Comments on: How To Adjust a Threadless Headset

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:04:09 +0000

I don’t think it makes a difference. It all depends on what you are repairing. I’m interested in hearing their reasoning… did they say why?

By: Michie

Michie — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:12:43 +0000

I work for a local bicycle shop. I work on the sales floor, so I am responsible for fitting customers on their bikes, which requires me to do a lot of handlebar stem swapping. I was told by the mechanics to always loosen the two pinch bolts on the stems before loosening the top bolt. They said to always do it in that order, and then to tighten, do it the opposite. Does it really make a difference, or even matter?

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:46:54 +0000

Great info — Thanks!! I was getting ready to take my bike to a shop to fix the play in the headset but your video helped me do it myself.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:29:06 +0000

Hi Rob,

I’ll add your request to the list!

By: rob

rob — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:02:03 +0000

Great site, I have wrecked spacers before when fiddling about here. Any chance of a tutorial on adding spacers?

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:22:02 +0000

I can do a threadless overhaul tutorial for sure. I actually was going to do it with this bike (which I borrowed), but when I pulled apart the headset it had sealed bearings, so I made the best of it and made the adjustment video. I’ve got another bike with a loose-bearing threadless headset now, so I’ll be making that one soon!

By: Jocelyn

Jocelyn — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:04:06 +0000

You only show how to adjust a Threadless Headset in this tutorial but what I’d like to know is this:

Do I need to overhaul such a Headset on a regular basis? Just like you show in your other tutorial “How To Overhaul a Threaded Headset”…

Thanks for all your tutorial… It’s helping me out a great deal…

Status of this Request

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:32:53 +0000

Yes, you should be able to remove a spacer, but you’ll have to put it on top of the stem (but under the top cap) to keep things together. If you can’t place the spacer on top for some reason you’d have to cut the steerer tube of the fork itself.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:09:55 +0000

Excelent tutorial!
It was so helpful. Thanks Alex.

Btw, I have a question. I would like to adjust handlebar height by removing one of those spacers. Can I do this and if so what I’m supposed to do with the removed one? Put it back on the top of the stem before tightening the top cap or just set it aside?