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veLLo
Frame Prep, Task 1 - Fit Headset
I always like to fit a headset to a frame as soon as possible. I am clumsy by nature, and when the frame is not fixed to the fork, I fear I will damage one or the other.
As soon as I got the frame in the vice, I fitted the top and bottom headset cups, and bashed the crown race onto the fork.
Obviously, this is not the correct way to do it; the correct way being to measure the head tube, calculate the stack height of the headset, mark and cut the steerer tube accordingly, then fit cups and fork crown race and assemble.
I therefore had to fit everything up, measure the resulting 'gap' with some callipers, mark the steerer and cut. No biggie, but not the best start.
I cut the steerer tube without using a guide, and even if I do say so myself, I did a very good job of it - a lovely straight cut. Obviously I failed to take any pictures of this process, but you can just about make out the straightness of it all in this 'after' shot:
After cutting the steerer tube, assembling the headset is a fairly straightforward procedure, and I managed to get the engraving on the bottom cup fairly centred on the head tube:
All in all, took me about 20 minutes, and there we were, job done:
So far, everything is going rather swimmingly, until that is you think about what you're doing for a minute.
This is a frame built for cantilever brakes. Cantilever brakes require a cable hanger, and that cable hanger is traditional fitted under the top nut of the headset. Anyone with half a clue about what they were doing would have allowed for that BEFORE cutting the steerer tube.
It's not the end of the world. I might get away with it. Otherwise, there are a couple of work-around options. But it's a proper schoolboy error, and not the best of starts.
Still, no point crying over spilt milk.