bent steerer?

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Ferdie

Active Member
Hello. On the way into work this morning I went over he handlebars pretty hard - not in a cinematic Joseph Gordon-Levitt way, more like braked-too-hard-wheel lifts-panic-get-tangledup-in-myhandlebars kind way.

Anyway this made the headset really loose and my normal tightening procedure did nowt to rectify it. I went at it again by banging the handlebars harder and putting my full weight on for a while and tightening the stem. I had to repeat this about 4 times and now it seems its back to 'normal'. Well kindoff- when holding the front brake and rocking the bike I felt a couple of 'notches' but they finally disappeared after a few rocks. There is no binding when turning the handlebars so should I guess it's ok? I'm worried because I've never had to redjust the headset repeatedly like that.

If the steerer was bent would it tighten ata all?

Thanks
 
Location
Loch side.
If the steerer was bent (or the headset installed skew), you would get a loose-tight-loose-tight-loose-tight sensation when turning the handlebars through its range.
 
OP
OP
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Ferdie

Active Member
Cheers. There was bit of rub 10 degrees either side of the centre but now it turns freely.
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
I'm not sure you are adjusting the headset correctly. to remove play from the headset you tighten the top cap bolt, BUT the two stem bolts much be loose when you do this, so that the steerer is free to move through the stem. Once headset is adjusted, tighten up the stem bolts again. Is this your procedure?
 
From your description, I would think that something is wrong, in so much that for the headset/steerer assembly to become loose as you describe, something has been strained. strip is right down, look for damage where the steer fit into the fork crown, check the headset bearing assemblies to and take the opportunity to degrease them. reassemble the assembly by tighten the top cap/star washer bolt, then the clamp bolts.
 
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