rh100
Well-Known Member
My hybrid was making increasingly alarming noises coming from the handlebar area.
Every time I pedalled it made a really loud creak. Apart from being a bit paranoid the handlebars were about to snap (after seeing that utube vid in the Commuting section a while back), it was embarrassing going up the road with the bike sounding like an old jellopy.
So took the handlebars of the stem and inspected, couldn't see any cracks just the black paint looking a bit rough.
So then I stripped the adjustable stem which has two bolts holding the handlebar clamp, a large bolt and socket type affair on the hinge of the stem and a bolt holding the toothed bit that goes underneath to lock the position of the stem. I wiped all down and greased all the surfaces that could potentially rub, along with the threads of the bolts. It seems to have worked as the creak has stopped. I also tightened up the cranks and saddle just in case.
Reading on the web, suggests that grease is good on bolts etc because it lowers friction and allows a tighter fix, is this right?
Every time I pedalled it made a really loud creak. Apart from being a bit paranoid the handlebars were about to snap (after seeing that utube vid in the Commuting section a while back), it was embarrassing going up the road with the bike sounding like an old jellopy.
So took the handlebars of the stem and inspected, couldn't see any cracks just the black paint looking a bit rough.
So then I stripped the adjustable stem which has two bolts holding the handlebar clamp, a large bolt and socket type affair on the hinge of the stem and a bolt holding the toothed bit that goes underneath to lock the position of the stem. I wiped all down and greased all the surfaces that could potentially rub, along with the threads of the bolts. It seems to have worked as the creak has stopped. I also tightened up the cranks and saddle just in case.
Reading on the web, suggests that grease is good on bolts etc because it lowers friction and allows a tighter fix, is this right?