I recently started servicing my Boardman road bike, and I decided to take the fork off to check if the bearings need regreasing. However, when I try to put it back, this is what I get: it doesn’t seem to be sitting flush against the frame. There’s a visible gap at the front, and I don’t really know why. There are no parts missing, and everything should technically go back normally. Does anyone know why this might be happening?
Thank you!
simplejackbikes on
User error I guess? I would remove it and try again. Make sure the bearings are sitting flush in the frame.
singlejeff on
It looks like the fork is damaged as if the bike hit a wall (was in a crash).
vintage_steel on
My guess would be you havent seated the bearings correctly.
Aviarinara on
Is there a sufficient gap above the steerer to allow the spacers/ stem to be compressed by the top tap? Did you tighten the stem before the top cap?
BadKingJon on
Forked
Due_Dragonfruit_6789 on
Steerer tube is bent you have no rake in the fork.
CargoPile1314 on
The internet suggests the headset is an FSA No. 10 headset. This appears to be available in cartridge bearing or caged-ball. In either case, there should be a lower race that has a different profile than what I see at the top of the fork crown. Is that race present but stuck up inside the bearing? If not, you’ll need to find it. If so, perhaps the lower bearing is upside down or you’ve inadvertently swapped upper and lower races?
crocodiliul on
take it apart slowly, verify whether the bearings are put in correctly, not upside down; there are also some split rings (or compression rings) which are meant to keep the bearings in place and pressed against the steerer — these may cause such problems when reassembling. my bet is on these split rings.
when you reassemble be careful AT FIRST DO NOT tighten the preload bolt on the topside of the stem/steerer, only after you are sure everything else is seated in properly.
ruffins on
Buy a replacement carbon fork with an aluminum steerer tube from ebay probably a 1 1/8 steerer around 50€
10 Comments
Hi all,
I recently started servicing my Boardman road bike, and I decided to take the fork off to check if the bearings need regreasing. However, when I try to put it back, this is what I get: it doesn’t seem to be sitting flush against the frame. There’s a visible gap at the front, and I don’t really know why. There are no parts missing, and everything should technically go back normally. Does anyone know why this might be happening?
Thank you!
User error I guess? I would remove it and try again. Make sure the bearings are sitting flush in the frame.
It looks like the fork is damaged as if the bike hit a wall (was in a crash).
My guess would be you havent seated the bearings correctly.
Is there a sufficient gap above the steerer to allow the spacers/ stem to be compressed by the top tap? Did you tighten the stem before the top cap?
Forked
Steerer tube is bent you have no rake in the fork.
The internet suggests the headset is an FSA No. 10 headset. This appears to be available in cartridge bearing or caged-ball. In either case, there should be a lower race that has a different profile than what I see at the top of the fork crown. Is that race present but stuck up inside the bearing? If not, you’ll need to find it. If so, perhaps the lower bearing is upside down or you’ve inadvertently swapped upper and lower races?
take it apart slowly, verify whether the bearings are put in correctly, not upside down; there are also some split rings (or compression rings) which are meant to keep the bearings in place and pressed against the steerer — these may cause such problems when reassembling. my bet is on these split rings.
when you reassemble be careful AT FIRST DO NOT tighten the preload bolt on the topside of the stem/steerer, only after you are sure everything else is seated in properly.
Buy a replacement carbon fork with an aluminum steerer tube from ebay probably a 1 1/8 steerer around 50€