Headset servicing

ebarker9

Well-Known Member
My concern on this is mostly that it's something that has/will make its way to less expensive bikes, where customers aren't expecting to spend a significant fraction of the bike's value on a headset service. And there are at least a few that do this with mechanical shifting, which has to be horrendous for shift performance.

Because it seems like this is the inevitable way forward, I don't really know what the solution is, unless brake fittings change so that the barb/olive can be fed back through the bars/stem/guides or there are "hard lines" similar to how automotive brake lines run that connect in the head tube. Of course, both of those have large drawbacks as well.

Edit: I left out another obvious one. Brake by wire!
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
It all depends on what consumers buy. Right now hidden cables/hoses is what's hot on the streets. I don't care either way because it just costs whatever it costs and if you're riding a 10k+ bike it should be expected. Like changing a Battery in an R8 vs a Corolla. That performance advantage comes with a price tag.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Brake by wire!

wired/wireless braking would change things quite a bit.
Feel could be programmed.
Shape of brake levers (if there are levers) would change drastically.
failure mode would be like an air brake system? they are locked up unless they are working?

There are hydraulic fittings which do not allow air into the system. common on skidsteer
maybe @Santapez might have more info?
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
wired/wireless braking would change things quite a bit.
Feel could be programmed.
Shape of brake levers (if there are levers) would change drastically.
failure mode would be like an air brake system? they are locked up unless they are working?

There are hydraulic fittings which do not allow air into the system. common on skidsteer
maybe @Santapez might have more info?
Did you not watch Ford vs Ferrari? It's how the GT-40 had new brakes at every pit stop.

Brake by wire scares me on any consumer product. I don't have batteries on my derailleur, I'm sure not putting them on my calipers.

I'm annoyed my new bike has the hydraulic brake line inside the frame, I would prefer the outside.
 

ebarker9

Well-Known Member
There are these:

 

mwlikesbikes

Well-Known Member
I'm annoyed my new bike has the hydraulic brake line inside the frame, I would prefer the outside.
That’s another thing I can’t stand is internal routing and one piece continuous shifter cable housing.
I don’t think I can even buy a new bike with cable stops on it anymore without going full custom.
 

mwlikesbikes

Well-Known Member
It looks like the results on the poll in the Pinkbike article supports my opinion.
IMG_4804.jpeg
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
There are these:


hmm - 10mm wide - would have to live up in the stem?


Did you not watch Ford vs Ferrari? It's how the GT-40 had new brakes at every pit stop.

i probably fell asleep for a bit. ;)
 

jShort

2018 Fantasy Football Toilet Bowl Lead Technician
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Unfortunately this is the future. Internally routed hoses aren’t going anywhere. And headset routing will be the norm eventually. SRAMs new brakes are made just to support this new, cleaner look.

It’s only a matter of time before all brake hoses are routed into the handlebars right at the lever, and then through the whole bike. Have fun with that!

IMG_0051.jpeg
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
That’s another thing I can’t stand is internal routing and one piece continuous shifter cable housing.
I don’t think I can even buy a new bike with cable stops on it anymore without going full custom.
My older Tallboy does it the best. Brakes on the outside, shifters & dropper on the inside. I don't have a downside to full-length housing for the shifting or dropper. I don't need cables exposed on the outside of my frame with the mud and gunk.

Unfortunately this is the future. Internally routed hoses aren’t going anywhere. And headset routing will be the norm eventually. SRAMs new brakes are made just to support this new, cleaner look.

It’s only a matter of time before all brake hoses are routed into the handlebars right at the lever, and then through the whole bike. Have fun with that!
Maybe. Maybe not. I can't see how it's cheaper to manufacture, and people on regular bikes will balk at it. I know I will not buy a mountain bike that has the routing through the headset. Probably will see it more on $$$ road and tri bikes. And probably E-Bikes...

The SRAM brakes however probably work well even without hiding the cables. While I don't like the machining design that matches the new AXS rear derailleur, that cable routing is much nicer especially for the front brake.
 

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
There are hydraulic fittings which do not allow air into the system. common on skidsteer
maybe @Santapez might have more info?

SRAM actually uses these unions on their road brake levers/Reverb connection at the post. They work fine, but are expensive. There's literally no reason they can't move a couple of these just inside the frame openings, other than, "not our problem".
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
15 years ago, this is what people said about disc brakes.
That was just @mattybfat :)

That being said, if it was refined with some sort of nice fitting it may not be so bad, but the current setup is not nice to work on. In thinking about this and the comments on replacing headsets in the other thread, if you could pop the whole handlebar off with shifter/brake disconnects then headset/fork service would be easier than it is now.

I guess I should say "I won't buy a bike with this setup as it stands now".
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
This is really kinda amazing tech.
it is easy enough to picture the front runs down one of the fork legs.
how do they keep the steerer from rubbing through the hose where the rear goes into the downtube?

even if it could be disconnected/reconnected, and require a bleed, that would be better than what we are looking at
(disconnect, require bleed, require rerouting)
 

jShort

2018 Fantasy Football Toilet Bowl Lead Technician
Team MTBNJ Halter's
That was just @mattybfat :)

That being said, if it was refined with some sort of nice fitting it may not be so bad, but the current setup is not nice to work on. In thinking about this and the comments on replacing headsets in the other thread, if you could pop the whole handlebar off with shifter/brake disconnects then headset/fork service would be easier than it is now.

I guess I should say "I won't buy a bike with this setup as it stands now".
I actually agree. I am sure when when bikes all come with this, the connectors will be bleed free somehow. and there will be hose guides all through so it will be as easy as just feeding the cable into the frame and grabbing it out at the back.

And then all bikes without this will lose all value because they’ll be ugly AF.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Screenshot_20230418_060344.jpg

Coming soon. Probably my only complaint about this bike. Hence i went with brake upgrade just to get that put of the way. The xt drivetrain though will be coming off immediately and replaced but that shouldnt be an issue.
 
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extremedave

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
(Back to the original question) Depending on what I'm doing I've used an old fork to hold stem/bars etc in place while I service a fork or such. Kinda makes me wonder if there's a product on the market that would be easier. Heck a PVC tube in the right diameter with some sorta stop would be fine. Maybe the 3D print crowd could get on this? @shrpshtr325 ?
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
(Back to the original question) Depending on what I'm doing I've used an old fork to hold stem/bars etc in place while I service a fork or such. Kinda makes me wonder if there's a product on the market that would be easier. Heck a PVC tube in the right diameter with some sorta stop would be fine. Maybe the 3D print crowd could get on this? @shrpshtr325 ?

its something that would be fairly simple to make, but i think it would be easier to make with a trip to the hardware store than a 3d printer . . .
 
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