3
A customer in the shop yesterday said 'I just tighten it until it feels right' about his headset. What's your go-to method for setting preload?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
blair_lane21d ago
That guy is onto something. All the torque wrenches and technical talk just overcomplicate a simple job. Your hands are the best tool you have, and that "feels right" moment is real experience talking. If it spins smooth with no play, you nailed it. Why waste time and money on extra gear when the proof is in the ride?
2
henrygrant21d ago
My old Schwinn ten-speed taught me the same thing, blair_lane. I must have adjusted those cup and cone bearings a dozen times by feel before I got it just right. The manual said something like 20 inch-pounds, but my hands learned what "no play, spins free" actually feels like. Now I only grab the torque wrench for carbon parts or when a friend really insists. That smooth ride home after you get it right is better than any number on a gauge.
8