A few months back I bought a s/h frame and have got round to building it up. For the headset the top of the headtube is integrated and the bottom not. The frame came with the bottom cup pressed in, so the previous person must have used it fine. Both bearings feel smooth. When I put it all together (appears to have all of the pieces) and whack the stem on it all feels fine but as soon as I start to preload it goes stiff and feels like the bearings are knackered, when they’re not.

Clearly something isn’t right, but any ideas what?

Do headsets come with a crown race? (I’ll get me coat)

Bearings cost like……**** all?

Too many spacers nipping the bearings too tight?

Don’t think so, I barely have to apply any preload at all before it starts getting really stiff. Bearings are also smooth…

Top cap rubbing on headtube.There are shims that go between the compression ring and the top cap to lift it up slightly.

Couple of possibilities. Is there a slotted ring between the top cap and the bearing? The top cap may be rubbing on the head tube. If so you will need shims to lift it.

Thanks for the replies all, top cap rubbing headset sounds quite reasonable having seen how they sit together. Shall investigate!

I’ve just stripped and put my bike back together, and mine now do the same… Previously I tightened the top cap up a fair bit to get it feeling right, now I barely had to put much on it before it felt like it was too tight.
Be interested to see the outcome of this one =)

I fitted an FSA headset to a mate’s frame that felt like that, turned out that I’d put the bottom seal on upside down.

Probably know this, but top cap only serves to draws the tube, stack and stem together, then you do up the stem but the top cap shouldn’t then be tightened any further (not at least without undoing the stem). You can even loosen the top cap so long as the stem is done up to torque.

What are the bearings? Sealed cartridge or cage? Cage are affected by load and too tight will bind. Sealed are less likely to do so.

Just to follow up on this, it was as simple as being the wrong crown race, d’oh!

Skillz. 😉 We’ve all been there, mind. At least you didn’t put the headset and fork in upside down (step forward northwind). Or put the lowers back on the wrong way round (step forward julian 😳 )