Headset MTB
This bike has an integrated headset, so all you tin can see externally is the large FSA dust cap. The bearings are seated directly confronting the inner head tube.

Each of the moving parts in contemporary mountain bikes uses a similar system to rotate and slide with minimal friction and maximum longevity. Learning to maintain and replace those active components tin can salve heaps of cash and fourth dimension. A few DIY mechanic skills may also provide the confidence to dig deeper into the forest with the knowledge that you can sort out most mishaps.

The headset in a modern bike works similarly to the bottom bracket in most cases, and if you sympathise one the other will probable follow closely behind. In that location are two master types of headsets used in new mount bikes: EC or "external cup," and IS or "integrated." The basic difference is that the EC uses a ready of metallic cups that are pressed into the frame to hold the bearings, where the IS version uses the frame itself to agree the bearings by incorporating a pair of bearing seats into the frame itself. Goose egg stack or ZS headsets are likewise popular in modern frames and function the aforementioned fashion as an EC headset, though the cups sit down further in the frame, creating less stack. Either of these options volition use sealed cartridge bearings in a modest variety of shapes and sizes, whereas older bikes used loose brawl bearings in their headsets and bottom brackets. This helpful guide from Park Tool will aid yous determine which style your bike has.

The highlighted links beneath will lead to related headset installation videos or manufactures.

What's in a headset?

This is an external loving cup headest. Right to left: crown race, lower bearing, lower bearing cup, upper bearing cup, upper bearing, cap or "dust seal".

A messy pile of components fit nether the headset umbrella. Offset from the base, there'due south the crown race. This is a thin ring that slides onto the fork's steerer tube and sits against the fork crown, assuasive a specific headset to collaborate with a fork. The lower begetting in a headset can have a different shape depending on how it's designed, so the included crown race "pairs" these two components.

There are also reducer crown races that are designed to combine a fork with a 1″ steerer tube to a frame and headset that is designed to use a 1.v″ tapered steerer tube. The crown race takes upwardly infinite where the wider steerer would exist then that you can utilize a mod headset and frame with an older style narrow steerer. Reducer races are typically used on new bikes with steel steerer tubes where the frame can also take the tapered steerer of a intermission fork. A Surly Karate Monkey is a mutual instance.

A cut crown race like this one from Hope Tech makes the part quick and simple to install or remove.

Moving skyward slightly, the side by side element is the lower bearing. With nearly any production bike made in the terminal five years, this volition exist the larger of the two bearings, since it fits around the larger end of a tapered steerer tube. The lesser edge of it will be shaped to sit down affluent on the crown race, and the upper edge shape will match that of the lower bearing cup or the frame itself.

Hither you can see a set of begetting cups pressed into the head tube with a second ready alongside information technology for reference.

If your frame takes an external cup to house the bearing, this volition be the next headset component in line from the floor to ceiling. The lower bearing either rests in this cup, or in an identically shaped piece of the frame.

Above all of that goodness, you have the frame's head tube, wherein the steerer tube rotates and the bearings are seated. As you likely guessed, there's some other external cup pressed into the upper head tube, or a bearing seat in the frame, just like the lower. The upper bearing slots comfortable into that upper loving cup or frame seat.

Here's some other outlay of head set components in order, with bearing cups pressed and a second set alongside the steer tube for skillful measure. From left to correct: Fork, crown race, lower/larger bearing, lower begetting cup, frame, upper bearing cup, upper begetting, preload spacer/spacers, dust cap, SFN, preload bolt and top cap.

A preload spacer slots between the upper bearing and the steerer tube to accept up space and allow the headset to be tightened properly. On some headsets, this piece is integrated into the dust cover, while on others it'southward a dissever loose part. Some headsets may include a set of thin spacers that belong on top of the preload spacer to account for variances in frame headtube height to a higher place the upper bearing. Add as many of these as necessary so that the headset tin move freely while not creating a gap betwixt the dust cover and the frame.

Toward the tippy meridian, a grit cover is placed above the preload spacer(s) to protect the bearing from the elements and allow the system to be tightened properly.

This Cane Creek peak cover has the preload spacer born. On other headsets, the cutting blue band in the center will exist a separate slice, slotted between the upper bearing and the steerer tube.

Finally, the stem spacers and stem fill upwards the residue of the steerer tube. The star fangled nut (SFN), installed in the steerer tube, allows the top cap and preload bolt to pull the whole system tightly together. And then, the stem bolts are tightened to keep it snug. At present, on to some tips for headset installation and removal.

This little bugger, called the star fangled nut, is pressed into the fork's steerer tube. So, the peak cap and bearing preload bolt pull the whole organization tightly together while the star fangled nut grips the inner steerer tube.

Installation trickery

The pile of tools one could conceivably ain for headset and fork installation is heavier than the frame and fork combined. Tool companies make massive crown race setters that fit all lengths of steerer tubes, and the tool itself is about as cumbersome as the fork. All yous really demand is a hack saw or Dremel tool and about two minutes. Cut a slot in the crown race, only like the Hope race shown above, grease the steerer tube where the race volition sit, and slide it in identify. Information technology will likewise be decidedly easier to remove with the slot cutting out.

Photos: Jeff Barber

Another quick and inexpensive way to install a crown race is with a slice of plastic piping similar the ane shown above. You'll need a piece of pipe that fits over the one.5″ fork steerer tube, and isn't any wider than the crown race. Give the greased race a few good whacks with the piping until it's fully seated.

With the crown race snug against the fork crown, it'south fourth dimension to cut the steerer tube to the proper length. It'south a expert idea to put the steerer in the cycle and measure out information technology with all of the bearings, spacers, and stem installed. Measure out thrice, mark information technology well, and and then chop it upwardly. Yous can use a hack saw and a blade guide similar this one from Park Tool to become a fairly clean cut. With carbon steerer tubes like those on a lot of road and gravel bikes, this is the but way to get, and you may desire to buy a carbon-specific blade. For aluminum and steel tubes in that location's a amend way.

A piping cutter like this ane from Beta volition give you a cleaner finished cut than any hacksaw could manage. Accept it slowly, tightening the blade e'er so slightly every couple of turns. This method takes a trivial longer than the hacksaw, and the factory-like outcome is worth information technology.

Regardless of how you piece it, it'southward a skilful idea to clean up the edges of the tube before installing it in your headset. The headset dust embrace has a thin condom seal to keep moisture out, and a rough steerer edge may damage the seal. A pipe reamer is a worthwhile tool for the job that will likely outlast its possessor. Make sure to purchase i designed for smoothing metal edges, as there are lighter-weight versions used on plastic pipes. You can also use a apartment mill file to clean up the outer edge of the steerer.

A star fangled nut setter is one of the smaller headset specific tools that is worth purchasing if you lot regularly piece of work on bikes. If you but need it once every few years, information technology's likely amend to take the fork to a wheel shop.

The star fangled nut tin also be installed by inserting a bolt and carefully pounding it in with a hammer, but it probable won't end up directly and you run a strong risk of pinching your hand betwixt the nut and steerer. There are a few "hacks" for this install if you're really not interested in buying the tool.

Some other option is to install a compression plug into the steerer instead of the SFN. Compression plugs, designed for carbon fiber steerer tubes, expand every bit you tighten them in identify and substantially become stuck in the steerer. Then, the top cap and preload bolt tin can tighten the arrangement in the same fashion they would with the SFN. This might seem less secure, simply remember that information technology'due south not the SFN or compression plug that holds your headset tight. That's managed by the stalk equally it clamps on the steerer tube. You lot could fifty-fifty remove the top cap and preload bolt and go for a ride if your stem is tightened properly.

Other alternatives to the SFN include any of the steerer mounted stash tool systems that each have unique means of tightening the headset. A few of those systems include the Ane Upward EDC Tool Organisation, the STASH Multi Tool from Granite designs, the Specialized SWAT organisation, or the Bontrager BITS.

One other method to sure-fire a headset down tight is to ask a friend or neighbor for help. Let's say you're traveling and lose your superlative cap and/or bolt in the process of unpacking your bike. The prove can go on. Put your bicycle together, equally usual, sliding all of the steerer spacers and stem into their usual places. Then, take someone press on the handlebars with all of their weight pressing down into the fork. This will tighten the headset, albeit inaccurately, and you can air current the stem bolts in to hold it in identify. The tough part is getting the handlebar aligned while someone is pressing their girth into it. After a few tries, you'll likely exist able to get the bars aligned and the headset tight.

1 of the terminal steps to a headset install, earlier sliding it all together and adjusting the headset is to install the bearing cups. The video above shows just how to do so with the Park Tool printing. You can perform the same install with a threaded rod, some large washers, and a couple of basics. This is another install element to perform with great patience, making sure to grease the frame and cup, press them in one at a time, and proceed the cup aligned with the frame's headtube at all times.

This rudimentary press works well for installing cycle bearings, pressed lesser brackets, and headset cups alike. The toll is a fraction of the massive version in the video in a higher place, and it's small enough that it tin fit in a mobile tool box. The bearing drifts included with more professional-level tools can as well exist used with this simple press for a more precise install.

Finally, the "I can't recommend it" method of begetting cup installation is what my sometime roommate called the "lath of destiny." The BOD was a discarded chunk of ii ten 4 pine that all of the crusty bike racers in our dingy squat used to install headsets. Information technology couldn't get much simpler. Put the headset on the board and line the head tube upward with the cup. Then, bang on it with a rubber mallet until it'south in. Violà! We eventually bought a vice and started using that to press the cups in which worked much meliorate.

Headset removal

Popping the headset out is a far simpler procedure. If you have an integrated headset, merely remove the stem and it volition fall out all on its ain. If your headset uses pressed cups, a cup removal tool is an inexpensive and lightweight hunk of steel that you tin also use to remove pressed BB cups and bearings. While these tin can be made from hardwoods, cut PVC, a perfectly shaped dowel, and a host of other common objects, the tool costs less than $xxx and will terminal as long equally you do.

Gloves are a good idea.

Crown race removal is the final catchy bit. If your crown race wasn't greased or cut prior to installation, you may need to take it to a shop where they volition heft a the six pound tool that costs well-nigh $270 to pause it free. If you cutting it first, a razor bract and a pair of pliers will do the trick, without damaging the soft fork crown material. Slide the blade under the crown race and wiggle gently until it pops off.

Your plough: What headset related tips and tricks have worked well in your garage? Please share them below.