quick questions on conical spacers on a threadless headset?

[josephr]

There I was: hanging parts on a frame when I realize that one of my bikes has a conical shaped headset spacer for a 1.5" head-tube and it reduces down for the 1.125" steerer tube of the fork. I'm just going with regular ole round 1.125" spacers and everything seems to pull together just fine when I tighten it up.

I guess my question is: Are the conical spacers really just cosmetic preference? and..maybe my google skills are weak, but I can't seem to fine a plain (no logo) black alloy one for cheap.

Thanks!
Joe

[lhuerta]

...not all conical spacers are created equally. The most important thing to know is that the inner height/surface of the spacer, where the spacer meets the compression ring, must allow sufficient space so that the bottom edge/drape of the conical spacer doesn't drag on the top edge of your steertube. You can add wafer thin spacers/shims to increase the height, which in most cases will work fine, while in other cases the inner surface will be too low which results in raising the conical spacer too far from the bearing.

Lou

[druptight]

I may have one I can give you for cost of postage. Came off of a buddy's Specialized Langster that got hit by a car while locked up and was a total loss. If you PM me I can try to grab a picture of it tonight and send it to you.

[josephr]

...not all conical spacers are created equally. The most important thing to know is that the inner height/surface of the spacer, where the spacer meets the compression ring, must allow sufficient space so that the bottom edge/drape of the conical spacer doesn't drag on the top edge of your steertube. You can add wafer thin spacers/shims to increase the height, which in most cases will work fine, while in other cases the inner surface will be too low which results in raising the conical spacer too far from the bearing.

Lou

Its a standard Ritchey aHeadset. so I'm not thinking its rocket science here. I guess the worry here would be over-compression of the bearing into the head-tube races?
Joe

[josephr]

1st pic is the top of the headset assembly.
2nd pic is with a flatish gasket like piece that fits down over the top. Notice the next piece on the steerer tube has an angular contact which will fit down in.
3rd pic is that same piece pushed down in there.
4th pic is with a 5mm spacer sitting down on top of the headset.

I realize this may be headset 101, but I don't fart around with headsets very often...and, don't want to take it to an LBS as I wouldn't learn anything that way.

Thanks!
Joe

[druptight]

I may be missing something here, but if you're using a standard headset - i.e. external cups not buried inside the headtube, then it looks to me like you're missing the top cap of your headset.

See the pictures of standard ritchey headsets here: http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_category.php?k=501173

Am I missing something? I don't think conical spacers are what you need. I think they are typically used for the internal headsets where you need to transition from the super fat headtube down to the typical 1 1/8 spacer diameter. I think you need a top cap, then your regular spacers.

[cmg]

have to agree with druptight you need the top cap that covers all of the assembly. the top cap will push dowm on the centering ring to lock everything down.

[josephr]

Don't you just hate it when you (generically speaking) look at something on a bike and can't figure out whats wrong and then you post to a forum asking for a part that you don't really need cause you realize your problem is something else after you've already post pictures?

Joe