* * Chas wrote:
> "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>>>In recycle bins that haven't been emptied in a very long time?
>
> Seriously,
>
>>>>what's the need for one, other than to try and restore an old bike?
>
> And
>
>>>>even
>>>>then, I'd question the choice, because finding a decent bar is going
>
> to
>
>>>>be
>>>>just as difficult, and most of the Cinelli bars were "creakers."
>>>
>>>Over the years, I've had Cinelli 66/44 bars and Cinelli stems ( a 1A
>>>and three XAs) on four different bikes and lotsa miles. No creaking,
>>>ever.
>>
>>Our experiences differ. Only towards the end of the "classic" bar's
>>production did we see the creaking issue disappear. The glued sleeve was
>
> the
>
>>issue; I switched to 3TTT bars myself (which had a formed middle section
>>instead of a sleeve). We sold one heck of a lot of those bars over the
>
> years
>
>>(not too many alternatives back in the day, aside from 3TTT and, if you
>>wanted to take your life literally in your hands, Belleri), and it
>
> certainly
>
>>would have made my life easier if so many hadn't been creaky.
>>
>>--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
>>www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>>
>>
>
>
> I've always loved the look of the 1A stems, copied but not equaled. I
> never cared for Cinelli bars because of the drops and shapes but I agree
> on the 3TTT bars.
>
> I put together a vintage 'Nag this past summer with a NOS 1A stem. It
> creaks a little in the steering tube when I take off hard from a stop
> light. Need to check it out.
I found a major source of Cinelli creaks is rubbing between the front of
the stem quill and the headset lockring. I think this is an issue
particularly because of the Cinelli expander wedge design - not an issue
with the diagonal-cut wedge on cheaper Japanese stems (and some modern
Italian stems), but I could be wrong about this. One strong hint was the
markings the lockring were putting on the stem quill.
After years of using a bit of teflon tape at that interface (which
eventually wears through) I think I've found a solution:
Cut a 2cm x 1cm rectangle out of a slightly heavy plastic bag. The
medium-heavy ziplock bags that parts sometimes come it are about right.
Slip between the front of the stem quill and the headset lockring.
The plastic stops the metal-on-metal rub, and is well away from the
expanding part of the stem so it doesn't degrade the grip on the steerer
tube. The bit of plastic that sticks out is virtually invisible, too.
This has made the difference between a setup that squeaked under even a
stern look to a squeak-free interface even when pulling hard on the bars.
Mark J.