Headset servicing

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ebarker9

Well-Known Member
I'll lead off with "I know how to service a headset".

What I'm curious about is how people are juggling the mess of stem/bars, brake and shifter lines, and front fork after you take everything apart. On a mountain bike, removing the front brake caliper isn't a huge deal, which at least allows you to take the fork off completely. On a road bike, that's not generally the case, with the brake line running through the fork. In either case, the bars are a pain. I also try to avoid having things hanging from the brake lines while I'm working. Curious if anyone has a clever way of dealing with this juggling act. There are "dummy fork" setups that I've seen people use but then you lose access to the bearing cups.

(And let's not even get started on bikes with cable routing through the upper headset bearing...)
 
rlb

rlb

Well-Known Member
I've been swapping stems lately and found this to be a good way to support the bars with everything apart. I run it behind the head tube and bend it forward like arms to support the bars. Hard to describe, I will snap a pic when I get a chance.

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Karate Monkey

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
Tie them back to the frame with a toe strap (or Velcro). Hanging isn't a problem unless you have the head tube pointed to the sky, though.

And replacing bearings on a road bike has now become an 1hr+ job... usually involving bleeding the brakes/rewrapping the bars.

If it's a mechanical shifting bike, you're looking at an almost total rebuild.
 
one piece crank

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
Karate Monkey said:
Tie them back to the frame with a toe strap (or Velcro). Hanging isn't a problem unless you have the head tube pointed to the sky, though.
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This. I hang my bikes to work on them. One dual hook to the bars, and one to the seat. If the bike has a dropper I run a small rope from the seat-tube/seat-stay juncture. A few other pieces of rope are always handy for hanging all those parts @ebarker9 is talking about.
 
Ryan.P

Ryan.P

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Front wheel off and I just lay the bike on its side . I generally don't like working on the ground but to just clean and re grease bearings it's just easier than hanging .
 
serviceguy

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Bike stand, remove front brake caliper, wheel and fork, fix the handlebars to the top tube as previously mentioned. On a gravel/road bike…the same. Wouldn’t touch one of those newer headset with cables through with a 10 foot pole, I guess the same is true for some with regard to internal routing.
 
Steve Vai

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
ebarker9 said:
(And let's not even get started on bikes with cable routing through the upper headset bearing...)
Click to expand...

At least with these bikes the whole front end has to come completely apart so there's no dangling anything. Of course it's also a 3 or $400 job after you tack on all the new parts and labor. I just sold my SL7 when the bearings got crunchy 🤣
 
Steve Vai

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
In the stand...$650 headset install. At least it's 1 watt faster 🤣

20230426_170241.jpg
 
Steve Vai

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
jShort said:
Why so much? To bleed the brakes?
Click to expand...

In this particular case, it's literally a frame up rebuild to replace the rear hose. Plus a hose (repurpose rear to front), bearings (Ceramic Speed), new olives/barbs, and new tape. On a lower end SL7 or such without an integrated bar it's about $100 because there's enough wiggle room to keep the hoses intact and slip the bearing over.
 
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