Headset problems?

[Levo-Lon]

Its unlikely to be a bearing...
check everything from the front axle to the bars..make sure everything is snug and correctly tightened.

Tip the bike upside down on mats or the carpet and pull push the forks back and forth..if no play then its not the headset..if you have play check headset instalation..
It may be a simple case of a part upside down..

a pic would help ?

 

[Tanis8472]

Nope.

Cough up then

 

[Tanis8472]

Have you tried feeling around the headset while rocking bike. Shod feel movement

 

[raleighnut]

Is the front wheel skewer tight enough, disc brakes exert a lot of force on the axle, enough to 'eject' the wheel on occasions as the axle 'climbs' out of the dropout.

Forks for disc brakes now have a 'lip' to prevent this but the axle could still move enough to generate a clonk.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Hmm, yes agree, I can't help but at least video yourself effecting said "clunk" so people can see what you mean. A clunk could be so many noises.
It might even just be the disc brake in question has a sudden bite to it rather than a smooth modulation from light braking to full-on. So not really a fault. Who can say? Post a vid!

If it ain't that... the only time I've experienced something like what you might be describing, which wasn't anything already described precisely, was when I fitted a different stem, that was the right height, but I fitted it with the steerer not quite sitting right inside the head tube, so although it all tightened up okay, it wasn't really snuggled in the headset so although I didn't get play if I wiggled it about, I got clunks... they were continuous though and not just on hard braking.

bb

 

[bonsaibilly]

ps, if push comes to shove (literally), and btw I haven't watched that youtube clip, you could take off the front wheel and while holding the underside of the lower end of the fork steerer, carefully ensure it's snuggled into the headtube and none of the bearing bits down there have worked out of line. Still holding it, do the same QA up the top end of the steerer, then I think if you fit the stem on top, just tight doesn't matter if not straight just now, that ought to zero the bearings into place, then you can put the wheel back on and adjust the stem and top cap etc. bb

 

[Goggs]

Its unlikely to be a bearing...
check everything from the front axle to the bars..make sure everything is snug and correctly tightened.

Tip the bike upside down on mats or the carpet and pull push the forks back and forth..if no play then its not the headset..if you have play check headset instalation..
It may be a simple case of a part upside down..

a pic would help ?

I've now had the bike upside down and pushed & pulled the forks all ways. There's no play at all. Every component is tight, not with a torque wrench but tight enough to my satisfaction.

Cough up then

http://www.mhw-bike.com/

Have you tried feeling around the headset while rocking bike. Shod feel movement

Yup, done that. Can't feel anything moving at all.

Is the front wheel skewer tight enough, disc brakes exert a lot of force on the axle, enough to 'eject' the wheel on occasions as the axle 'climbs' out of the dropout.

Forks for disc brakes now have a 'lip' to prevent this but the axle could still move enough to generate a clonk.

The skewer is tight. No play at all.

Hmm, yes agree, I can't help but at least video yourself effecting said "clunk" so people can see what you mean. A clunk could be so many noises.
It might even just be the disc brake in question has a sudden bite to it rather than a smooth modulation from light braking to full-on. So not really a fault. Who can say? Post a vid!

If it ain't that... the only time I've experienced something like what you might be describing, which wasn't anything already described precisely, was when I fitted a different stem, that was the right height, but I fitted it with the steerer not quite sitting right inside the head tube, so although it all tightened up okay, it wasn't really snuggled in the headset so although I didn't get play if I wiggled it about, I got clunks... they were continuous though and not just on hard braking.

bb

I can't get the fork to drop out of the headset at this time of night without making a helluva racket but I'm not inclined to think that's the problem anyway. I'd surey be able to feel bearing problems just by turning the steerer left & right. When I do that it feels very smooth. For some reason I still keep thinking it has something to do with the front brake. This is only the second bike I've had with hydraulic discs and the first one had a front shock so that would've absorbed some of the shock.

When I just walk along with the bike and apply the front brake hard there's no movement in the headset that I can feel.

 

[Goggs]

Well, I got the fork out eventually and everything looks OK at the bottom. It's not so easy to line it all up when reassembling though but I'm guessing if anything was out of line I'd be able to feel it when I turn the bars. But it feels perfectly smooth & natural. The only issue is when I rock it front to back.

Thanks for all the help guys but I'm going to leave it for the shop on Tuesday. I just hope nothing's ruined beyond repair.

 

[Tanis8472]

I meant, what ya got lol

 

[Goggs]

I meant, what ya got lol

Ah OK, sorry. It's in my sig, a Cube Hyde Pro.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Still waiting for that video with sound of the issue at hand...!

bb

 

[Goggs]

Still waiting for that video with sound of the issue at hand...!

bb

Wait no longer. You'll need to turn it up..


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPUtZfMAiK8

 

[Tim Hall]

Wait no longer. You'll need to turn it up..

https://www.youtube.com/upload

That link doesn't work, as it just goes to a page asking me to create a Youtube Channel.

 

[Tanis8472]

Wait no longer. You'll need to turn it up..

https://www.youtube.com/upload

You're right we will lol.
Try another link

 

[Goggs]

That link doesn't work, as it just goes to a page asking me to create a Youtube Channel.

You're right we will lol.
Try another link

Sorry guys. I was heading out the door in a rush. I've fixed the original link.

Anyway, it's the front brake caliper that's making the noise. The bike is currently in a shop waiting to get the brakes stripped & regreased. The headset is absolutely fine, no problems with it. Why the brake should have problems on a week old bike is a mystery but it is brand new I guess and it is very hot, dry & dusty here. I'll get the bike back on Thursday afternoon.