Help mataining headset

tuxy

I have a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX

Here's what my top headset bearing looked like after 3000 km and 5 months of cycling

I took it apart to see how bad the damage was to the internal bearings



The bottom bearing wasn't much better

I replaced it with a new set of bearings, used it about 4 times to cycling another 300km

I have been unable to cycle for the last 2 months. I checked out my bike today and there was a grinding noise from the steering. I took it apart and the steerer tube was covered in rust and the bearing were covered in water.

This is after being left in a room in my house that's very dry.

It seems like water is getting trapped in both headset bearings and is unable to drain.
Can anyone think of something I may be doing incorrectly that would cause this?

steamsey

That's an interesting one. Was the top bearing covered in water too?

thekooman

im dreading the day ive to take mine apart (this is of no use to the OP)!

07Lapierre

That does seem to be pretty bad after 5 months!

If it was my bike, I'd fit new bearings, then i'd wash the bike, dry it down and then disassemble the headset and see if any water is present (there shouldn't be).

if there is water in there, you need to find out how its getting in and go from there.

steamsey

thekooman wrote: »

im dreading the day ive to take mine apart (this is of no use to the OP)!

It's actually a very easy piece of maintenance. New (sealed) bearings are so cheap that I just replace them on my MTB once a year rather than cleaning. On my road bike which sees 100km per week - headset bearings have not been replaced in 5 years, only cleaned twice and are running smooth.

Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is worth a buy.

youtheman

I have one bike where the bearings seems to suffer the same fate.  So I do the following:
1. find a site that sells them cheap (no fancy packing etc.).  First set cost around €70, now I'm getting them less than €20.
2. Learn how to change them out (piece of pi55 really, as previously mentioned).
3. Keep them well greased
4. Be careful when washing the bike.  I do most of cleaning by wiping with a damp cloth as opposed to wetting the frame completely.
5. If you see grease/emulsion being extruded from the headset then you needs to sort it out ASAP.

NeedMoreGears

I've given up trying to figure out how the water gets in - I would guess (emphasis on guess!) some form of capillary action in the case of the lower bearing. I've never had a problem with the upper bearing. Again I would guess some moisture could get in if the fork was a little loose but I would expect most people would notice that pretty quickly.

I deliberately overdo the grease when reinstalling headset bearings and then wipe off whatever excess squeezes out. I re-grease them twice a year, along with pedals and seatpost (I've had some real problems with both in the past).

I got about 15k from the first set of headset bearings on the bike, and another 10k from a set installed by the LBS. Having adopted the above re-grease regime, I am approaching 20k with ones I put on myself. So far so good.

07Lapierre

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

I've given up trying to figure out how the water gets in - I would guess (emphasis on guess!) some form of capillary action in the case of the lower bearing. I've never had a problem with the upper bearing. Again I would guess some moisture could get in if the fork was a little loose but I would expect most people would notice that pretty quickly.

I deliberately overdo the grease when reinstalling headset bearings and then wipe off whatever excess squeezes out. I re-grease them twice a year, along with pedals and seatpost (I've had some real problems with both in the past).

I got about 15k from the first set of headset bearings on the bike, and another 10k from a set installed by the LBS. Having adopted the above re-grease regime, I am approaching 20k with ones I put on myself. So far so good.

+1
That could be the OP's problem. Water/moisture will get into any headset, so lots of grease is a must! (especially the lower bearing)

velo.2010

If its the newer CF CLX, then your not alone. Canyon changed the bearing size on these frames. Smaller ball bearings means less longevity and they will need replacing more often. And of course, for most people, Canyon will be their only stop to buy more bearings.

This lad on Youtube explains his experience of these bearings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNf6bUrW7g

Unknown Soldier

velo.2010 wrote: »

If its the newer CF CLX, then your not alone. Canyon changed the bearing size on these frames. Smaller ball bearings means less longevity and they will need replacing more often. And of course, for most people, Canyon will be their only stop to buy more bearings.

This lad on Youtube explains his experience of these bearings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNf6bUrW7g

For what it's worth Canyon don't just sell the bearings, it's the whole headset, including the Acros i-lock yoke. Canyon probably did a good deal on the manufacturing side of things, only to pay a premium on the aftersales side. Pretty standard tbh.

They are about 69 euro and while expensive, when you see people buying bearing for sub 20e, it's a Lamborghini of the bike world, and it's slightly less painful if you look at it that way.

tuxy

velo.2010 wrote: »

If its the newer CF CLX, then your not alone. Canyon changed the bearing size on these frames. Smaller ball bearings means less longevity and they will need replacing more often. And of course, for most people, Canyon will be their only stop to buy more bearings.

This lad on Youtube explains his experience of these bearings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNf6bUrW7g

It is the newer slx not the one that used the i-lock systen.
The actual ball bearings are tiny, much smaller than other bikes.
I saw that youtube video before but apart from that I see very few complaints about it online. I'm going to install my 3rd set of bearings (2 sets gone in 7 months) and really pack it with as much waterproof grease as I can.
I hope that will sort it. If I could get 1 year out of a set I'd be happy but at my current rate I would need 4 or 5 sets a year.

CrowdedHouse

I probably don't need to tell you but make sure everything is surgically clean, I think rust is contagious!

Thud

might be worth sourcing some marine grease, was used a lot on steel bikes when rust was more of an issue