ENJOYING YOUR BELTER EVERY RIDE
HEADSET & STEM
Although the bearings of a headset don’t rotate as frequently
as the other bearings on a bike they are among the most
important as they control the accurate steering of your bike.
A loose headset can quickly damage the bike making it hard
to control. Check your headset every time you ride. To check
headset tightness, put the front brake on and rock the bike
back and forth. If you feel movement tighten the headset.
THREADLESS HEADSET
Your Early Rider Belter uses a ‘threadless headset’.
Threadless headsets use a stem that clamps around an
unthreaded steerer tube of a fork. Adjustment of these
headsets (or re-tensioning after re-positioning of spacers
to adjust the stem height) is relatively straightforward –
threadless headsets can be adjusted with a simple Allen key.
If the headset is loose, first loosen the stem bolts so that it
can move on the steerer. Tighten the bolt in the centre of the
top cap that sits on top of the stem until the play is taken up.
Do not over tighten this top bolt. Rock the bike back and
forth with the front brake on to check for play and tighten
a quarter turn until the play is eliminated. Then tighten the
stem bolts correctly ensuring that the stem is lined up with
the front wheel.
Correct tensioning of these bolts involves adding a half
turn to each bolt in turn until the correct level of torque is
reached. Rotate the bars from side to side – the headset
should feel smooth, not lumpy or stiff. If it is undo the
stem bolts and loosen the top cap bolt a quarter turn
and try again.
Bearing damage caused by lack of maintenance or by riding
the bike with a loose headset may mean that a smooth feel
is not possible – in this case please consult your local dealer
for advice.
simple maintenance
WARNING!
A loose headset can cause a serious
accident – ensure that any play here is eliminated
before the bike is ridden. Consult a dealer if in doubt.
IMPORtant stuff
