We are having some trouble with the lower headset on my partner's new Decathlon MTB. It came loose during the 4th ride and i disassembled it but I don't think it was ever right looking at it. Something about the lower race doesn't seem right because when I took it apart and stacked all the parts on the fork, they just move around rather than 'sitting' against each other, and assembling it all back into the headtube still results in a huge amount of movement. It's like the wrong crown race has been used or something.
I'll be taking it back to Decathlon but just as a sense check am I missing anything here?
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Yeah that’s not right.
Flip that lower bearing the other way. See how that feels.
Will give that a try. Don't think that will help with the metal ring thing that seems to drop out and isn't held in by anything but friction but that may just be crap design of the headset rather than it being wrong per say.
Did you take a picture before you took it apart?
Did you take a picture before you took it apart?
Yeah, the two photos of it assembled are after we just got back from having to walk the last mile home. The disassembled photos are after I took it apart, but it looks exactly the same now I've reassembled it. Should have made that clearer, sorry.
Will give that a try. Don’t think that will help with the metal ring thing that seems to drop out and isn’t held in by anything but friction but that may just be crap design of the headset rather than it being wrong per say.
Yeah, there looks to be a few too many parts there! What bike is it?
Yeah, there looks to be a few too many parts there! What bike is it?
It's this.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/women-s-27-5-electric-mountain-bike-e-st-500/_/R-p-335096?mc=8655218
Appreciate it's 'cheap' for an electric MTB but at 1500 quid it still wasn't actually cheap and to be fair she loves it which is what I had hoped when we got her into bike riding.
I guess my hope is that if I take it back they'll replace the actual headset rather than bodge it once I've left it with them and fob me off or something. Their bikes are decent value but the customer service isnt the best.
So… if assembled in wrong order before you got it, and ridden before you’d noticed (how could you?) then I’d be asking for a whole new headset not just a regrease and reassembly. Good luck.
It looks like there are three pieces there, or am I seeing it wrong?
The bearing race is the right way up for a ball race, but the plastic shim fitted to the crown race is wrong - try it without?
To clarify, the crown race is the part you’ve named ‘what’s this” The black plastic parts are probably some sort of crude muck guard.
There's actually 4 parts there, have taken a couple more photos
I think that the bit at the bottom of the stack should actually be on the top and fitting into the bottom of the headtube, with the bearing assembly sitting in it, bearing facing down and sitting on the race?
I’d be surprised if they can replace the headset, as I doubt they’ll even be able to get spare parts for it?
I’m afraid to say, that headset looks very much BSO to me, and as such won’t be designed to be serviceable.
I think that the bit at the bottom of the stack should actually be on the top and fitting into the bottom of the headtube, with the bearing assembly sitting in it, bearing facing down and sitting on the race?
There is a bearing race fitted into the frame also (not pictured). The caged bearings sit into that and does fit that fine, its the parts below that which seem to be the issue.
Thanks
What’s still in the bottom of the headtube? Photo from below might tell us something.
EDIT: ah, seen your new post.
There’s already a crown race fitted to the fork, and for bonus you’ve got a caged-ball one sitting on top. I’d be asking the fundamental question is a caged-ball headset suitable for the frame? What does the underside of the headtube look like - is it concave/rounded to accept the ball race?
Cripes, I've only just noticed after taking those last photos that the part of the headset that's pressed into the frame isn't straight... Not sure if that's happened whilst riding hence it has 'become' loose, I'm guessing so but not sure how that even happens...
Frustrated at this whole thing to say the least and hoping it's not somehow my fault although you'd think 4 rides in pretty much any issue like this would be a warranty claim right?
The beating cage is upside-down in the first photo. The bearings should sit on the crown race and be held between the crown race and the bottom cup bearing surface when assembled. There might also be a seal there, but it would need to sit outside the crown race and not interfere with the contact between bearings and races. I wonder whether the inner and outer seals from the top headset have been used when assembling the bottom, preventing things from going together right?
OK, just seen the photo of headtube - bearing race fits fine, but still think you’ve got the wrong crown race fitted to the fork - part sequence should be: ball race, convex crown race, large plastic dust shield and ditch small plastic ring and big crown race.
OK, just seen the photo of headtube – bearing race fits fine, but still think you’ve got the wrong crown race fitted to the fork – part sequence should be: ball race, convex crown race, large plastic dust shield and ditch small plastic ring and big crown race.
@dovebiker do you think the part pressed into the frame is meant to be on an angle like it is on my most recent photo?
Thanks
@dovebiker do you think the part pressed into the frame is meant to be on an angle like it is on my most recent photo?
I don’t think so.
I’d be taking it back and asking them to resolve. It shouldn’t have collapsed like that after 4 rides.
I think that the upper race in the frame is fitted skew, and so they’ve shoved a load of crap under the crown race to compensate so that it can tighten down.
Thanks all, needed a sense check and you've provided it (should have been obvious to me but sometimes it takes me a minute...).
I’d be taking it back and asking them to resolve. It shouldn’t have collapsed like that after 4 rides.
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The photos of it assembled 5 & 6 shows a slot for a screwdriver to Pry it off the forks which suggests it's upside down but it also sort of looks like it's from another headset, it's similar to a reducer crown race for a cartridge bearing headset that allows a fork with a straight steerer to fit a frame with a 1.5 lower bearing. It's a bit bizarre n shoddily executed, so many bits I can't work it out, the wonky bit pressed into the frame is shocking, it's probably a totally wrong headset for the frame.
I’ve heard horror stories about Decathlon stores taking ages to resolve issues. AFAIK, there’s no one in the store who can do it, so they need to be sent back to the central depot where their bike mechanic can fix it.
Please let us know how you get on.
Specs say that it’s a tapered headtube, so I wonder if you could get the bearing race out and press in some headset cups and fit some proper bearings?
That would also open up the possibility to upgrade the fork in future if your girlfriend really gets into it?
I'm a bit of an amateur mechanic and have only used cartridge headsets, so I'm not sure if I can add anything, but as someone has already said, the bearings look upside down, surely the bearings should be running in the track on the (metal) crown race, but there's a flat surface downwards.
It looks like the balls have been running against the internal plastic cup which looks fairly gouged up. I'm surprised the steering wasn't really graunchy.
I’ve heard horror stories about Decathlon stores taking ages to resolve issues. AFAIK, there’s no one in the store who can do it, so they need to be sent back to the central depot where their bike mechanic can fix it.
Please let us know how you get on.
Specs say that it’s a tapered headtube, so I wonder if you could get the bearing race out and press in some headset cups and fit some proper bearings?
That would also open up the possibility to upgrade the fork in future if your girlfriend really gets into it?
Will update. We're going to take it to the shop on the weekend but I am expecting hassle and yeah I can't see them resolving that in-store.
Luckily it's the winter and we'd be doing far less cycling right now anyway.
For a brand that is trying to push an image of competing with the big boys and the amount of positive marketing coverage they seem to be getting at the minute for their value, it's a shame when things like this happen and let them down.
It's definitely a tapered head tube, upgrading the forks was always on the agenda for the future if she sticks with it. Hopefully shit like this isn't putting her off early on...
It looks like the balls have been running against the internal plastic cup which looks fairly gouged up. I’m surprised the steering wasn’t really graunchy.
It does look very chewed up now you mention it. I'm surprised it was steering smooth too.
Crown race reducer is the bottom black ring - fitted at a guess as the headset is for a tapered fork
Then the crown race
Black plastic "seal"
Bearings
Okay so if the specs say it's a tapered headtube there should be a ZS56 lower cup installed for a cartridge bearing which would explain what looks like a reducer crown on the straight steerer in the first photo of your 5th post. They've completely fudged it with parts that shouldn't be there. Looking at photos of the bike in the decathlon link you can see the lip of a ZS lower cup at the bottom of the headtube.
Do you think there's any risk that the frame itself has been damaged or ovaled from this? It's done about 40 miles of gentle riding.
Oxford one has a bike mechanic on site if you’re anywhere near. Otherwise I’d just but a decent one and fit it.
I think it'll be okay but you'll a need a half decent mechanic to fix it, not sure they exist at decathlon though.
True, I could just bite the bullet and take it somewhere proper to have a decent one fitted.
If you can tap out that wonky race pressed into the headtube and if it's a 56mm headtube I can send you a nukeproof ZS56 lower headset then you can just buy a nukeproof reducer crown race and remove the race thats fitted on the forks and press the cup into the frame or let a decent bike shop press it in for you.
Whilst it is a drop in zs56 headtube/set. These cheap headsets still work because you press in a headset and use a race. I had same on my Occam (2020).
But agree, looks like there is at least one piece too many on the bottom.
What's that jagged hole in this pic. Not where the cables go through the frame hopefully... If it is then I would be getting a file in there if poss....
Thanks both I'll give it a measure tomorrow at some point and check what the definite size is 👍
What’s that jagged hole in this pic. Not where the cables go through the frame hopefully… If it is then I would be getting a file in there if poss….
No internal routing on this bike.
No internal routing on this bike.
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Might be the image but that pressed in cup doesn't look straight either.
To me it looks like the bottom lip of the lower cup has snapped off and is sitting on the top of the fork crown (the largest ring), the rest of the cup has pushed up in to the head tube.
