Sorry for the boring post, but, headset was feeling very grinchy so pulled it all apart tonight. Knocked out the bottom bearing with a driver and had the usual ball bearings everywhere nightmare (never learn).

Found them all, removed the top part of the bearing cage, which was left behind in the steerer tube, and washed the whole lot.

When it came to putting it all back together, I couldn't for the life of me get the bearing back into the steerer tube – painstakingly pushed the ball bearings into the holder, pushed the whole thing together and found the damnable thing just wouldn't go in as a whole.

It would go in in seperate parts, but there was always one bit which wouldn't go. So I gently tapped it together with a hammer and a bit of wood. This must have squashed a bearing or two as the thing only now works with the weight of the fork on it, and feels grinchier than ever.

SO. Is / was it a sealed unit which shouldn't have been taken apart?

Phew.

What headset is it?

Usualy reply is buy an FSA MX/XL2 etc and get someone to fit it for you. Should do about 2 years without too much hastle and after that eithe rbin it and insert a new one or buy a new one and swap the bearings over and just bin the cups.

Either that or Chris King, but they cost a lot and depite lasting 10 years unless your really unlucky FSA etc will work out cheeper, and you dont have the hastle of transfering headsets from one frame to the next.

Thanks for that – unfortunately, it's a semi-integrated headset (Boardman Pro) so headset choice is limited.

That sounds very strange can you buy new bearings? If not I have a fitted but never used hope semi integrated for sale, slight rubbing to anodizing but never used. Check my profile for advert and pics if your interested.

What brand is your current headset? lose ball bearings?

Sounds like it was a sealed unit and you seperated it but it's hard to say without a photo. Should be able to buy a new bearing if not worse case is a new headset approx £30-£40.

have a looky here for a how to. If they are caged bearings you can get replacements cheap as chips

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-servicing-your-bearings-18623

Cheers – well they're micro bearings – the headset is a FSA Z (ACB) job. Can't seem to find a replacement online – part no. 160-6475 (bottom bearing cage and micro bearings).

I can get a whole new headset for about £25 but seems a bit of a waste as it's just the lower half which has gone – now use one of those Muckynutz mini-guards which should keep most of the crud out in future…

user-removed – Member
now use one of those Muckynutz mini-guards which should keep most of the crud in in future…

T.FIFY.

How so? It's just a teeny weeny little mudguard which stops crud flying up the steerer 🙄

Think of it like this: £25 is the price you pay for not maintaining a badly sealed headset. Installing a mudguard isn't maintaining the headset, it's just lengthening the period in between which you have to spend another £25.

druid.h, hes refering to a stubby mudguard not those horrible neoprene wraps that destroy forks stanchions/shocks/headsets.

Back to the OP, if your lucky the headset might use identical bearings top and bottom, so over time you save money by being able to buy 1 spare headset and just put the new bearing in the lower race, usualy in get through 2 or 3 lower bearings before the top one even feels used.