Cannondale Supersix Hi Mod Headset 2015

herzog

I picked up a 2015 Supersix Hi Mod from Pauls and it looks the business, the headset leaves me a little confused though.

Anyone got assembly instructions (no manual with frame) for the headset?

singleton

There are online manuals available from cannondale - or you could google it.

herzog

Thanks, I have but am unable to see from the manual where all the components should go.

More specifically, the 1 1/4 lower bearing and crown race beneath it. The race doesn't fit all the way to the bottom of the steerer tube http://imageshack.com/a/img633/984/hsEhc4.jpg

If I pushed it, it might...

keef66

I can't see your photo but from the diagram on Cannondale's website it looks straight forward. The crown race should go on the steerer first. Some are very snug and require whacking down with a crown race setting tool or a length of suitably sized plastic pipe. Protect the fork dropouts when you're doing this, or if at all unsure, any LBS will do it for a small consideration.
Bearings top and bottom of headtube, fork in, then the centring ring, conical cover, any spacers then the stem (still loose). Steerer will need trimming to 3mm below the top of the stem. Cannondale insist no spacers above the stem! Insert the expander bung and tighten it fully, then tighten the topcap just enough to preload the bearings / eliminate play before tightening the stem pinch bolts (ensuring the handlebars and wheel are pointing in the same direction)

herzog

keef66 wrote:

I can't see your photo but from the diagram on Cannondale's website it looks straight forward. The crown race should go on the steerer first. Some are very snug and require whacking down with a crown race setting tool or a length of suitably sized plastic pipe. Protect the fork dropouts when you're doing this, or if at all unsure, any LBS will do it for a small consideration.
Bearings top and bottom of headtube, fork in, then the centring ring, conical cover, any spacers then the stem (still loose). Steerer will need trimming to 3mm below the top of the stem. Cannondale insist no spacers above the stem! Insert the expander bung and tighten it fully, then tighten the topcap just enough to preload the bearings / eliminate play before tightening the stem pinch bolts (ensuring the handlebars and wheel are pointing in the same direction)

Cheers Keef66, I sort of knew that it needed smacking down, but was hesitant to make an expensive mistake!

keef66

I did the same with my CR1-SL; required a tiny bit of sanding, a bit of lubrication, and quite a lot of force to seat it. Bit scary the first time with a carbon fork.

I think it might have bedded in a bit more during the first couple of rides because I had to remove a bit of play from the headset.

herzog

keef66 wrote:

I did the same with my CR1-SL; required a tiny bit of sanding, a bit of lubrication, and quite a lot of force to seat it. Bit scary the first time with a carbon fork.

I think it might have bedded in a bit more during the first couple of rides because I had to remove a bit of play from the headset.

Piece of pipe found, installed, no tears. Bit scary, but done.

skippa76

I bought the same frameset from Paul's the other week. I got my LBS to bash down the crown. I then built up the bike but had a torrid time taking all the play out of the headset. Tightening the topcap to pre-load the bearings still presented a little play, regardless of spacer positioning. Most of the play has now gone but there is still a very small amount (noticeable slightly when you rock the bike forward with the front brake on), just need the weather to turn now so that i can take it for a spin and do some fine tuning.

keef66

skippa76 wrote:

I bought the same frameset from Paul's the other week. I got my LBS to bash down the crown. I then built up the bike but had a torrid time taking all the play out of the headset. Tightening the topcap to pre-load the bearings still presented a little play, regardless of spacer positioning. Most of the play has now gone but there is still a very small amount (noticeable slightly when you rock the bike forward with the front brake on), just need the weather to turn now so that i can take it for a spin and do some fine tuning.

Apologies for asking basic stuff, but:

Are the stem pinch bolts undone when you're tightening the top cap?

You sure the bung is staying put in the steerer and not being pulled up when you tighten the top cap? I really had to torque up the bung in my CR1.

Is the steerer sufficiently below the top of the stem? Needs to be at least 3mm, and 5mm is not uncommon.

svetty

I've had my Supersix for 3 yrs now. The headset still develops a bit of play every few 000 miles even now. Easy enough to tighten and is then fine for a few more 000 miles before works loose again. Bizarre.....

LeeDa

Svetty wrote:

I've had my Supersix for 3 yrs now. The headset still develops a bit of play every few 000 miles even now. Easy enough to tighten and is then fine for a few more 000 miles before works loose again. Bizarre.....

Do you mean just the top cap loosens or the whole headset loses compression? If its the latter then surely the stem is moving up the steerer and therefore stem needs to torquing a little more. If it's just the top cap then after you've tightened the stem, tighten the top cap up just a little more - just a little nip up should keep it from loosening. Also maybe a little bit of grease on the threads between the two threaded headset parts would help.

skippa76

keef66 wrote:

skippa76 wrote:

I bought the same frameset from Paul's the other week. I got my LBS to bash down the crown. I then built up the bike but had a torrid time taking all the play out of the headset. Tightening the topcap to pre-load the bearings still presented a little play, regardless of spacer positioning. Most of the play has now gone but there is still a very small amount (noticeable slightly when you rock the bike forward with the front brake on), just need the weather to turn now so that i can take it for a spin and do some fine tuning.

Apologies for asking basic stuff, but:

Are the stem pinch bolts undone when you're tightening the top cap?

You sure the bung is staying put in the steerer and not being pulled up when you tighten the top cap? I really had to torque up the bung in my CR1.

Is the steerer sufficiently below the top of the stem? Needs to be at least 3mm, and 5mm is not uncommon.

Hi. The stem bolts are loose when I tighten the top cap. I have a spacer above the stem to give the 3-5mm clearance above the stem (though the spacer seems quite loose even when I tighten the top cap). In fact the spacers below seem to rotate by hand where as on my other bike the spaces seem firmly in place and don't rotate around the steerer to the touch.

The play is very small, maybe a look at the bung (i.e. making sure it stays put) is the next thing to check!

keef66

Cannondale recommend no spacers above the stem so that the whole of the bung is in the portion of the steerer clamped by the stem. More to do with avoiding clamping an unsupported steerer; doubt it's the cause of your problem.