# Check Your Bikes Direct Bike's Headset!



## JasonB176 (Aug 18, 2011)

I posted this in the Wrenching forum but felt it belongs here too.

I simply have not been able to get the headset fully tight. So I brought my Motobecane to my LBS explaining how I couldn’t get the headset tight. They work on it. When I went to pick it up, I tested it and while it was marginally tighter, there was still an unacceptable amount of movement.

The mechanic was at first incredulous but then he could see that there was still some looseness. He had inserted a spacer and thought that solved the problem.

He proceeded to work on it while I waited. Well, it’s no wonder that both he and I couldn’t get it fully tight. He said that the headset had been assembled incorrectly by the factory. He showed me what looked to be some kind of washer like ring. It had been put in upside down by whoever originally assembled it! What shoddy workmanship! I haven’t had any major complaints about my Bikes Direct bike but this certainly qualifies as one. The mechanic said this would be a safety hazard. I have had a shimmy problem at speeds over 45 on only this bike.

So, once he put the “washer” in the correct way, the headset tightened up perfectly. Good thing I brought it in and good thing I checked it before walking away from the shop.

I wonder if Bikes Direct would like to address how this could be allowed to happen.


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## Hyder (May 30, 2013)

Hi Jason,

Thanks for giving the heads up, I just got the frame and fork and build the rest myself. I would suggest that anyone who receives a complete bike strip it down and check it out. I know that kind of defeats the purpose of ordering a completed bike, but have read lots of stories about pre-assembled bikes. Crazy stuff like no lube on bottom bracket and such. 
Anyways glad you found it, I am still very happy with my Ti bike, and get lots of complements on it. I know you were having seat problems, other than the seat and headset how has it been for you??


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## JasonB176 (Aug 18, 2011)

Hyder said:


> Hi Jason,
> 
> Thanks for giving the heads up, I just got the frame and fork and build the rest myself. I would suggest that anyone who receives a complete bike strip it down and check it out. I know that kind of defeats the purpose of ordering a completed bike, but have read lots of stories about pre-assembled bikes. Crazy stuff like no lube on bottom bracket and such.
> Anyways glad you found it, I am still very happy with my Ti bike, and get lots of complements on it. I know you were having seat problems, other than the seat and headset how has it been for you??


I took it on a ride today and topped out at 47 MPH with no shimmy whatsoever and the headset was perfectly tight after the ride. So it appears the problem is fixed.

Of course, it wasn't due to a problem with the bike itself but rather the person who put it together originally. The seat thing was a pain and it took a number of tries before it finally held in place. I adjusted it a bit higher early in the season and it's stayed put. I guess the stem just needed to be roughed up a bit to grab the post.

I love the bike. The power transfer is great. I love how it climbs. With this last problem fixed, I hope it's clear sailing for a long time now.

I'm not mechanically inclined so I wouldn't want to pull a bike apart myself. It was the same guy at the same LBS that assembled the bike originally for me who now worked on the headset. By rights, the headset should have been checked out when it was professionally assembled. I paid good money to have it done by the LBS.


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