Headset assembly

[stalagmike]

Headset

• stalagmike
• 4 Oct 2017

The headset of my triban

I am trying to locate the source of a Geiger counter like clicking sound that is eminating from somewhere around the front of my triban. I am just wondering if the assembly of my headset and spacers is correct? Is the spacer with the bolt through it meant to 'hold down' all the other spacers or is it meant to be at the bottom of the stack? Any other ideas for clicking sound. Only really happens when I put weight on the bars. Standing up or going over some awful bumpy tarmac.

 

[Sharky]

Check your qr skewers. A bit of grease might help.

 

[stalagmike]

Check your qr skewers. A bit of grease might help.

Will do. It's driving me nuts.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

In answer to your specific question regarding headset assembly, the tension is achieved by tightening the bolt in the end cap until the forks turn smoothly with no play. This is done while the other bolts are loose. Once the end cap bolt has tightened enough the horizontal bolts on the stem are tightened to lock it in place. Looking at your photograph you appear to have a locking ring at the top of the stack as well as the stem bolts. If that is the case, make sure that you slack that bolt off as well as the stem bolts before tightening the top cap bolt. Then tightening the locking ring and the stem bolts.

 

[sight-pin]

Headset

• stalagmike
• 4 Oct 2017

The headset of my triban

I am trying to locate the source of a Geiger counter like clicking sound that is eminating from somewhere around the front of my triban. I am just wondering if the assembly of my headset and spacers is correct? Is the spacer with the bolt through it meant to 'hold down' all the other spacers or is it meant to be at the bottom of the stack? Any other ideas for clicking sound. Only really happens when I put weight on the bars. Standing up or going over some awful bumpy tarmac.

It's the other way around with mine which is how it was supplied from Decathlon..

 

[stalagmike]

It's the other way around with mine which is how it was supplied from Decathlon..
View attachment 376951

Thanks for that. I got mine 2nd hand so maybe it's been moved about. I'm gonna drop that bolted spacer to the bottom and see if it sorts the clicking out.

 

[wisdom]

Could be the bearings try turning lock to lock.If it clicks they could be dry or worn.
Regrease if required.The bottom bearings are usually the worst.

 

[roadrash]

also check handlebar clamp bolts

 

[Racing roadkill]

Take the headset apart, then use assembly paste on the bits that slide. Then reassemble it.

The Triban bikes use these Cane creek semi integrated numbers.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-1-1-8-semi-integrated-headset-id_2796723.html

You can get the bearing assemblies out, lift the little rubber gaskets and re grease the bearings, then reassemble the headset with assembly paste. It's worth checking the state of the actual bearings, as the last time I did my Triban 520, the bearings in the lower cup / race assembly were finished, and this was contributing to the creaking and Graunching I was getting. If you reassemble without the paste, you may still get the creak.

https://www.evanscycles.com/park-an...MI4Jy0xv7X1gIVx7DtCh2OlQyeEAQYASABEgKqBfD_BwE

That's the gripper paste I use ( not just on the Carbon bikes either )

 

[bpsmith]

Could also be movement between each of those small spacers? Maybe try greasing them to see if that helps. Ideally you wouldn’t do that generally, but can’t harm for testing purposes.

Bikes are strange in where the noise comes from, much like the skewer said festoon already. Sounds daft, but it cured one creak for me.

 

[stalagmike]

Could be the bearings try turning lock to lock.If it clicks they could be dry or worn.
Regrease if required.The bottom bearings are usually the worst.

No clicks when turning lock to lock. Should probably re grease them anyway!

 

[stalagmike]

[QUOTE 4984888, member: 45"]That's a fair distance from your bars to the bike frame. If the noise is when you're putting lateral pressure on the handlebars it's likely to be because the tension isn't right. Follow the instructions above to retension the bearings.

I've never had a bike, nor heard of a bike, that needs assembly paste or grease on these components (apart from grease on the bearings of course) and wouldn't put stuff where you don't need it. You don't want to silence spacer movement with grease, you need to stop the loose and unnecessary movement. And you do that by adjusting the top cap.[/QUOTE]
The instructions from mrandmrspoves?

 

[bpsmith]

[QUOTE 4984888, member: 45"]That's a fair distance from your bars to the bike frame. If the noise is when you're putting lateral pressure on the handlebars it's likely to be because the tension isn't right. Follow the instructions above to retension the bearings.

I've never had a bike, nor heard of a bike, that needs assembly paste or grease on these components (apart from grease on the bearings of course) and wouldn't put stuff where you don't need it. You don't want to silence spacer movement with grease, you need to stop the loose and unnecessary movement. And you do that by adjusting the top cap.[/QUOTE]
I agree. My suggestion as to greasing the spacers is only to rule that area out, and only after having the headset tensioned correctly.

 

[stalagmike]

Well I tensioned the headset yesterday and did nearly 30miles today without a single click coming from the front end! Even when I was stomping on the pedals to get uphill. Success!

Only problem is that while I was fixing that, I also strapped on the crudcatchers for the winter, so have gained a whole new plethora of noises to locate.

 

[boydj]

[QUOTE 4985159, member: 45"]Yeah. Loosen your stem bolts and the bolt on the locking ring beneath it. Use the top cap to adjust the tension until the bars turn smoothly but there is no fore and aft play if you wiggle the bike forwards and backwards with the just the front brake on. Then tighten the other bolts back up again. The bolt in the top cap is only for adjustment so don't tighten this.[/QUOTE]

One tip I was given when tightening was to have the bike at right angle to a wall and push the front wheel gently into the wall. This straightens the steerer in the head tube and reduces the possibility of anything working loose.