Specialized head bearings are doing my... er... head in.

[Globalti]

Bottom headset bearings on carbon Specialized bikes are badly exposed to water thrown up by the front tyre and soon start to rust. You can pick them apart carefully, clean up and re-grease and eke out their life for quite a long time but I'd like to find a source of new that isn't at the extravagant Specialized dealer price of £60 a pair. And I don't need a pair either; just the bottom ones.

They are sealed cartridge bearings 7mm thick with a 45 degree chamfer on the underneath of the inner and the top of the outer race - I believe they are called angular contact bearings? On my 2013 Roubaix SL4 the bottom bearing has an outside diameter of 47mm and inside that measures 34.2mm. There is no alloy sleeve on the steerer; this bearing sits straight on a 45 degree shoulder on the carbon fork. I found a replacement at a good roadie shop without too much trouble. I believe this bearing is called a 1 1/4 inch bearing, which has nothing to do with the dimensions I've listed above.

On my son's 2013 Roubaix SL3 and my pal's 2013 Tarmac SL4, there is an alloy sleeve on the steerer, on which the bearing sits. This bearing measures 49mm outside diameter and I believe is called a 1 3/8 inch bearing. These are the ones I can't find - I've searched the web and visited five LBSs and have come to the conclusion that they are the cycling equivalent of hens' teeth, thanks to the popularity of that size.

Can anybody:

A) confirm that I'm right in calling them 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" ?

and

B) suggest a supplier?

 

[fossyant]

You are correct in the terminology.

Are you sure it's not a 1 1/2 bottom bearing on the newer Spesh. It's usually 1 1/8th and 1 1/2

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Ceramic bottom headset bearings for the win.

 

[screenman]

Have you tried a bearing supplier like BRT.

 

[fossyant]

You should be able to get the specs off the side of the bearing, they are usually printed on.

 

[Stu Plows]

I have rode my Specialized 3 very wet times, cleaned it after each ride, got it off the spare bed this morning and the bearings made an awful grinding noise. This explains a lot.

 

[young Ed]

which model spec you got?
Cheers Ed

 

[ColinJ]

Keep your nice bike for nice weather and ride something more durable on nasty days?

 

[Globalti]

What nice days would they be, Colin? I think every single time I've ridden the bike since I bought it in October has been wet or at least dry with wet patches. In the end the bike's there to be enjoyed; the only time it will stay in the garage will be when they've salted the roads.

After dismantling the old rusted head bearing I cleaned it and re-greased it with lanolin, which is extremely waterproof. However the problem with lanolin is that it hardens up in cold temperatures so while the bearing turned nice and smoothly in the warm kitchen, out in the cold garage it stiffened to the point where it would make the bike unrideable. Back to the drawing board; I warmed it, cleaned it out and oiled it with a light synthetic chain lube I had lying around but while doing so I realised that it would be worth giving it new balls (cough) because they are more damaged than the bearing tracks, which are only slightly pitted. So now I'm on the lookout for some 1/16" ball bearings.

Still need to get to the bottom of the Specialized headset lower bearing size query though. My son found it somewhere on the web but can't remember where; he says it went something like this:

Frame size 49 and 52: 1 1/8" bearing.
Frame size 54 and 56: 1 1/4" bearing
Frame size 58 and 61: 1 3/8" bearing

Anybody got any clues?

 

[fossyant]

That's crap if headset bearings are going so fast.

 

[Globalti]

Well.... this is after 23 wet rides, washing the bike down thoroughly after almost every ride so I don't think that's too bad.

We're talking WET here - splashing through deep runoff water and rain-soaked roads.

 

[Kestevan]

Well.... this is after 23 wet rides, washing the bike down thoroughly after almost every ride so I don't think that's too bad.

We're talking WET here - splashing through deep runoff water and rain-soaked roads.

That's still crap.
If my commuter bike went through HS bearings that fast, I'd have had to replace the damned things nearly every 2 weeks. As it is, I think I've had 2 sets in 6 yrs.

 

[Globalti]

Actually I suspect some of the water has got in down the head tube from the steerer cap and stem clamp area. These bikes are designed for California, not Lancashire!

The shortage of cartridge bearings tells me that I'm not the only one with this problem! I think I'm going to have to fit the Crud guards while this wet weather lasts.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Still need to get to the bottom of the Specialized headset lower bearing size query though. My son found it somewhere on the web but can't remember where; he says it went something like this:

Frame size 49 and 52: 1 1/8" bearing.
Frame size 54 and 56: 1 1/4" bearing
Frame size 58 and 61: 1 3/8" bearing

Anybody got any clues?

Perhaps you can use Cane Creek's headset identifier, which e.g. tells us that unlike some other sizes a 2013 Roubaix 54cm has a tapered headtube and is IS42/IS47 which you can check with dimensions provided for integrated headsets here. Once you are happy you may be able to identify the bearing e.g. a TH-970 using the FSA bearing identifier here. That answer is still not 100% foolproof because an OEMs might have custom machined theirs but you might be able to check what you have with e.g. the dimension spec of the identified bearing. Alternatively you can e.g. contact these people and ask if their headset would fit your bike given your seals aren't too hot and the price isn't too bad with 3 year warranty.

 

[Globalti]

Helpful post, thanks.