Chain "Snapped"

[SkipdiverJohn]

Proof is that there's no cure for dimpling other than re-design. .

Why don't all my bikes have "indexed steering" then? They've all got conventional quill stem headsets, most are 1" (although 2 MTB's are 1 1/8") and the average age of them is over 25 years old. Whilst some have clearly had an easy life and are low mileage, others have been very well-used judging by the condition of other things. The only one with notchy steering was the donor Pioneer frame whose headset was full of rusty detritus and degraded grease. Rust had completely ruined the polished bearing surfaces, but once regreased, and subsequently adjusted after the bearings initially loosened over the first 20 miles, they are now really smooth and no further readjustment has proved necessary over several hundred more miles. I've always lubricated the ball bearing components of my bikes as a routine maintenance item at least annually, and have done so since I was a kid. I suspect a lot of cyclists neglect bearing lubrication until things start to actually feel rough, and are not proactive in their approach.

 

[rogerzilla]

Some conventional headsets last longer than others. Dura-Ace used to have titanium nitrided surfaces which were presumably harder than the balls. Raleigh headsets had U-shaped races with more contact area.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Manufacturers like reducing the amount of different bits they need to stock and the number of bits needed for a finished article. They also like to simplify the assembly process, and buy in pre finished subunits if the price is right and standardise over the whole range.

I don't know anything about the bicycle supply chain specifically but I'd hazard a guess that this is an influence on adoption of some newer designs. eg sourcing cartridge bearings, being able to hold a single fork and not a load of different pre cut ones for each frame size, removing the fork threading step and generally simplifying assembly.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I don't know anything about the bicycle supply chain specifically but I'd hazard a guess that this is an influence on adoption of some newer designs. eg sourcing cartridge bearings, being able to hold a single fork and not a load of different pre cut ones for each frame size, removing the fork threading step and generally simplifying assembly.

I wouldn't disagree with any of that, but let's not try and dress up design changes made purely for the convenience or profitability of the bike manufacture as genuine improvements to the design for the benefit of the customer. Buying a bike with an over-long one size fits all steerer tube that then needs to be cut down and the bar height adjusted using a stack of spacers does not represent any advance in cycling design to me. Rather I consider the manufacturer is supplying an unfinished product - then expecting the customer to complete the job!. I wouldn't buy a new car supplied with the steering wheel in a plastic bag left under the driver's seat, and a new bike should not require the use of a hacksaw in order to adjust it to the rider either.