Previously, I was asked why I hadn't finished assembling my bike yet. I replied that the next "post" would be there to answer this more precisely. And that's what I'm going to do, starting with the headset.
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As you can see below, the photo shows the headset installed in the frame. Everything fits together correctly, there is no play, it's well designed and well manufactured.
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However, I have a few small criticisms to make about this headset kit. Firstly, the guide ring isn't angled enough. If you want to preserve your cables as best as possible, I advise applying a file to break this angle.
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Additionally, and this is a poor choice by LightCarbon because unfortunately the cable of the DCP245
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doesn't fit through the hole. So you have two solutions ; either cut the plastic to reduce the thickness of the connector (as I did) or cut the cable and resolder the copper wires...
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I can also tell you that the rubber grommet won't be very durable because it's too flexible...
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But then why do we have this type of headset ?
Simply "Current trends" dictate that this type of headset is found on our mountain bikes because, let's remember, it originated from road bikes. It has the advantage of providing a cable management that is the most streamlined and discreet and moreover, attractive. You can judge for yourself the difference between my LightCarbon LCE971 and My Frey AM1000 EX :
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But the downside is that it is known for having two major flaws, one being its difficult and tedious maintenance and the other is that it is an open door to all dirt (dust, sand, dirt...) which results in a more frequent maintenance interval (every 3 months minimum if you want to preserve your bearings as best as possible and depending on how often you ride in bad weather). Furthermore, many people use a "karcher" (high-pressure jet) to clean the bike, which exacerbates this problem as the pressure pushes the dirt inside.
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But we have the possibility to counter this problem, and that's where 3D printing comes in handy. I took the trouble to completely model the headset and thus create a TPU seal to act as a barrier against potential dirt that could infiltrate.
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TPU has the advantage of being very resistant and flexible. I took care to design the seal with 2 lips that come into contact with the outer cage of the bearing.
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The seal only comes into contact with the metal part of the bearing to avoid rubbing against the frame and prematurely wearing the paint.
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We can also see in the photo below that there is a small "dirt reservoir".
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So, in the best case, it will remain outside the bearing and reach a certain saturation (if you never maintain it). Dirt could pass through the bearing seal.
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Its effectiveness in real use will need to be judged, but from what I can visually assess, it seems very effective to me.
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And now we move on to the rear end of the bike.
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Here we can see the same problem as with the headset. There are openings for cable routing; the derailleur cable, the rear brake hose, and the speed sensor cable.
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We can also note that LightCarbon could have aligned the holes.
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Here too, it's an open invitation for dirt to embed itself in the rear end and around the motor.
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Personally, I can't see myself cleaning the inside of the rear triangle because it's filled with dirt and water or constantly disassembling my motor from the frame to clean it properly. It should be noted that carbon is known to be abrasive, so it's not a good idea for cables to rub against the frame.
To address this problem, TPU grommets were modeled and printed to seal these holes as best as possible and thus limit the accumulation of dirt while minimizing cable friction as much as possible.
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The grommets also have a minor advantage in that when you remove the shock from the frame, the rear triangle can no longer hit the frame and damage the paint.
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The seals come in several versions; with fins, with holes, or closed if, like me, you use a "wireless" derailleur (AXS).
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