into the headset. Of this I am reasonably sure, if not absolutely convinced, but it goes to that fair weather cycling thing. I just hate being dirty, wet and cold while riding and will not ride on very wet roads.

 

What the pitting looks like is an unknown at this stage. I have not taken ot all apart again to looksee. I can feel that that old problem of indexed turning of the steering is back and noticed it yesterday when I moved the bike. (Steering clicking if you likebut there is no noise as yet.) Just the "feel" of the click. Same can be said for the ball bearings as well.

 

It was a whole new kit I out in just recently and now it i already giving grief.

 

I will accept that the bearings hardly move due to a lot of straight line cycling, but this is ridiculous. As close as dammit, I have done 1064 KM on the new bearing and race set.