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A customer in the shop yesterday said 'I just tighten it until it feels right' about his headset. What's your go-to method for setting preload?
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blair_lane6mo ago
That guy is onto something. All the torque wrenches and technical talk just overcomplicate a simple job. Your hands are the best tool you have, and that "feels right" moment is real experience talking. If it spins smooth with no play, you nailed it. Why waste time and money on extra gear when the proof is in the ride?
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henrygrant6mo ago
My old Schwinn ten-speed taught me the same thing, blair_lane. I must have adjusted those cup and cone bearings a dozen times by feel before I got it just right. The manual said something like 20 inch-pounds, but my hands learned what "no play, spins free" actually feels like. Now I only grab the torque wrench for carbon parts or when a friend really insists. That smooth ride home after you get it right is better than any number on a gauge.
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angela3786mo ago
Honestly, that "feels right" method is a fast track to wrecking your bearings. Tbh, even @henrygrant's hands can't match a torque wrench for getting the same perfect load every single time. You skip the proper tools and you're just guessing, which costs more in repairs later.
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