Head Set Woes

Never had this problem before.

This is kinda off the back of my previous post regarding my stem issues.

I've only ever owned one other Carbon bike, A Giant TCR Composite 1, a 2014 model which I bought from new. I ordered the S/M size frame and honestly never had an issue with the headset height or stem length. So never felt the need to adjust it, the frame was a touch short, I remember my knees hitting the drops on occasion. Nevermind, long since gone that one.

So this Cannondale, not sure anyone touched the stem or the headset since it was originally purchased. I am the third owner and I now like to tinker. I used to just ride whichever bike I owned. lots of Specialized Langsters, the 54cm frame is a gem off the shelf and fits like a glove, no need to adjust a thing.

....It has a carbon steerer and a proper odd headset. Like nowt I'd seen before.

Check out this beauty:

I do now understand how it works but it took a while, especially without instruction. I was consistently getting play in the headset, even after a good tighten, using a torque wrench, obvs. I had the steerer tube cut down by my LBS, thought that would be the end of the issue but the play returned, so it clearly wasn't just me missing the beat on this one.

There is a 5mm stem cap bolt, which when tightening I assumed would be the only bolt I'd need to touch. Coming from a predominantly alu bike background it's generally, one bolt and a stem cap.

I didn't even notice the top cap had an additional 6mm cap to tighten. Turns out, this is fairly important!

Funny old thing, hindsight. Imagine reading instructions before you attempt the job. Mental.

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Sometimes I commute. Sometimes alone, sometimes with friends.

When commuting with friends especially at roundabouts, where you're dicing with oncoming traffic in rush hour and trying to find a big enough gap for two without killing anyone, it's come to my attention that single sided entry point pedals are a pain in the a**.

My pedals could just be crap or old or in need of a service and I know my cleats are worn but still. Every time, in this exact scenario I bloody miss the entry point and am then in limbo on the roundabout with a car approaching and 2nd rider coming up fast behind me.

So this got me thinking, I used to ride MTB clipless pedals, two entry points. Lets have a look.......Then I remembered these bad boys. 4 way entry! WHAT, MENTAL, how can I miss.

I don't recall ever missing the mtb pedals, just aim your foot in the general direction and they just work.

Enter Crank Brothers Egg Beater 1 pedals. I love the idea of these. I haven't fitted them on the bike yet but they have to be awesome. Customer reviews everywhere are good enough for me to go ahead with this idea.

I have road shoes and mtb shoes. I have 2 pairs of summer mtb shoes so thats not a problem.

Winter is another issue, 1) we're in the grip of winter 2) I own road winter boots that cost too much to never be used again.

I can't add the new pedals to the bike without the ability to use these, neither can I justify another £150 plus on mtb specific boots....well not for the time being.

Turns out, Crank Brothers can deal with this issue! WHAT ARE THEY! An incredible piece of kit, that's what. So I can attach these 3 hole bad boys to my existing winter boots and use them on my new 4 way entry pedals. Now I just need to fit the pedals and cleats and hope this brilliant solution works for me.

I spent the same on these pedals and cleats that a new set of road pedals would have cost me. I bought the cleats new and the pedals 2nd hand off ebay, they are in exceptional condition, it just made sense, they are pedals, they don't need to be perfect.