OCR3 -- headstem

The removalists want the bike to have handlebars twisted around. The
parktools website doesn't appear to explain how to deal with the kind
of adjustable stem on the OCR3 -- just a single allen bolt at the top.
What's the adjustment procedure? Is it possible? Is it recommended?

For that matter, how do I get the stem off to replace the adjustable
stem with a non-adjustable one at a later date?

And for an old road bike, with allen bolt on top, and two hex nuts on
headset?

--
TimC
Tim flies like an arrow -- Donald Welsh on RHOD

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 02:30:31 +0000, TimC wrote:

> The removalists want the bike to have handlebars twisted around. The
> parktools website doesn't appear to explain how to deal with the kind
> of adjustable stem on the OCR3 -- just a single allen bolt at the top.
> What's the adjustment procedure? Is it possible? Is it recommended?

That's a little odd. Normally there's a top cap that's used for
pretensioning the bearings, then a clamp bolt or two on the side.
Conceivably the clamp could use a cam that also prevents adjusting the
stem, which means the adjuster could be underneath the stem, or even
accessed through the front (pull the bars off).

Looking at the picture at http://www.giant-bicycle.com/us/cata...&modelid=10875
(Not tinyurl-ing since TimC is about the only person who'll be
interested) it looks like that might sort of be the case. Loosen the one
on the side, which looks to be a 6mm allen key. The bars should then
turn. To remove the stem undo this bolt, undo the top cap, and pull it
off.

> And for an old road bike, with allen bolt on top, and two hex nuts on
> headset?

Loosen the allen bolt, maybe give it a tap with a mallet if it's stuck,
then twist. The two nuts hold the headset together, the stem has a wedge
internally that keeps it attached to the steerer.

--
Dave Hughes | dave@hired-goons.net
"One of the main causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was that,
lacking zero, they had no way to indicate successful termination of
their C programs." -- Robert Firth

"TimC" <tconnors@no.spam.accepted.here-astro.swin.edu.au> wrote in message
news:slrn-0.9.7.4-25919-22099-200609031159-tc@hexane.ssi.swin.edu.au...
> The removalists want the bike to have handlebars twisted around. The
> parktools website doesn't appear to explain how to deal with the kind
> of adjustable stem on the OCR3 -- just a single allen bolt at the top.
> What's the adjustment procedure? Is it possible? Is it recommended?
>
> For that matter, how do I get the stem off to replace the adjustable
> stem with a non-adjustable one at a later date?
>
> And for an old road bike, with allen bolt on top, and two hex nuts on
> headset?
>
> --
> TimC
> Tim flies like an arrow -- Donald Welsh on RHOD

*gets stem out of shed*

Loosen the bolt at the pivet point where the stem angle is adjustable.
That'll allow you to swivel the bars with respect to the forks. Just undo
every bolt to remove it without having to disturb the bartape. It'll come
off in three pieces which are ewasily re-assembled.

On 2006-09-03, Resound (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
> "TimC" <tconnors@no.spam.accepted.here-astro.swin.edu.au> wrote in message
> news:slrn-0.9.7.4-25919-22099-200609031159-tc@hexane.ssi.swin.edu.au...
>> The removalists want the bike to have handlebars twisted around. The
>> parktools website doesn't appear to explain how to deal with the kind
>> of adjustable stem on the OCR3 -- just a single allen bolt at the top.
>> What's the adjustment procedure? Is it possible? Is it recommended?
>>
>> For that matter, how do I get the stem off to replace the adjustable
>> stem with a non-adjustable one at a later date?
>>
>> And for an old road bike, with allen bolt on top, and two hex nuts on
>> headset?
>
> *gets stem out of shed*
>
> Loosen the bolt at the pivet point where the stem angle is adjustable.
> That'll allow you to swivel the bars with respect to the forks. Just undo
> every bolt to remove it without having to disturb the bartape. It'll come
> off in three pieces which are ewasily re-assembled.

Ta. A long time ago, a wise person advised me to get rid of the
adjustable stem as soon as possible -- they are almost, but not quite
as bad as suicide levers for stupidability.


I haven't done so yet. But I found out why, one night after a torture
session on the velodrome. Riding along, things seem to be rattling
more than usual. I work out it's the bloody stem. Brake *very*
gently, and work out the bolt in question has come loose. I have no
idea how the whole thing hadn't just collapsed on me. There must be
some splines or something that keep it from wobbling about until the
whole bolt is removed. I had visions of hincapie style
over-the-handlebar action happening.

--
TimC
Did you know that in German, Usenet bulletin boards are called
Gruppenareabrettecholistennetzs? - James "Kibo" Parry

In article
<slrn-0.9.7.4-25919-22099-200609031159-tc@hexane.ssi.swin.edu.au>,
TimC <tconnors@no.spam.accepted.here-astro.swin.edu.au> wrote:

> The parktools website doesn't appear to explain how to deal with the
> kind of adjustable stem on the OCR3 -- just a single allen bolt at
> the top.

That sounds like one of the quill versions. If so, just loosen the
single allen bolt on the top and twist.

--
Shane Stanley

>
> Ta. A long time ago, a wise person advised me to get rid of the
> adjustable stem as soon as possible -- they are almost, but not quite
> as bad as suicide levers for stupidability.
>
>
> I haven't done so yet. But I found out why, one night after a torture
> session on the velodrome. Riding along, things seem to be rattling
> more than usual. I work out it's the bloody stem. Brake *very*
> gently, and work out the bolt in question has come loose. I have no
> idea how the whole thing hadn't just collapsed on me. There must be
> some splines or something that keep it from wobbling about until the
> whole bolt is removed. I had visions of hincapie style
> over-the-handlebar action happening.
>
There are spines there. I got sweary at mine when I tried to adjust it
because I had to use an fairly silly amount of force to shift it. Still,
even if it did swivel, it wouldn't detach so you probably wouldn't go down
unless you were doing something demanding.