This has never happened to me in all the travel with bikes. It seems that on the new P3 the bottom bearing is not the sealed type. In putting thr front end back together post air shipping, I may have started to tighten the headset bolt while the bearing was at an angle, at least it was not properly seated. So then I retried again only to find that the race holding the bearings was bent and several ball bearings had popped out. I did manage to straighten it out by hand but now the race is missing several bearings. I was able to tighten the headset in place, but it is missing a bunch of those bearings. While it seems to work I would guess the thing will end upp being pitted in a few rides. I am going to search around the village in Whistler for a replacement, but any risk of a catastrophic failure? If anyone is handy mechanically, what size/type replacement should I get?
If anyone knows of a Cervelo dealer near Whistler or who may be at expo, let me know. I know dumb mistake tightening without everything well seated…
cervelo dealer will be speed theory in vancouver. contact them, many of the staff will be at the race. I m coming on friday morning and if you are still in trouble, i do have a New p3 and we could take the bearing from it and fix you for the race. Just contact me tomorrow night if you arent sort out.
but call speed theory…they might be able to work something out tomorrow for you
Jonnyo, thanks. I took it for a spin around the block and everything is secure. In theory there is some redundancy with the number of ball bearings, but still don’t want the headset freezing up on me when I have to turn at 70 kph. Do you know the steerer tube diameter (I think they are 1 1/4 inch)? Worst case maybe one of the loocal mountain bike stores can give me a race that mates into the Cervelo set up?
Saw this on Facebook:
Sean HarwinIronman Canada
30 mins · Issaquah, WA ·
FREE Bike Services!!! Hey everyone, Just like I did last year I will be offering free mechanical services to anyone that needs it. This is a chance to make sure your bike is that last thing you worry about on race day. I hope to be in the same place I was last year between the RBC Royal Bank and Village Gate Blvd, near the big stone guy (Ilanaaq). I will be there on Friday 7ish until I am no longer busy (5 or 6pm) and Saturday from 7ish until everyone has dropped their bikes off.
Last year I helped almost 40 bikes, several of those would not have made it to T2 in the condition they were brought to me in. I specialize in Time Trial and road bikes. I also have worked with many of our sports elite athletes (like Rinny and Tim O) and also love to work with the 16:59:59 age groupers!
Try La Bicicletta (in Vancouver http://labiciclettaproshop.com/) they are also a Cervelo dealer and are listed as an Ironman Canada sponsor. Check in the Ironman Village, they had a large “tent” set up last year.
Hi Dev,
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Chances are excellent you’ll have no problem racing on your damaged bearing.
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As part of the “Simply” aspect of the P-series “Simply Faster” mantra, your headset’s bearings are the most common headset bearing in all of modern cycling, 1 1/8". Available from too many vendors in too many models to list. Cane Creek, FSA, etc. etc.
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Random photos from the web:
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Only danger is you might find a Campy standard bearing (45 x 45 degrees), but that’s not likely; they’re not too common.
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Good luck, relax and “have a great time” in Whistler!
Cheers,
Thanks Damon, I will look for some at the expo or at the village in Whistler where there are a zillion Mountain bike stores. Do most mountain bikes use the same, or just road? It’s been 20-25 years since I really did any mountain biking right on the transition from Quill stem to Aheadset.
Hi Dev,
-
Chances are excellent you’ll have no problem racing on your damaged bearing.
-
As part of the “Simply” aspect of the P-series “Simply Faster” mantra, your headset’s bearings are the most common headset bearing in all of modern cycling, 1 1/8". Available from too many vendors in too many models to list. Cane Creek, FSA, etc. etc.
-
Random photos from the web:
-
Only danger is you might find a Campy standard bearing (45 x 45 degrees), but that’s not likely; they’re not too common.
-
Good luck, relax and “have a great time” in Whistler!
Cheers,
So just to correct my previous statement, the actual bearings are sealed? But what I say was the bearing race and inside prt coming apart while the metal outer part was up inside the frame. Now everything is seated and mated back together with the compression of the middle headset bolt applying the force to pull the entire complex back together. But what I should normally see is the entire sealed bearing complex popping out, not just the race and inside part. Correct? Is there an easy way of popping out the metal part (outer part) if I find a replacement sealed bearing system?
Hi Dev,
Many (not all) MTBs also use this size. Tapered MTB headsets often will use this size for the top bearing, with a bigger bottom bearing (which has no effect on your choice). This upper size fits your P3 top or bottom, they’re the same and interchangeable.
Cheers,
The bearings are “sealed” in the sense that you’re not supposed to take the inner and outer races apart. The mis-aligned fork assembly after travel obviously damaged something, such that the inner race did separate from the outer, not as intended of course.
The outer race will slide out of the frame (there’s normally about 0.5 mm clearance so it should just fall out). Unless it’s jammed or bent badly. Then I’d suggest pulling it out with whatever you can find - small screwdriver? Spoke? needle nose pliers? The outer race isn’t that rigid, so one way or another it should come out.
Cheers,
The bearings are “sealed” in the sense that you’re not supposed to take the inner and outer races apart. The mis-aligned fork assembly after travel obviously damaged something, such that the inner race did separate from the outer, not as intended of course.
The outer race will slide out of the frame (there’s normally about 0.5 mm clearance so it should just fall out). Unless it’s jammed or bent badly. Then I’d suggest pulling it out with whatever you can find - small screwdriver? Spoke? needle nose pliers? The outer race isn’t that rigid, so one way or another it should come out.
Cheers,
Many thanks on all the mechanical inputs. If nothing else not only did you educate me but also have explained the community how easy this should all be. I have a feeling that I can just do this job on my own in my hotel room! I will report back if’/when successful. People can complain all they want about people whining and complaining on slowtwitch, but the community is there to support each other when we need it. Big thanks.
When I pack the bike, I remove the entire stem, and then put the spacers and top cap back on the steerer tube and screw it tight, but obviously the bearings are kind of loose so I have to set them back in place before re assembling and tightenging. First time this has ever happened.
Hi Dev,
Agreed, once you have a new bearing, it should just drop in. Hotel room is a perfectly good theatre for that operation. 
You’re right that normally, headset bearings find their own position naturally, but once in a great while (as just happened to you!) they get tilted just the wrong way and can get jammed or become bent. Your plan to wiggle them into place before tightening is all it takes to avoid that in the future.
I agree, I really love feeling part of a community as helpful as Slowtwitch. Glad I can contribute a bit now and then. Hope it all works out for your race!
Cheers,
this is when ST needs a “like” button! well done Jonnyo!
this is when ST needs a “like” button! well done Jonnyo!
Yes, totally agree. I think pretty well at every IM race there is some thread started by someone in some type of a panic related to equipment, travel, logistics, mess ups. Invariably as a collective we rise to get our athletes to the start line. This time it is my turn to be “that guy in a panic”. Last IM I was at, Joel Maley arrived in Texas with no wetsuit. I saw that in a thread, and since I had not left home, I threw in an extra wetsuit that Brandon Marsh had given me (never fit my neck well) the previous year at IM Tremblant for linking him up wtih my buddy who had a massive ski chalet that could hold 20ish people (somewhere on another thread, I had seen Brandon looking for something cheap at Tremblant). Joel ended up with a free wet and a Kona Qual.
Thanks for posting the pictures. I showed the picture at one of the stores at the expo and he saw it was a 36x45. Got the bearing, came back to the hotel and it was a 5 min “surgery” to get the old outer out (used a fork froom the hotel to push it from the top of the frame hole, then place the new one on the steerer tube, PROPERLY SEAT EVERYTHING and tighten. Will post pictures later.
Jonnyo, thanks for the offer. I am set now assuming the test ride goes OK (it should). I may travel with an extra backup bearing in my bike case “just in case”.
Agree with your above post, and I was in this situation earlier this year, and put out the call here for help. Everything turned out OK, but i had options as a result. Despite what people say about ST (some… most?.. of it true :)) it can be a really good community
Good luck racing Whistler! I absolutely love that course.
Thanks for the update!
Have fun racing.
Dev… happy you did figure out a solution. I have to lift my hat to cervelo for this…they made the p3 very simple and easy to work on…even in a remote area with non technical bike shop, you can take care of most issue on this bike.
I think the last ‘‘poor’’ aspect of the p3 is the BB right/BB30. The p3 is a big improvement on the p5 but i still dont think the complexity of those BB is worth any marginal advantage over the normal shimano cup bb. But i understand they need to push some ‘‘technology’’ over this. But as i get holder with family, baby etc…i dont have time to service bike…i want simple, functional, and ease to find part at any bad bike shop. BBright dosnt qualify in this aspect.
Hope to see you this weekend!!! where are you staying??? should be a awesome weekend!!!
this is when ST needs a “like” button! well done Jonnyo!
LIke!
I have always appreciated and enjoyed Damon’s advice and comments.
Good luck DP this weekend.
ST is just like any other dysFUNctional family, argue, bicker, fight, call each other names but when someone runs into trouble or needs help there are always a bunch of peeps who step up to the plate.