Sounds like you need to have the preload adjusted on your headset. Pull your front brakes lever and rock the bike back and forth, with your hand around the headset and rock bike forward and aft. Do you feel some movement? Adjust yourself or take to the lbs and they will take care of it for a nominal fee, shouldn’t be more than $10-15.
Knocking sound in headset when front brake is applied and rocked back and forth, any ideas what’s causing it,
I seem to be having some sort of issue with a very very slight knocking/clicking sound in the headset when I apply the front brake and move the bike forward and back. The sound disappears when I turn the bars 90 degrees. This is a new to me v1 sentinel frame but the exact same thing happened on my old polygon frame. What doesn’t make sense to me is this is a brand new headset! I’m starting to think the fork must be the issue here. I’ve removed the front wheel and put on the ground to try to recreate the the play but there is nothing there. Same thing with dropping the fork and banging it up and down, it’s as solid as a rock. I just notice when i bang the front wheel up and down with my bars it seems to make a severe rattle, none of my friends bikes do this either.
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Headset loose. Loosen stem bolts, tighten star nut
Check to see the lower bearing isn't upside down, did that to myself a while back 
Are you sure its not the usual slight movement of your brake pads ?The sound disappears when I turn the bars 90 degrees
Unfortunately, creaking and loose fork crowns in the steerer are a thing now, since forks have gotten so long (29er forks especially). The tapered 1.5 steerer is an attempt to fix this, but it's more of a band-aid than a real fix, as the leverage really wins out in the end unless you go to a dual crown fork. This is a continual problem for some of us. Some other ideas though, I've had the pinned rotors on hope-look-alike rotors get loose. That was driving me nuts and I thought for sure it was the headset or fork crown.
what I can’t stand that I’ve been trying and trying to get is a “solid” feeling front end. I remember checking out some yetis a while ago and just tapping the front wheel up and down and it was solid as a rock. The wheel would drop down and that was it, no weird wobbles in the front wheel. All my bikes seem to have an ossilation/wobble for maybe half a second after I bang the front wheel on the ground and it’s just annoying, it shakes the whole frame. Surely this is affecting my ride quality.Unfortunately, creaking and loose fork crowns in the steerer are a thing now, since forks have gotten so long (29er forks especially). The tapered 1.5 steerer is an attempt to fix this, but it's more of a band-aid than a real fix, as the leverage really wins out in the end unless you go to a dual crown fork. This is a continual problem for some of us. Some other ideas though, I've had the pinned rotors on hope-look-alike rotors get loose. That was driving me nuts and I thought for sure it was the headset or fork crown.
Have you had a chance to try any of the advice here? Someone said loosen the stem bolts and tighten the star nut. That worked for me on my last bike.
And yeah, definitely uncomfortable riding anything less than a solid and stable front end. I don't think I'd wanna ride if it's wobbling like that ... Certainly not at a bike park.
And yeah, definitely uncomfortable riding anything less than a solid and stable front end. I don't think I'd wanna ride if it's wobbling like that ... Certainly not at a bike park.
Make sure you have enough space between topcap and steerer. Ad a small spacer if it's tight.
Turn your bars 90deg, apply front brake when checking headset play. Eliminates the brake rocking.
Update: re-read OP post, missed the 90 degree part... 😆
Turn your bars 90deg, apply front brake when checking headset play. Eliminates the brake rocking.
Update: re-read OP post, missed the 90 degree part... 😆
my stem is currently slammed all the way. But I will try putting some spacers under the stem see if that changes anything. Everything is done up tight and the bikes front is solid as when I turn the bars 90degrees and rock.Make sure you have enough space between topcap and steerer. Ad a small spacer if it's tight.
Turn your bars 90deg, apply front brake when checking headset play. Eliminates the brake rocking.
Shimano brakes? To me this really sounds like the pads moving in the calipers. If it was a loose headset, it wouldn't go away when you turn the bars 90 degrees.
yeah shimano mt420 so pretty low rangeShimano brakes? To me this really sounds like the pads moving in the calipers. If it was a loose headset, it wouldn't go away when you turn the bars 90 degrees.
I had that on the fancy XTs I had on my last bike. It made me nuts when I was in the parking lot tinkering with the bike- but I promptly forgot about it when I was on the trail. I've read about solutions involving putting some specialized kind of tape or something on the back of your pads. But, assuming it's the same issue I don't think it's really a big deal or worth faffing around with.yeah shimano mt420 so pretty low range
Im not sure how the brakes would cause the wheel to shake when I drop the front wheel on the ground though?All my friends bikes are solid as a rock when I do thatI had that on the fancy XTs I had on my last bike. It made me nuts when I was in the parking lot tinkering with the bike- but I promptly forgot about it when I was on the trail. I've read about solutions involving putting some specialized kind of tape or something on the back of your pads. But, assuming it's the same issue I don't think it's really a big deal or worth faffing around with.
Oh, that sounds like make a different issue then. Does it shake if you drop it up and down without holding the brake?
no funnily enough it’s solid holding the brake in and dropping it. Not holding it is when it shakes and osilatesOh, that sounds like make a different issue then. Does it shake if you drop it up and down without holding the brake?
Well I'm stumped. Sounds like it's time for a brand new sentinel.
My gut still says that it's the brakes. You've probably checked if the rotors and calipers are tight, but I guess you'd have to have something really loose there to notice it if you dropped the front wheel.
My gut still says that it's the brakes. You've probably checked if the rotors and calipers are tight, but I guess you'd have to have something really loose there to notice it if you dropped the front wheel.
Stanchion bushing play? It could be less evident at 90* but felt when both legs were facing forward. Hold your front brake and instead of checking for headset play, hold one fork stanchion right at the seal and rock the bike forwards/back while trying not to push down on the fork travel. If you feel movement that's not the fork pushing down, that could be it. I've had it happen on a couple of forks and it happens both to used forks or almost new ones too (bad manufacturing tolerances). Try both sides, sometimes there is play on only one side.
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