Can anyone help with this conundrum? I’ve just picked off some old On One steel rigid forks off my carerra pub bike frame. The frame has an integrated headset which I put in new when these forks were installed.

I’ve got some new carbon forks as a replacement after the steel ones were damaged. I’ve taken the crown race off the old forks, but the carbon steerer on the new one is wider at the base, so it’s way off fitting.

Any ideas? I don’t want to hit it down too hard in case I damage the steerer. Are all straight steerer crown races the same size?

Split crown race might do the trick

My unsatisfactory answer to this involved making a cut in the race, so I’m interested to know what I should have done. Are they on-one monocoques?

Am I OK cutting the existing one do you think?

martinhutch, I can see from pictures that the on one monocoque ones would have a similar problem, but these are Hylix eBay jobs.

Assuming the forks are made according to spec (worth measuring) then heating the “crown race” in a pan of boiling water will expand it slightly.

Or cut it. If it’s not caged or loose balls running on it then it’s not a crown race anyway.

Looking at those photos it would appear someone has been filing off some material at the bottom of the steerer? If so, I’d send them back.

have you measured the base of the tube?

I’d expect a more than snug fit on any steerer with a non-split crown race. Get some carbon freindly grease on there and a proper seating tool and it’ll probably go on.

or cut a slit in it.

I’ll try boiling and splitting tonight. I wanted to check I wasn’t trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Thanks

As above, if your lower headset bearing is cartridge just put a cut in it.

Cut it with a hacksaw and sling it on

That steerer looks a bit shonky. 😕

I’d hit it harder, then if that fails just cut it.

That steerer looks like its been repaired.

Don’t bother heating it, you’ll never get it off if you need to for any reason.

Have you lubed it prior to trying to install it? As Njee says, lube it, then hit it harder, or if you think it may need to come off in the future, cut it.

Why not make the hole in the crown race bigger with a round file?

That’s what I did when I had this problem recently on some Carbon road forks 8)

I’ve just had the chance to see those photos on my PC screen. I doubt I’d be fitting those forks to any bike I intended to ride or to a bike I was servicing.

Actually on second look the steerer doesn’t even look straight!

The steerer doesn’t look straight in the pictures, but that’s just an illusion. I’ve cut the crown race and popped it on no problem.

What makes you think it’s a repair? The bit that looks like a wrap at the bottom?

I’ve had several carbon forks with that flared bit at the bottom that looks like it was bonded on afterwards and then sanded down to exact size. Not had one fail yet.

As above, steerer looks like plenty I’ve ridden with no problems, so I wouldn’t worry.

phew!