Bacchetta -fork too short?

[upandover]

Hello,

I bought a Bacchetta A26 from eBay. It's just arrived, completely dissembled (everything except the wires.)

Putting the headset together, I can see that the fork doesn't come anywhere near long enough to fill the clamp. I've attached a picture.

This feels dangerous to me? Am I right to feel this way?

Thanks
James

 

[ianrauk]

In my opinion, it's too short and you are right to be concerned.

 

[ExBrit]

I know the owner of Bacchetta. I have forwarded this link to him

 

[upandover]

Hi Exbrit,

Thanks. Just to check, that sounds a little like you're worried about it's provenance? If there's anything worrying, I'm keen to know.

Thanks
James

 

[ExBrit]

I got a reply from Dana in about 5 minutes (he's a good guy).

That is definitely not safe - there is really only one bolt holding that steering system together. My guess is that a previous owner installed a new headset with a taller stack height and didn’t change the fork.

Two solutions - measure the stack height, figure out how much shorter the stack height needs to be to adequately engage both bolts on the clamp, and try to find a headset with that stack height. This may be difficult as 1” headsets are getting harder and harder to find.

Two, purchase a new fork and cut appropriately.

I hope that helps.

Ride safe!
Dana Lieberman, President (he/him)
Bent Up Cycles
11522 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 358-2740
To schedule an appointment at your convenience, use our Appointment Calendar

 

[upandover]

AHH, I read the owner of *this Bacchetta*. Thank you!

 

[upandover]

This forum is quite astonishing sometimes! Thank you both. I'll get in touch with the seller.

 

[PaulM]

That's not a standard Bacchetta colour which makes me a bit suspicious. I presume it has the older 1" ahead steerer which is unusual these days, so be careful sourcing a replacement fork.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Isn’t that the centering ring on the upper headset and it should be other way round, pressing inside bearing?

My other comment is that you can get much lower profile headsets. Depends on how far short the steerer is (and if that’s the centering ring how much extra steerer you’d get with it right way round).

Plus fork absolutely fully flush on bottom bearing?

Apologies if this is sucking eggs or I’m mistaken from what I think I can see.

 

[upandover]

Thanks Ming, that's interesting, and it's quite possible I got it wrong. Thanks.

As it happens there were a couple of other things that concerned me, and I just couldn't sit on the seat, so with free returns I just sent it back. Thank you though, I shall check more carefully next time.