Bottom head bearing is already getting rough from wet rides.

[Globalti]

I've only done 500 miles on the new Roubaix SL4 but most of them have ben wet and I have always washed the bike down carefully (in upright position) afterwards, taking care not to spray water at any bearing areas. Last night I inverted the bike and a few CCs of water dripped out of the headset cap bolt so I dismantled the whole stem, steerer and fork and got the unmistakeable odour of stale water. The steerer was wet and water came out of the middle of the expander plug, which I couldn't remove. The bottom sealed headset bearing was already manky, rusty on the outside and a little rough. I cleaned everything up, dried everything and smeared lanolin (best waterproofing grease around) all over the bearing outer surfaces before reassembling. I also smeared a lot of lanolin around and under the steerer cap bolt to prevent water getting in there. Will look around to see if I can find a plastic cap for the bolt well.

I know it won't do any harm and I'm impressed at how quick and easy it is to dismantle then reassemble the steering but I'm dismayed at how poorly sealed the bearings seem to be - the seal is a hard orange plastic ring, which seems to have little chance of keeping the water out.

Where's the best place to buy these rather special tapered bearings?

Can the expander plug be removed easily once the big bolt is out?

 

[dan_bo]

Where's the best place to buy these rather special tapered bearings?

I'd be treating 'em as a consumable. I've seen them in a few bike shops.....

 

[Peter Armstrong]

If you like you bike, dont ride it in on these salty wet roads, Bike killer!

 

[Somewhere]

You need Mudguards!

 

[Globalti]

Wet is okay; the road bike is not so precious. As long as it gets decent maintenence and a thorough wash down with car shampoo after a ride and the brake pads cleaned and grit picked out, I'm happy to ride it in the wet. Even in summer round here the bike needs a wash after most rides thanks to poor road and ditch maintenence, meaning that you are always riding through wet patches and coming home splattered with mud and grit.

However as soon as I see the gritters out, the road bike gets hung up and out comes the winter bike with mudguards and disc brakes. Salt is seriously damaging to all parts of a bike as PA writes above.