I'm asking this on behalf of a friend…

The bike is a titanium hardtail with a 1 1/8" aheadset. The problem is that after an hour of riding it starts to creak from the area of the lower race of the headset. Once it starts to creak it then does this the whole time and on every pedal stroke – very annoying! What can he do to prevent the creaking?

He's pretty sure that the creaking is just the aheadset lower race moving slightly in the titanium frame.

Should he use Loctite, some sort of grease, badger wax, other…? Any better ideas?

PS Before anyone suggests it, no, it's not in fact a saddle/seatpost creak masquerading as a headset creak! 🙂

Locktite bearing fit

The headtube is probably ovalised by now

If it's a king headset then it will be the stem moving back and forth over the top cap. Fit new plastic washer in between them and a new o ring in the top race.

Hi markenduro,

It's an FSA Orbit II. Thanks for the suggestion though.