# No star nut/top cap



## asdasd44

I heard someone say they cut weight by not having a star nut or top cap. I was wondering how you would adjust the headset if you did this? 

(I am not planning on doing this, just wondering)


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## b24fsb

its a piece by easton, its called the bear trap. go here and look at the how to install on eastons web site and you will get how it works

http://www.eastonbike.com/downloadable_files_unprotected/instal_instr/beartrap-EN.pdf


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## STARNUT

the beartrap sucks big time. That thing has caused more headaches for me than just about any other bike part in the past few years.

The trick (for the orginal question), is to find a removeable starnut/plug. Go through the process of snuging up the headset and clamping the steer tube. Then, pull the whole contraption out of the fork. Good for 40-50 grams. I do this on my 585 and Opal never have a problem with it coming loose.

If you gease the threads and use tacx on the top cap and fork steerer you shouldn't have any loosening problems.

Starnut


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## bdc88

+1 for Starnut

I have been doing this with several bikes with little issue for around 2 years now. I even took it a bit further and made my own carbon top caps. I ordered some very thin sheets of carbon, cut out a piece a little bigger than the 3mm carbon spacer and then I made my own 3mm carbon spacer to go on top of the stem. Worked great.


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## boarder1995

Something similar to the beartrap, but more userfriendly I believe, is the "problem solvers" external extending spacer ring. Clamp your stem, expand the PS spacer ring and lock it in place. No internal plug or starnut to worry about. Not sure of the weight savings/gains, but I like mine.


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## dmar836

Their website shows only the locking spacer. A nice addition but really doesn't facilitate adjustment...... you still need to use a starnut arrangement (or similar) to adjust the bearings before the lockring is use. That is really useful but perhaps they have another versions?
There was that "Ring go Star" locking ring that both adjusted and locked but I never used it. Members swore it was THE solution to the feable Easton beartrap monstrocity.


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## b24fsb

huh i never thought about preloading the bearings then tightening the stem and then taking the plug out. in theory that should work great and once you get stem size and height set when do you really ever need to loosen the stem. i like it! only thing i can think of that might be a problem is when tightening the stem the plug is there to push on the carbon steer tube and not let it flex in under the stem clamp pressure. does that seem like a valid concern?


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## clgtide1

Another beartrap hater here. I had one of the first generation EC90 stems. I envision it in a huge warehouse along with all the others that got sent back.


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## boarder1995

I don't see the Problem Solvers item that I have on my bike, so they may not make it anymore...hmmm, should I be worried? Nahhh.

I know my Cannondale requires the use of their top cap to prevent the fork steer tube from compressing too much. It's a very tight tolerance fit without the stem clamped. With the stem clamped, the top cap doesn't come out.


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## sevencycle

Their are places to save weight and places to not. The 10g savings is not worth the PIA. There is also safety aspect as weight weenie has super light stem & bars w/ Ti hardware any failure the top cap will help a little. Some weight savings are cheesey and that is one of them.My daily driver is 13.25 (clinchers) and over last winter it was 10.9 and it had a top cap.


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## dmar836

Well, I do have reservations about removing the cap but since the top cap really isn't a "containment device", I have to think it's psychological. Since, on my Deda Black Magic 2, the "plug" is difficult to seat unless the outer sleve is under some initial compression, any failure would release it and it would not contain at all. JME
Now the compression issue would be more of a concern to me but (and it really is just an educated guess) I don't think that the plug is engineered to be used for internal support. There are several devices for securing carbon steerers that eliminate the plug entirely.


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## nrspeed

Look's headset system on the 586 does away with the need for a top cap. The stem doesn't put any loaded downwards pressure on the headset bearings.


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## danl1

They're not necessary, even for the initial adjustment. This is for another reason, but the method nonetheless works with a normal stem setup without a starnut, bolt or cap:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html#threadless

I've also done the job by lightly tightening the stem, giving it a tap or two with a rubber mallet, and tightening fully. I can't in good conscience recommend it, but it does work with care and knowledge.

I don't do the weight weenie thing, and generally keep all parts on the bike. I've used this method to good effect on a normal setup that was for some reason hard to adjust the 'right' way.


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## Cyco-Dude

asdasd44 said:


> I heard someone say they cut weight by not having a star nut or top cap. I was wondering how you would adjust the headset if you did this?
> 
> (I am not planning on doing this, just wondering)


if you had to adjust it while on a ride, you would have to tighten the stem just enough to hold it's position, then smack the top of it (perhaps with your shoe) to adjust the preload on the headset.

for initial adjustment, you can use a length of threaded rod, a couple of fender washers and a couple of wingnuts. insert threaded rod through your steer tube and stem, then just tighten to preload the headset bearings. when you're done, tighten the stem down properly and remove the rod. i do this with my mountain bike.

you might not want to do this if you have a carbon steer tube though.


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## dmar836

I don;t think you could with any carbon fork I know of. Mine don't go all the way through.


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## danl1

dmar836 said:


> I don;t think you could with any carbon fork I know of. Mine don't go all the way through.


The Real Design on my Litespeed does, and so does the one on my wife's Trek. Just sayin'. 

In any case, all the hardware isn't necessary. A good solid leanin' on it is sufficient tension, though it sort of requires three hands.


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## david462

when i used to ride bmx (freestyle) the weight weenies would ride without a cap. all you do is install the stem/bars with the cap, tighten the stem bolts as tight as they are rated for, then take the cap off. if it works for a freestyle bmx bike without coming loose, it should work for a road bike that isnt gonna be ramping and all that. however, not sure if you could clamp it as tight if its carbon fiber steerer and/or stem


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