Ride with a loose headset: risk of some dangerous?

[calpartz]

Hi,

I rode some km (maybe 10-15) with a loose headset / with a play in the headset which I now fixed correctly.

Now, I have fear that I damaged in this way something, for example: the carbon-fork or the headtube because of the play.

What do you think about this? Do I have now to change the carbon-fork with a new one?

​​​​​​​Thank you and sorry for my english.

[TobinHatesYou]

No way for me to know for sure, but unless the whole steerer/headset assembly was super loose, the amount of travel and vibration was unlikely to cause significant damage in the distance covered.

[calpartz]

No way for me to know for sure, but unless the whole steerer/headset assembly was super loose, the amount of travel and vibration was unlikely to cause significant damage in the distance covered.

Thank you for this reply – which helps me.

The headset was just a very little loose in direction front/back. For this reason I did not noticed it before.

[calpartz]

Other opinions? Then Canyon would have to receive the bike back, what I wouldn't since there is no other same models to buy ...

[NiFTY]

Just have a quick squizz at the fork. Unlikely to be an issue,

[mattr]

Unless it's very loose and you've been doing huge jumps to flat the absolute worst case scenario is that you might possibly need a new bottom bearing.
If it's massively loose, how the hell didn't you notice as soon as you touched the bike. and adjust it?

I doubt canyon will be interested, IIRC checking headset adjustment is part of the normal pre ride/assembly check.

[calpartz]

Just have a quick squizz at the fork. Unlikely to be an issue,

It seems to me ok!

Unless it's very loose and you've been doing huge jumps to flat the absolute worst case scenario is that you might possibly need a new bottom bearing.
If it's massively loose, how the hell didn't you notice as soon as you touched the bike. and adjust it?

I doubt canyon will be interested, IIRC checking headset adjustment is part of the normal pre ride/assembly check.

It was not so loose, that's because I did not noticed it before.

So, you mean that in the "absolute worst case", namely in the case that the headseat has much play / was very loose the carbon-fork frame would not have been damaged, right?

[mattr]

If you were able to get on the bike and ride it without being scared for your very life by the amount of play in the headset, it'll be fine.

[kode54]

if anything...bearing would take the grunt of damage. but i doubt it from what you're saying. are the bearings still smooth?

[jfranci3]

It's note great as you can damage the side of your headtube or put a score on your fork. As it gets loose, it'll feel notchy.
If goes full loose (lets say you break a spacer), I don't think it'll bind, as it doesn't have enough room. I think the worst cases are scoring your fork stem (which could eventually break, but I doubt it), breaking spacers, you hammer the bottom bearing into the fork, and destroying your bearings.

[mattr]

Yeah. But it'd have to really loose for that. As in all but unusable.
A little bit of wobble isn't going to do that unless you run it for months or are using it as a trail/dh bike

[bm0p700f]

If you could ride the bike then you would not have damaged anything. Very loose headset means the bike is unrideable. You simply wont make it round a bend. I have had steerer/stem combinations that have refused to be without play and no damage has ever occurred. My single speed MTB always has a small amount of headset play so that fork is going in the bin but again no issues. If a carbon steerer headset bearings on an MTB that is ridden fast off road can survive I don't think your steerer is going to be under too much stress.

[calpartz]

Hi,

thank you everyone for the reply. This helps me much!

Anyway, I forgot to say that the headset is *without* fork crown race (https://imgur.com/a/RvcH4Bq): is this a relevant information for to answer my question? Is the answer the same?

[mattr]

Yes

[calpartz]

Yes

Thank you again. Now I can ride the bike without be worried!

Have a nice weekend.