Handlebars not staying correctly in position
- Thread starter Mooruk
- Start date
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Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
You need the stem much further down into the steerer - you can see the paint rubbed off, that's not far enough in.
Is this what you meant?
Attachments
Tried putting it much further down the last time I reassembled it.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
You can see the minimum insertion point on this image. It says "MAX ↑ " with a line above it. When the stem is inserted into the fork this is the highest that the stem should be - this line should be level with, or below the top of the fork.
Thought as much. I guess my next question is: is it worth going to take it to someone baring in mind it cost me nothing.....? Or is it game over and better to get a new one? I'm only a warm weather cyclist and so I'd probably only spend up to £250....
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
New bearings and a bit of grease and it should be good to go. This assumes that the thread on the long bolt is OK and the thread inside the wedge nut. Have you tried putting it all back together with the stem properly inserted and seeing if this works? Is the hex hole in the top of the long bolt OK? Can you get it properly tight?
Yes to all. I can get the hex tight, but then as I said before with a little excess force, (I guess equivalent to trying to open a particularly stubborn jamjar) I can still swivel the handlebars. I'm assuming this isn't ok?!
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
Is the stem and wedge bolt clean of grease? Is the large bolt lubricated (copperslip or grease)? You shouldn't really be able to move the bars without significant force. I wonder what the steerer tube of the fork looks like (the bit that goes inside the frame)? Is this possibly split or bulging?
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Your other option is a replacement stem, not expensive. SJS Cycles is an emporium of parts.
The stem and wedge look ok to me, my immediate concern is the fork, if you drop it out of the frame and inspect it, are there any cracks or other damage where the stem would be?
The next step would be to reassemble the stem and make sure that you can fully tighten the wedge when it's out. If in doubt a new stem will be under £20, check eBay.
Once you have it working the bike should be good to go, no need to rush out and buy a new one, in the current climate you wouldn't get great value for money on the second hand market and stock of new bikes is apparently very low.
The next step would be to reassemble the stem and make sure that you can fully tighten the wedge when it's out. If in doubt a new stem will be under £20, check eBay.
Once you have it working the bike should be good to go, no need to rush out and buy a new one, in the current climate you wouldn't get great value for money on the second hand market and stock of new bikes is apparently very low.
