so i’ve got a length of pvc pipe a little larger than the steerer.

got 5mm to go and the race won’t go any further. file a little around the bottom of steerer?

other tips? grease?

You’ll need something stronger than pvc piping, a brass or copper drift. or very carefully tap it down with the end of a screwdriver (and hammer)

take the race off and drop it in a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes.
put a light smear of grease on the flared lower 5mm of steerer, then drop the hot race on and a smart bosh with the pvc tube and you’re in there.

Wow, grateful for the split crown race on my Hope. Removed with a gentle tap of a flat blade screwdriver and reinstalled by hand.

PVC pipe works fine. I always use it.
Make sure everything is clean, then a smear of grease helps.
The only thing with pvc pipe is that it bends a bit, so cut it so it’s only about an inch or two longer then your steerer, and hit it hard. You can hit it as hard as you like, it’s soft and won’t damage anything.
🙂

As much force as needed to seat it!

A bit of grease helps.

In a bike shop using a crown race tool, slide tool over steerer, invert fork and bash whole ensemble on wooden block placed on floor, sometimes very hard!!!

done it.

yeah split crown race seems to make sense but, there must be a reason that negates its use.

took a light file to the bottom of steerer and stuck a little grease on too. went down with the second bash.

pvc piping is the grey stuff used under kitchen sinks and waste water run off. beefy enough.

you should see my homemade headset removal tool….! also made up a headset setting tool. 200mm bolt. a selection of various washers and and a nut on the other end.

n.b. take the headset along when looking at washers to fit.

yeah split crown race seems to make sense but, there must be a reason that negates its use.

Well that was the first time I’d taken a peek in the headset since new (16 months old now), 2 winters without a single look or service and it was quite tidy in there so I’m not personally aware of the side effects.

I have always done the boiling water thing, as well as grease and a good bosh on.

I’m a fan of the cryo fitting – generally the oven at 200 for 3 or 4 minutes is enough to make the process swift, only problem is if you contact the steerer early you can end up with it shrinking on in the wrong angle. Before that I used to carefully tap them on with a large flat bladed screwdriver.