Handlebars out of true

[stevie_b]

I've searched this site for my question but couldn't find an answer, so here goes...

I fell off my mountain bike this evening: nothing serious although I'm not sure how much I'll be able to move my knees tomorrow morning...

Anyway, my bike seems fine apart from 2 things:
1) the handlebars no longer align with the front fork: when the fork/wheel is facing dead ahead, the handlebars are in a "steering left by approx 20 degrees" position. How do I align them again? I'm a cycling newbie, but I believe I have a standard headset (not an Aheadset), and the forks are standard rigid ones, probably steel. Neither the fork nor wheel look buckled or bent, and the handlebars appear to be still attached to the stem correctly. Where the head tube meets the stem, there are 2 large nuts: do I need to undo one of these to get the stem and fork back into alignment?

2) One of the brake blocks on the front brakes no longer makes good contact with the rim: it meets the rim too far away from the tyre. It still technically works, but it pushes against the rim where the rim starts to taper off, but not quite extreme enough to get near the spokes. Having a quick look at the brakes, I couldn't see how to adjust them to get the pad to hit the rim further out. The brakes are cantilever Deore LX if that helps.

Any help/advice gratefully received!

 

[Joe24]

It appears you have wrote your bike off
if i were you, i would now go and buy a decent bike and go on a bike maintence course.

 

[Joe24]

Ill be nice though shall i?
To get the bars back in light, depending on the headset, if the stem is sort of like this then undo the top bolt, tap it then turn the bars to the correct angle, then re do up the top bolt.
If the stem is like this then undo the bolts either side of the stem, and turn the bars to the right angle then tighten back up the bolts.
Or, bodgy it, put the front wheel between your legs and force the bars back around.

For the brake, undo the brake block where it is attached to the brake. Should be an allen key or a normal bolt.
This will allow the brake block to slide up and down.
You then want to align the block to where it should be on the rim and tighten it up slighty, then pull the brake lever(one for that brake) and undo the bolt for the block, then tight it right up.

Sorted.
Pretty simple.

What bike do you have by the way?


What day is it today aswell? Feels like a friday or maybe a saturday

 

[dellzeqq]

my concern would be that you've stressed the handlebars. I'd strip off all the tape and run my finger along them in order to detect any untoward dents or bends

 

[stevie_b]

Thanks chaps. The brakes sound pretty simple so I'll try that first. There's no tape on my handlebars so I can easily inspect them for damage.

The bike is a Gitane fully rigid aluminium MTB, 24 speed with Deore LX groupo, circa 1998.

I'm not going to "bodgy" it: too risky IMO.

Joe, the stem looks more like the first one you linked to, although not as sexy as that one. My one looks very much like the one on this bike: http://www.bicyclechain.co.uk/productdetails.asp?productid=12905 (apologies, I can't seem to link to just the picture of the bike).

Edit: It appears I have a threaded headset.

 

[ASC1951]

I deliberately keep the headset slightly less than rock solid, so that when I do come off the energy is absorbed by twisting the bars and forks rather than bending the metal.

You shouldn't need to bodge your realignment. As Joe says, it is normally quite straightforward to do it properly; and you are unlikely to have bent any of the metal unless it was quite a serious off.

What does come with experience is telling when something is (a) actually damaged and ( damaged beyond safety.

 

[Mr Pig]

It appears you have wrote your bike off

This is known as the 'Halfords' answer.

 

[stevie_b]

To get the bars back in light, depending on the headset, if the stem is sort of like this then undo the top bolt, tap it then turn the bars to the correct angle, then re do up the top bolt.

So if I understand correctly, I need to prise off the plastic cap from the headset, undo the bolt underneath, tap it with a hammer to drop it down, twist the headset, then tighten the bolt back up.

I shouldn't need to touch either of the locknuts above/below the head tube, is that correct?

I don't understand the tapping bit, but hopefully it'll make more sense when I'm doing it. I've watched http://bicycletutor.com/overhaul-threaded-headset/ so (I think) I know what to do. Just seems weird giving it a tap to push it down: surely what goes down, must come up? But at no point does it say to fish the bolt back out of the hole you just tapped it into.

 

[andrew_s]

What the bolt in the top does is pull a wedge at the bottom end upwards.
If you just loosen the bolt, the wedge generally doesn't drop down of its own accord, on account of being wedged in. Giving the bolt a whack knocks it down and unjams things.

 

[Joe24]

This is known as the 'Halfords' answer.

And to replace your wrote off bike, we will give you a good deal on this

Perfect replacement

 

[stevie_b]

Thanks andrew.

Joe: that bike looks lovely. I think I'll buy 3 right now.

 

[mattsccm]

Whack it with wood or you might scratch the chrome on the bolt

 

[stevie_b]

Thanks mattsccm, I'll give that a go tonight.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Sheldon Brown is always helpful - see 'wedge bolt' http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_w.html

 

[Joe24]

Thanks mattsccm, I'll give that a go tonight.

You still havent done it? Jesus christ, what are you pissing about at?