I just found out that I’ve been riding my carbon steerer tubed QR fork with a star nut hammered into it. I’m still trying to trace back to who could have done the work but in any case, it is dangerous for me to ride this fork and I need a new one.
Do any of the experts have ideas on the aeroness of the QR fork (from an '07 Seduza), any ideas on more aero forks for that frame. I race on an 808 clincher FWIW.
Thanks, Ian
Dont worry about the Star Nut.
The wrench at my LBS basically said he couldn’t in good conscience let me ride it. Said it was a “matter of when not if it fails”…seemed a little alarmist to me but I really don’t know much about carbon fibre.
To be honest I’m not sure how long I’ve been riding it like this…could be 2 years as it isn’t something that I would notice personally (until now)
Your wrench is on commission. Some forks such as the AlphaQ and “Wolf” have paper thin sidewalls on the head tube. Most forks are not like this and do fine with a star nut. I have installed them a few times in carbon as they dont move. Some of the binder systems for the forks just plain suck and dont do a good job of putting tension on the bearings in the headset.
That was my issue to begin with, just couldn’t get the headset tight enough with the expander plug it was shipped with, I wonder if the previous wrench who installed the star-nut just wasn’t familiar with servicing CF steerers.
BTW, The wrench is also the shop owner and will sell me whatever fork I choose at wholesale so there is no issue with commission.
If I were you, I would go ride my bike. And certainly not worry about my fork star nut going all ninja on my steer tube.
I have a pretty simple rule about stuff like this: if failure leads to extensive dental work, I err on the side of caution. My dental insurance is good, and I can always use more painkillers, so I don’t know why I’m so uptight–but there you have it…
Did you know that the OE design with a Cannondale carbon steer fork is…yup, a star nut.
how thick is the steerer tube?
how thick is the steerer tube?
I cant answer that. I can say that the Time HFC that I have on one bike has a sidewall about three times thicker than that on the AlphaQ. My Reynolds Ouzo Pro, and Ouzo Aero. I would not hesitate to star washer one of my Reynolds, no freaking way on the AlphaQ. Also, the Look and Reynolds are sheet carbon wrap, the AlphaQ is multidirectional carbon.
+1…
carbon steerers scare me. maybe it’s silly, but i don’t have to worry about anyone overtightening a stem bolt or a torque value for the expander plug.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I also have an 07 Seduza, and the star nut comes stock on the bike.
The steer tube is fairly thick carbon, and I have never worried about it randomly failing on me.
As long as your steer tube isn’t excessively long, I wouldn’t worry about it at all.
But once the headset is preloaded, and the stem is fixed, you don’t even need the star nut or cap…
Sketchy stems (and over torquing of them) freak me out more than the star nut/headset. Its pretty easy to make sure there’s enough preload, and once you have that you should be all set. Have you ever had an issue with a stem loosening?
Want to have fun? Show up at a club ride with your top cap removed…
Yeah, I’m sure that people wouldn’t like it too much, but I’d be okay with that before lots of other things that people “let go”.
Not for nothing, but I freaking hate the compression nut/sleeve thing. I was just playing around with my seat height, so I lowered my bars as well, and I’m 99% sure that the compression sleeve was “loose” for at least a few months last season (because it wasn’t tight when I pulled my bars). Regardless, it was tight when I preloaded my headset, and I never had so much as a shake… Not sure who made the litespeed forks in -02/-03, but its pretty meaty.
You mean the one with the Look fork that had like sand paper on the sides? Not sure, would love to find one again. The ones with Reynolds suck, and the AlphaQ glue in shit is a PITA.