- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,591
Alright, I'm a bit befuddled. I'm pretty familiar with old-style ('80 to mid-'90s) MTBs, but newfangled developments like threadless headesets are new to me. My last MTB was a Gary Fisher Mt Tam that I bought in 1991. Alas the bike was stolen a few years back.
My current bike has a threadless headset, which is what's currently used on bikes. Supposedly this system not only allows easy adjustment of the two headset bearings, but also eliminates wobble that is supposedly common (I never had aproblem) in the headset of bikes with quill stems.
I have a few questions about that:
1. It appears that the threadless headset has a large amout of flex (euphemistic term for wobble?
). Is it normal that the upper steering bearing cup, stem and stem spacers allow for a fair amount of play?
2. I remember that headset bearing ALWAYS are installed with the bearing retainer facing the bearing cup. On my bike it appears that the bearing retainer is facing the smaller, conical race.
3. Has anybody replaced that silly star nut in the stem with an Azonic Headlock, and if so, how do you like the latter?
4. What's up with replacement bearing being not readily available anymore? "We usually replace the whole headset." That's just nuts.
My current bike has a threadless headset, which is what's currently used on bikes. Supposedly this system not only allows easy adjustment of the two headset bearings, but also eliminates wobble that is supposedly common (I never had aproblem) in the headset of bikes with quill stems.
I have a few questions about that:
1. It appears that the threadless headset has a large amout of flex (euphemistic term for wobble?
2. I remember that headset bearing ALWAYS are installed with the bearing retainer facing the bearing cup. On my bike it appears that the bearing retainer is facing the smaller, conical race.
3. Has anybody replaced that silly star nut in the stem with an Azonic Headlock, and if so, how do you like the latter?
4. What's up with replacement bearing being not readily available anymore? "We usually replace the whole headset." That's just nuts.