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Bit of tech help please
Those with decent memories might remember I got my dad a Carrera TDF on sale, etc. He swapped the stock stem for a slightly shorter one from a bargain prolight deal from crc.
Anyway I fitted the stem with him and there was abit bit a headset play when rocking the bike as the new stem wasn't quite as think as the old one. We added a thin washer as a spacer and that was enough to eliminate the play.
However, when he stands to ride uphill or similar there is a slight creaking from the headset - a thicker spacer will cue this perhaps?
Any other ideas in case I am missing the obvious? (saying the bike is from Halfords doesn't count 
)
TIA.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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8 comments
Re my suggestion above (for what it's worth), I should have said that the creaking was from the swivel adjustment surfaces between the stem and the headset, the single bolt that is loosened to alter the angle of the stem. Tightening this further cured the creak resulting from stressing the bars.
When I got a Subway 8 from Halford's I got that creaking from the stem clamp around the flat bars. Didn't have a torque wrench at the time but risked tightening up the four bolts further and testing it out until the creak went.
I may be old fashioned ( at 77 I am entitled to be), but Ihave found tht alloy components do have this tendency to creak under stress. Normally no problem, but a cure- at least it has been on my Bickerton folder- is to spray with a dry lub - silicon.
This cures the problem on at least a temporary basis.
Sian Charlton
they'll be the same carbon spacers as you'd get anywhere else, but in a halfords bag
I'd seen M-Part ones but they were £3.49 each. The halfords one seem a good price unless someone can point me in the direction of a better deal?
Should have asked - do you think they are any good?
They seem to be cheap enough but also cover a range of thicknesses.
Thanks Dave.
As it only came with 3 basic spacers my options were limited. I get this set to try (save a bit of weight too) for him:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_...
a thicker spacer is the first thing i'd try. i had a spacer that creaked once, never really worked out why but as soon as i swapped it out (with an identical one) the creak went away...