Tiny movement in headset...

MountainPete

Fiddling around with the bike today and I noticed that when I squeeze the front brake and rock the bike, the steerer appears to move a tiny amount (1mm tops) compared to the top cup (hope that makes sense). I haven' t noticed it before, but there has been no reason for me to. The headset is 2 years old, and I am wondering whether you think it has probably been like this for a while, or it has recently happened.

As some of you probably know I intend on replacing my forks within the next couple of months - I will get a new headset then unless you think it is something that needs doing really soon!

Thanks for any help in advance

nicklouse

can you adjust it out? if yes then no probs if no then replace.

MountainPete

Thanks Nick. Do you think it will be ok to ride on for a while even if I can't adjust it out?

god1406

if there's play, then the headset won't last as long as if it was running smoothly.

EDIT: it isn't dangerous to ride it loose, it just means that it will wear faster. Although 1mm isn't very much play.

nicklouse

MountainPete wrote:

Thanks Nick. Do you think it will be ok to ride on for a while even if I can't adjust it out?

Sorry will not call that without seeing it. Bike shop or someone who can see it.

MountainPete

I have tightened it up a little more and the wobble has reduced a little. It is a little too tight now and you can feel it 'grid' a bit. I'm thinking it is time for a new headset! It should be ok for a month or so though.

god1406 - it is nice to know it isn't 'dangerous' to ride it with a bit of slack.

Thanks for the help!

nicklouse

it can be dangerous to ride with "slack" as the balls can jam up in the cage and then no steering.

strip clean grease inspect.

MountainPete

Obviously with excessive play it can go wrong - what I meant was in this instance I should be ok!

god1406

i was basing my statement about it 'not being dangerous' on the fact that there's only a small amount of play, clearly if it clunks like a biatch then don't ride it! And I'd only run a headset with play while waiting for a new one to materialise.

Father Faff

I had a big and unexpected off once on the relatively easy Grizedale North Face route and I've never quite worked out why the front wheel went away. There was a small amount of play in the headset that I noticed shortly afterwards when checking the bike over (a new headset was required) and I still wonder if this somehow contributed to losing the front end or whether it was just plain rider error. Anyway there was "Blood on the Tracks".