Table of Contents
Advertisement
headSet
The headset
freely. It must turn with virtually no resistance, if the bicycle is to run
straight, stabilising itself as it travels. The shocks caused by uneven
road surfaces expose the headset to considerable levels of stress. In
this way it can become loose and go out of correct adjustment.
G
a
CHECKInG AnD READjUSTInG
Check the headset for play by placing your fingers around the upper
head tube race (b).
Bring your weight to bear on the saddle, pull the front brakes with your
other hand and push the WHEELER bicycle firmly back and forth with
the wheel remaining on the ground. If the bearing has play, you will feel
the upper head tube race moving in jerks relative to the lower head tube
b
race - visible as a small gap in between the head tube races.
To check whether the headset bearings run smoothly, lift the frame
up until the front wheel no longer touches the ground. The handlebars
should turn from far left to far right without any noticeable roughness or
tightness at any point (c). With a gentle tap on the handlebars the fork
should turn easily from the middle position.
If the test cannot be carried out smoothly, contact your WHEELER bi-
cycle dealer.
G
c
G
d
72
(a)
connects the fork to the frame, but allows it to move
Riding the bicycle with a loose headset greatly increases
the stress on the fork and the bearings. This can lead to
damage to the fork. danger of an accident!
Adjusting the headset requires a certain amount of experi-
ence and should therefore be left to your WHEELER bicycle
dealer.
Check the secure seating of the stem after adjusting the
headset by taking the front wheel between your legs and
trying to turn the handlebars and stem relative to the wheel
(d). otherwise, a loose stem can cause an accident.
ConVEnTIonAL HEADSET
The amount of latitude between setting "play in the bearings" and "too
tight" is very little. It is very easy to destroy the bearings. If you none-
theless wish to try this for yourself, you need two large, flat open-end
spanners. Ask your WHEELER bicycle dealer for advice.
Undo the upper lock nut and turn the head tube race underneath it
slightly clockwise (e). Fix the lower head tube race and tighten up the
lock nut again.
a
If it is set too tight this can destroy the bearings and nega-
tively affect the riding characteristics.
a
You require special tools for conventional headsets. If you
still wish to do this by yourself, carefully read through be-
forehand the instructions of the headset manufacturer,
which you can find on the enclosed CD.
THREADLESS HEADSET – AHEADSET
®
(Aheadset
®
is a registered trade mark of Dia-Compe)
This headset system is characterised by the fact that the stem is not
in the fork steerer tube but clamps it from outside. Hence the stem is
an important constituent part of the headset, clamping it therefore also
sets the adjustment. You generally only need one or two Allen keys and
a torque wrench to adjust an Aheadset
®
.
Undo the stem clamping screw(s) at the side of the stem by one or two
turns (f). Slightly turn the upper countersunk adjusting screw with an
Allen key (g), for example, a quarter turn.
Align the stem so that the handlebars are not slanted. To do so, make
sure the top tube and stem are in a line with the front tyre (h). Tighten
up the stem clamping screws. Use a torque wrench and never exceed
the maximum torque values! You can find these in the chapter "rec-
ommended torque Settings for components", on the components
themselves and/or in the instructions from the parts manufacturers,
which you can find on the enclosed CD.
e
f
f
g
h
73
Advertisement
Table of Contents
