Tightening A Road Bike Headset
Too tight and you feel like you re fighting your bike too loose and you re struggling to control it.
Tightening a road bike headset. I own a cannondale super six 105 ultegra now carbon 2012 bike and i can t stop the wobble in the headset. I ve fully loosened the bolts on the side of the stem and screwed the allen bolt on top about four revolutions until i felt it tight ish on the bearings then back quarter turn to allow smooth action before tightening the stem back up. Expert road bike reviews and the latest road bike news features and advice. The headset is the bearing assembly that fits to a bike s head tube and allows the fork and front wheel to turn.
Most of the time to remove play in a threadless headset you perform these 4 steps in this order. Headsets can be a pain to adjust and can completely change how your bike feels and handles. It might not be the sexiest component in the world but it does a vital job. Thing is there is still play in the headset.
Luckily tightening a headset is an easy job. Then use enough spacers to allow the top cap to pull the headset tight. Using the right size allen wrench loosen the bolts tightening the stem in place typically on the back or side of the stem. The headset is one of three main bearings on the bike.
We show you how to tighten your headset in a few easy steps. If i tighten down the top cap with 6mm hex i can get rid of the wobble hands on the drops holding brakes headset has a fair bit of play but i cannot move the wheels freely with the handlebars. A loose headset can make the whole bike feel a bit wobbly and unstable. The bung needs moving down and tightening in position.
If at a later date you find that you prefer the stem to be in a lower position and you are riding with a load of spacers above then it might be worth trimming the steerer to get rid of the excess. Headsets are the bearings and cups that allow you to steer your bike. I ve tighened up my headset and it s still loose. It can affect braking and steering and make the bike less safe.