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Nice job coming up, I need to change the top headset bearing on an internally routed road bike with Ultegra R8070.
Not done this before so couple of quick questions...the hoses run through the bearing so I suspect the easiest way will be to disconnect at the shifters, pull everything back through the bar/stem, switch the bearing over the hoses then re-thread and connect with a new olive...anything I've missed (not including replacing the bar tape)?
Assuming I don't need to replace the insert, will I get much fluid loss? I'm not expecting to get away with not bleeding the brakes, just trying to anticipate how much mess I'll make.
Depends on the shifters. I had a nightmare with mine, SRAM Rival Hydro-R.
I think you'll get the reservoir draining out on you, but as it's Shimano, it's 'nice' mineral oil so fairly harmless.
You can probably re-use the olive..
You could fit back to back hydraulic connectors somewhere in the headset void, to avoid having to redo the bartape.
They were Shimano Easy-fit when I installed them new, just trimmed the length. Absolute doddle compared to threading them through the bars!
Just prey the cables come out undamaged and the olive and barb is ok, other wise if the length of the hose is at its limit and you need to cut it, it's new hose time.....yes that one routes through the entire frame!
Internal cabling looks pretty, has next to no aero advantages to the normal rider but can make a £20 headset bearing very expensive, especially if a bike shop has to do it
Good luck 👍
Yep, pretty much as you say - I'd tape over the end of the hose when it comes off the shifter so that you don't have to be quite so careful with it. I'd see if I could take the bearing (and stem I suppose at it probably threads through that too? If it goes through the handlebar then no chance with this approach) up/down the hose rather than threading the hose out to minimise hose fiddling. Either way there's a good chance you can just reconnect the hose, give the lever a pump and all will be fine, failing that a small fluid top up rather than full bleed would most likely be all you'd need.
I would never buy a bike with full internal routing for this exact reason. Just through the downtube is a PITA enough for me.
Cheers, yes it's a pain but shouldn't need changing that often will go slowly with the hoses...I built it with a bit of slack but can't really afford to go chopping significant lengths off!
Summer bike is retired now so plenty of time to take it at my leisure.
Cheers Branes, yes through an integrated bar/stem combo (Syncors Creston IC SL)
@footflaps it's time to re-do the bar tape anyway so no bother, I like the idea of inline connectors in the headtube though.
Yes it's a bit of hassle but honestly it's not often you need to change headset bearings.
I have a bike with internal routing - but the cables and brake lines do not go thru the top bearing - they go thru a hole in the headset spacers which split into two which although a pain does mean you can change the fork or stem without splitting brake lines
Yep, still not getting the hate for interal, or thru headset routing. Its really not hard. I've now chosen two bikes with full headset routing and built them from frame up.
And I cant remember the last time I was forced into a headset bearing replacement or any post-build other job that is made particularly more difficult by the thru-headset routing.
I am also using the Scott/Syncros Hixon style system. Perhaps this is better than others...!
Edit - @tjagain with the Syncros system the hoses do go through the bearings but it has no effect on changing stem, or fork, they slide off/out just as they would on any other bike.