Got a small amount of play in my hope headset even though its tightened up correctly.cant detect it when riding,but is there if you rock back and forth with brakes on.

Im assuming it likely to be cured by replacement bearings? What do you think?

i took it apart and the bearings spin nicely and i cant detect any play, but i guess its the most likely cause.

If it matters its a zero stack 1 1/8 top and an external cup 1.5 lower on an ibis mojo hd

You sure it’s the headset rather than the the fork bushings or even the pads moving in the callipers a little? Try putting the wheel at 90deg to the bike and rocking it as this eliminates the other possible causes. If it still rocks check the steerer is cut far enough below the top cap, if not the head doctor can ‘bottom out’ before being 100% tight.

Forgot to say, it still rocks when the wheel is turned perpendicular to the bike, and there is plenty of space between Top cap and st eerer, so it is tightened correctly,unless the star fangled nut is moving, but i reckon id see that migrating up the steerer tube.

Bearings?

On the occasions ive had/seen this it has been:

1. Steerer too close to top of stem and touching top cap – you have ruled this out.
2. Loose break calliper.
3. Headset rebuilt incorrectly, missing an internal washer.
4. Bearings not fully seated before stem tightened, leading to play.

Sounds likely then but not seen many bearing failures in the Headsets tbh.

1. Steerer too close to top of stem and touching top cap – you have ruled this out.

Yep, thats not the problem

2. Loose break calliper.

This is not the problem

3. Headset rebuilt incorrectly, missing an internal washer.

All parts are present and correct, according to the hope tech specs. I’m using 2 shims between the top cap and the split race.

4. Bearings not fully seated before stem tightened, leading to play.

Seemed seated ok to me,but this could explain it. Are there any techniques required to ensure the bearings are seated correctly? Have taken it apart many times now, all looks ok.

The bearings themselves seem to be ok, ie they spin smoothly and freely, the lower bearing does have some play between the inner and outer race , but not sure if this is just normal.

Anyone know the exact specs of the hope bearings, so I can see if I can find a cheaper source than the £15 per bearing I’m seeing on the usual bike websites.

ovalised headtube..?

took me a couple of new headsets and lots of headscratching to work out the problem on my old 456

hope its not ovalised, wouldnt have thought it would be, I’ve not done anything to ovalise it.

Can you ovalise a carbon fibre frame?

are the bearings in the right way up, chamfered edge to the fork and stem spacers

Yep, the bearings are the right way up

You can’t buy the bearings from anywhere else, they are custom for Hope from INA.

Top Headset:

SHIS:ZS44 – 1-1/8″ ZeroStack (ZS) Threadless, Hope 2

bearing o/d 41 mm, i/d 30.15, height 6.5

Bottom Headset:

SHIS:EC49/40 – 1.5″ Traditional (TR 1.5″), Hope F

bearing o/d 52 mm, i/d 40, height 7

bearing 1 edge 45 deg chamfers

Ok, got some new (official hope) bearings, put it all back together , but the play is still there.

So, what should my next course of action be?

Which components wear out to cause play in headsets?

Do the cups themselves wear? what about the crown race?

Anyone got any pointers?

I’m a bit stumped on this one. It definately play in the headset and not bushing play or loose brake caliper or pads, because if I turn the bars parallel with the frame, and then lift the front of the bike off the floor, I can feel the play when I rock the bars up and down.

Quite tempted to use the ‘opportunity’ to put an angleset in, but could do without the ball ache of removing the old cups and pressing new ones in.

have you tried loosening the stem bolts, tightening the top cap. then retightening the stem to make sure it is fully tight?

has the steerer loosened from the suspension crown?

fork bushing?

Slogo, yep, I’ve tried all that, I know its getting tight because I can tighten the top cap up so much that the bearings start to bind.

There doesnt appear to be any play whatsoever in the fork/brakes/wheel, because I can lift the bike off the ground and feel the play in the headset when I hold the bars in line with the frame and lift one end.

The only things I can think of are that the cups themselves are worn/misshapen, so the bearings could be moving in the cups, or the crownrace on the fork could be worn in some way, but it all looks ok.

The play is very slight, I cant feel it when riding, but its definately there.

I cant actually feel where it is with my finger on the various parts of the headset, its that slight.

floating rotors?

what about the piece that fits into the bearing at the top before the rubber sealed bit? is that worn, missing?

I do have floating rotors, and I have checked them, the rear had some play (which I have now fixed), the front is fine.

It could be that split ring type thing ( dont know what its called) on the top, but I’m not sure.

I could go through and replace each component bit by bit until I come across the one thats worn, but that could be a hit and miss affair, wondering if there is a known component that I should replace first thats usually the cause of this sort of thing, or whether I just bite the bullet and order a brand new headset , in which case I might as well go for an angleset.

Bit the bullet and ordered an angleset.

will be interesting to see how much difference taking 1.5deg off the head angle makes