Figure 15-9: Pull tape upward to wrap the top of the handlebars in .NET

Generation Denso QR Bar Code in .NET Figure 15-9: Pull tape upward to wrap the top of the handlebars

The headset is the part of the bike that connects the stem and the fork to the frame and provides the mechanism that allows you to steer the bike There are two major styles of headsets: Threaded: The threaded headset screws onto the threads at the top of the column attached to the fork steering tube This is the traditional type of headset found on a majority of older bikes Threadless: The threadless headset is not threaded onto the column on top of the fork Instead, it s held together by the compression of an internal bolt that runs through the top cap into a wedge in the fork steering tube Depending on the style, it s either pressed into the head tube or sits on top of the fork steering tube and is held in place by a top cap The threadless headset is found on almost all midrange to high-end bikes these days

Headsets are designed to last a long time, but even the best headsets can wear out, especially if they aren t cared for One way to check whether your headset has issues is to test it for looseness Here are three checks you can try: Straddle the frame of your bike with your hands firmly clenching the brakes Try rocking the bike back and forth Stand astride the front wheel facing your bike with the wheel pinched between your legs and your hands on the handlebars Try wiggling the handlebars back and forth Lift the front wheel off the ground and strike the tire with your hand, while listening for vibrations With the bike in a stand, grasp the fork and the frame and try to flex the fork to see if there is any play in the headset Lift the front wheel off the ground and turn the handlebars back and forth If they feel tight and don t move smoothly, you may have tightened the headset too much With the wheels off the ground and the back wheel higher than the front, the front wheel should swing like a pendulum freely back and forth If, with any of these procedures, you feel play in the stem, it could mean that you need to either adjust or replace the headset Here are some other signs of headset problems:

The handlebars and fork rattle when you ride The handlebars don t turn smoothly You have trouble riding in a straight line

Although headsets don t need to be adjusted very often, over time all the turning you do on your bike and all the bumps and jolts the headset receives from the road may cause the headset to loosen If you inspect the headset following the steps in the preceding section and find looseness, follow these steps to adjust it

Threadless headsets usually don t require adjustment very often, especially when compared to threaded headsets, but you may need to make an adjustment occasionally Here s how: 1 Loosen the stem clamp bolt or the bolts holding the stem in place 2 Tighten (clockwise) or loosen (counterclockwise) the bolt in the center of the top cap 3 After you ve made the adjustment, retighten the stem clamp bolt or bolts Do not over-tighten the top cap It isn t designed to hold the fork in place it s designed only to keep a slight load on the bearings for the adjustment procedure until the stem clamp bolts are tightened, holding everything in place 4 Check the adjustment using the procedures from the preceding section, Inspecting the headset

To adjust a threaded headset, you generally need two specialized headset wrenches that fit your bike If you have a large, adjustable wrench for the top lock nut, you can get by with one headset wrench for the adjusting nut or cone The headset sizes are almost always 32 or 26 Some adjustable cones use round surfaced edges, which you can use your hands or lock jaw pliers to adjust To adjust a threaded headset, follow these steps: