# 2010 Supersix 2 headset issues



## owengr (Jun 30, 2010)

Bought a new 2010 Supersix 2 with Sram Red last week. On the second ride, the headset area started to creak a bit. I got it home and tightened it to the point of making the bearings bind a bit. I still had a little slop in it when you rocked the bike back and forth with the front brake on. I brought it back to the shop and they first greased the bearings with no luck. They then cleaned everything up and put carbon paste on the frame/headset cups and it is even louder now. 

When I ride and use the front brake it sounds like the head tube is being torn off. When I put pressure on the handlebars sprinting or climbing, it makes so much creaking and snapping that it frightens other riders. 

I took it apart last night and I found that the head tube/bearing seat on the top of the head tube is about 1mm larger than the outside diameter of the bearing. It can freely move back and forth in the head tube. There was also a 2-3mm notch in the bearing socket. The notch looks like it was molded that way or cut into the frame, not worn from a bearing. Frame has about 100 miles of riding with the super loud sloppy headset. LBS and Cannondale told me to ride it.

Cannondale is sending a new headset and a "headset shim". Any idea what kind of shim this could be? Is it a ring of metal that takes up the gab between the head tube and the top headset bearing? 

They are also replacing the fork because the color match between the yellow fork and theh yellow frame is so far off that it is embarrassing. The new fork will be black. Seems like a lot of hassle for a 1 week old bike doesn't it?


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## owengr (Jun 30, 2010)

*resolved for now*

Went to the shop to pick up the bike. The shim was a series of 3 very thin washers that went under the bearing cap so more preload could be put on the bearings. The headset was replaced as well and the creaking seems to be gone. I will put some miles on it tomorrow. If it creaks again, it will do it within 100 miles.

The bike also had a new fork on it. It was low gloss black with silver decals. This looked horrible on a high gloss yellow/black frame. I had the original fork put back on. Poorly matched yellow looks better than wrong color and gloss. Hard to believe that Cannondale has nothing else in inventory.


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## alexp247365 (Dec 29, 2009)

my 2010 super six has some creaking issues as well. I suspect that the bearings need to be regreased, as it was the bike i used on the trainer over winter (sweat.)


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## -dustin (Jan 11, 2009)

The thin shims are to keep the cap from bottoming out on the top of the headtube, which is why the "headset" was binding. 

if carbon paste was used on the bearings/ inside the headtube, it'll start creaking again.


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## owengr (Jun 30, 2010)

*Fixed for now*

Put 50 miles on the bike this morning over Michigan roads comparable to the Paris-Roubaix. Not a single creak. Bearings are brand new and the cups were completely cleaned up. No carbon paste will be allowed to touch them again. With the old headset, the cap was not bottoming out...that I could see. I could always see a small gap between the frame and cap. The difference seems to be the outside diameter of the top bearing and the way it settles into the headset cup. It fits fairly snugly now.

I rode about 100 miles with the headset creaking horribly. Hopefully the frame has not been compromised. Cannondale did not think so and they told me I could ride it while waiting for the shims, headset and fork. I put the original off color yellow fork back on. The low gloss black fork with silver graphics solved the problem by creating a bigger one. I don't think Cannondale really understood my complaint.

I am sorry to sound like a whiner. The bike is excellent.


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