I post this with some hesitation as it's not weight related, but I thought I'd give it a shot. I recently purchased a 2003 Litespeed Siena (frame is new - never ridden). When installing the Cane Creek IS6 headset that came with the package, I noticed that the top cartridge bearing, although fully seated into the headtube, stays exposed by a couple or few millimeters. Has anyone heard or seen this before? It doesn't look safe, although there is absolutely no play in the headset. By the way, frame is an atrocious 1431 grams size small.

Thanks!

When you put the top bearing cover on top, and then the spacers etc, does it still stick out? As long as the bearing doesn't protrude at an angle, and does not come loose, it should be fine.

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No, I am not trying to sell you something.

just realized I'd posted an ebay listing in response to illustrate a similar situation - my bad.

anyway here is the picture 2005 I'm guessing Vortex with something odd going on with the headset.



I'm not a Litespeed expert, so cannot help really. I just know that they were trying various headset configurations at the time. This is not like in the catalogs for sure.

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dangerous curves ahead

Even after complete installation with the addition of the spacer (single 2mm provided) and the stem, the cartridge bearing rises above the head tube. Practically identical to what bikerjulio posted. It's so odd. I have to assume this was meant to work this way. What were they thinking?

Headset bearings often stand proud by one or two mm and this is deliberate. It is intended to ensure that the bearing is acting freely. If you imagine a bearing with no space (or in extremis one that actually is too small) then the bearing action is compromised by touching of the frame.

Anything more than this however (like the LS picture) looks wrong.