My Dawes of (im)Perfection.

Hi again Scilly! Hmm , I've gone into 'deep-thought' mode. One concern would be that the threaded top race wont be any use 'adjusting' the play in the bearings as the adjustable race thread area 'slips' here so I'd only be relying on the Lock to do it wouldn't I?

'slips'

Up and down the steerer?

Either way, it sounds like new fork time (again)!

You could measure-up and source (and then fit) a new headset with a greater stack height (as suggested in AQA), which would move the adjustable race and locknut further up the steerer.

But the variation in stack heights isn't that great, so it's not certain you'd find a new HS with enough of a difference. I'd also guess that the stack on your current HS is pretty tall: it's more expensive HS that tend to have a low stack.

Or you could fit a new fork.

Yes, you'd need to swap the crown race, but you'd have to do that with a new HS. And suitable forks can be had for the price of a HS.

I might have a suitable fork, how much steerer do you need? It's red, so expect at least a 13.452% increase in top speed.

Go thread less, cross check fork in 1" if a-t-c is similar.

Up and down the steerer?

Yups, the thread where the adjustable race sits is the 'poor thread qaulity' area so just as I start to nip the adjustable race up to remove 'play' in the headset..... "plink"... the adjustable race jumps out of the thread and the refuses to behave correctly (I wagged my finger and had words but it still insists on requiring proper thread to perform adequately).

Uber-meh.

However, working with your (and others from AQA) idea of spacers to get the lock nut onto the nice man-sized portion of thread... I do believe I have an old HS in my 'oooo.... that might come in handy one day' box of tatt. I'll experiment over the weekend report either success or my imminent demise.

Ta again as always for the guidance Scilly.

Damn. If I was still in UK I would have done this for you. I understand what happened with your mechanic. It is avoidable but not easily in a bike shop setting. I got a set of ebay forks for my Rossin on which the steerer was too short. Woodrup took the old one out and brazed in a new longer one. nice job and it wasn't expensive and now I have a complete Rossin with Rossin fork.

I might have a suitable fork, how much steerer do you need?

approx 135mm with maybe 35-40mm of (proper-grown-up) thread if poss.
Oooo! Ta for the offer Mr Rack, before taking you up on it I'll see how I get on with my patented 'cunning idea plan only partially doomed to failure' this weekend.

Does the 13.452% speed increase apply to both wheels? I hate it when one wheel over takes the other going down the shops, small children eating Ice Creams point n laff and newlyweds shake their heads....!

Thank you very much for the offer though.

Go thread less, cross check fork in 1" if a-t-c is similar.

I'm only partially confused Ed!, whats 'a-t-c', I'm still learning here.

whats 'a-t-c'

Axle-to-crown: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/forklengths.htm

In that case, I don't think spacers will work.

Keeping the HS correctly adjusted relies on holding the race in position and tightening the locknut against it: if the race slips you won't be able to do this.

If you have another HS already, you may get away with just swapping the top parts (upper frame cup, adjustable race and locknut).

Sentimental value aside, I think I'd be looking for a new frame set at this point.

Bikefix managed to fuck up extending the threading on a fork steerer? Jesus wept, I can do that without buggering it up at home.

Yups, the race slips, triple-meh! I've got Saturday afternoon lined up to play with it (and the HS, sniggers), I'll see if cunning plan Mk3 will work before going down the route of getting another pair of forks.

Ta for the continued advice and help BTW everyone. It does help keep morale up down the shed :)

Sentimental value aside, I think I'd be looking for a new frame set at this point.

The economist in me agrees but its over ridden by the idiot/sentimental/creative fix/not-giving-in-yet-sheer-bluddy-mindedness foole in me.

I know it's a pants bike really but its the one I luv the mostestest. I've dun/did a lotta learning on this one.

Aaah, "axle to crown", I'll measure and report back this weekend Ed.

The idea of using spacers to catch 'good' thread got me a-thinking. I've done this->

I've very carefully removed the rubbery/plastic seal around the top of a threaded lock nut from an old HS and filed down the boss so its now just a large nut. That sits perfectly on the good part of the thread and pushes against the adjustable race which 'floats' over the duff thread portion to set bearing play. Usual tabbed lock washer then lock nut on top that locks off the whole caboodle and stops it from all undoing (so far).

Ugly-Bug Aldous now looks like this....

I'll take it for a 40+mile 'shakedown' ride today round that-there-Lundun and if it all stays together I'll treat the forks to some paint.

Success? We'll see.

I think this is all kinds of success already ;)

Lovely thread.

^^^Awwww! Ta very much.

I did 47 fixed miles on it today, perfik, no problems at all.

I'll treat the forks to some black paint but leave a bit of chrome showing for a hint of saucyness. I'm sure to be fixie=famous soon no doubt.....hahahahahaha.

Good work! Ingenuity is a cyclist's greatest asset.

You know how to check it's correctly adjusted?

Apply the front brake with one hand and wrap the other around the top of the head tube, race and locknut then rock the bike backwards and forwards: if there's any play, you'll feel it.

I find the best way is to sit on the top tube (a la Froome), apply the front brake and then rock the bike backwards and forwards. If there's any play in the headset you'll soon feel it.

Ta Gents, aye, turned out nice again in't it.

I check for play in the Headset by applying the front brake whilst sitting on the saddle eating a tub of popcorn with my ear positioned very close to the adjustable race. If I can hear any soliloquies or over-enunciated dialogue I know there's a play going on in my headset............

ARF! See what I did there?

Dun it, phwoooooooaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr! Control yerselves :-)

Looks perfect

A small addition to the bike, one of the delightful kids (BatFace) and her fella bought me a lovely hand made cycle bell for my Christmas pressie, solid brass dome, lovely loud ring to it, stainless steel fittings...nice..

..."we had it engraved for you with your name on too.....see....." she said...

Them pesky kids!