need help with handlebar misalignment

Boatman said:

I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and now
my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to the right
of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel between my knees
and force it back into position or must I loosen something
first and then retighten?

Are you really sure this is a question you need to ask?

--
Perre
"Don't really fell like flaming today, but just couldn't resist a discrete
one"

Per Elmsäter said:

Boatman said:

I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and now
my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to the
right of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel between my
knees and force it back into position or must I loosen
something first and then retighten?

Are you really sure this is a question you need to ask?

What do you mean? I wouldn't have asked the question here if
I didn't need some help!

Boatman

Boatman said:

I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and now
my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to the right
of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel between my knees
and force it back into position or must I loosen something
first and then retighten?

Sorry you got flamed on this, it's a perfectly reasonable
question...I don't know what that guy was thinking.

I'd say to try the brace-between-the-knees approach first,
this often works.

If it feels as if it's requiring excessive force, loosening
the stem is called for.

Your bike has a traditional wedge-type stem. You'll need a
6 mm Allen wrench to loosen the wedge bolt, which runs
down through the vertical part of the stem. (There's
probably a rubber cap hiding the bolt head, just pry it
off for access.)

Don't overtighten it when you're done, it is good for the
bars to be able to turn a bit when the bike falls, this can
reduce the chance of damaging them.

See also: sheldonbrown.comhandsupOpen ↗

Sheldon "Oooomph!" Brown +----------------------------------------------------
---------+
| If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough! |
| --BOB Simon |
+-----------------------------------------------------------
--+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find
parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Sheldon Brown said:

Boatman said:

I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and now
my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to the
right of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel between my
knees and force it back into position or must I loosen
something first and then retighten?

Sorry you got flamed on this, it's a perfectly reasonable
question...I don't know what that guy was thinking.

I'd say to try the brace-between-the-knees approach first,
this often works.

If it feels as if it's requiring excessive force,
loosening the stem is called for.

Your bike has a traditional wedge-type stem. You'll need a
6 mm Allen wrench to loosen the wedge bolt, which runs
down through the vertical part of the stem. (There's
probably a rubber cap hiding the bolt head, just pry it
off for access.)

Don't overtighten it when you're done, it is good for the
bars to be able to turn a bit when the bike falls, this
can reduce the chance of damaging them.

See also: sheldonbrown.comhandsupOpen ↗

Sheldon "Oooomph!" Brown +------------------------------------------------------
-------+

Thanks, Sheldon, for your advice. It was just what I was
looking for!

Boatman

Sheldon Brown said:

Boatman said:

I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and now
my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to the
right of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel between my
knees and force it back into position or must I loosen
something first and then retighten?

Sorry you got flamed on this, it's a perfectly reasonable
question...I

Why are you sorry?

Quoted message said:

don't know what that guy was thinking.

Of course you know what this guy was thinking. I thought it
was such a basic question that if he'd stop to think just a
little bit first he'd figure it all out himself, no matter
how untechnical he was.

--
Perre
"Everybody has his superiority feeling days you know"

Sheldon Brown ([email hidden]) wrote:
: Boatman wrote:

: > I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and
: > now my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to the
: > right of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel between
: > my knees and force it back into position or must I
: > loosen something first and then retighten?

: Sorry you got flamed on this, it's a perfectly reasonable
: question...I don't know what that guy was thinking.

: I'd say to try the brace-between-the-knees approach first,
: this often works.

: If it feels as if it's requiring excessive force,
: loosening the stem is called for.

: Your bike has a traditional wedge-type stem. You'll need a
: 6 mm Allen wrench to loosen the wedge bolt, which runs
: down through the vertical part of the stem. (There's
: probably a rubber cap hiding the bolt head, just pry it
: off for access.)

Hi Sheldon,

OK, I'm curious - I would've said "then whack the bolt with
a mallet to free the wedge". Is there some reason for not
doing this?

-Ken

: Don't overtighten it when you're done, it is good for the
: bars to be able to turn a bit when the bike falls, this
: can reduce the chance of damaging them.

: See also: sheldonbrown.comhandsupOpen ↗

: Sheldon "Oooomph!" Brown +------------------------------------------------------
: -------+
: | If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough!
: | | --BOB Simon |
: +---------------------------------------------------------
: ----+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
: 9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-
: find parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
: sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

OK, I'm curious - I would've said "then whack the bolt
with a mallet to free the wedge". Is there some reason for
not doing this?

-Ken

*Never* whack bearing races. It angers the gods.

There is another type of expander used on threaded stems
which is shaped like a cup with two opposing ridges. This
almost always needs whackage. However, the C40 has never
used this type, just the modern wedge-shaped one.

I said:

: Your bike has a traditional wedge-type stem. You'll need
: a 6 mm Allen wrench to loosen the wedge bolt, which runs
: down through the vertical part of the stem. (There's
: probably a rubber cap hiding the bolt head, just pry it
: off for access.)

Quoted message said:

: See also: sheldonbrown.comhandsupOpen ↗

Ken Ferschweiler said:

OK, I'm curious - I would've said "then whack the bolt
with a mallet to free the wedge". Is there some reason for
not doing this?

It is usually not necessary on wedge type stems. Back when
stems used a conical expander instead of a slanted wedge,
this was usually needed.

This issue is addressed in the Web link I provided.

Sheldon "Inertial Impact Alignment Instrument" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------
---------+
| I'll be traveling in France and England throughout the
| month | of June. I hope to remain online, but don't know
| what sort | of 'Net access I'll be able to get... |
+-----------------------------------------------------------
------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find
parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

I said:

: Your bike has a traditional wedge-type stem. You'll need
: a 6 mm Allen wrench to loosen the wedge bolt, which runs
: down through the vertical part of the stem. (There's
: probably a rubber cap hiding the bolt head, just pry it
: off for access.)

Quoted message said:

: See also: sheldonbrown.comhandsupOpen ↗

Ken Ferschweiler said:

OK, I'm curious - I would've said "then whack the bolt
with a mallet to free the wedge". Is there some reason for
not doing this?

It is usually not necessary on wedge type stems. Back when
stems used a conical expander instead of a slanted wedge,
this was usually needed.

This issue is addressed in the Web link I provided.

Sheldon "Inertial Impact Alignment Instrument" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------
---------+
| I'll be traveling in France and England throughout the
| month | of June. I hope to remain online, but don't know
| what sort | of 'Net access I'll be able to get... |
+-----------------------------------------------------------
------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find
parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

"Boatman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:yz0xc.54741$3x.8977@attbi_s54...

Quoted message said:

Sheldon Brown said:

Boatman said:

I dumped my Raleigh C40 yesterday during an event and
now my handlebars are pointing about 5-10 degrees to
the right of the wheel. Can I just brace the wheel
between my knees and force it back into position or
must I loosen something first and then retighten?

Sorry you got flamed on this, it's a perfectly
reasonable question...I don't know what that guy was
thinking.

I'd say to try the brace-between-the-knees approach
first, this often works.

If it feels as if it's requiring excessive force,
loosening the stem is called for.

Your bike has a traditional wedge-type stem. You'll need
a 6 mm Allen wrench to loosen the wedge bolt, which runs
down through the vertical part of the stem. (There's
probably a rubber cap hiding the bolt head, just pry it
off for access.)

Don't overtighten it when you're done, it is good for
the bars to be able to turn a bit when the bike falls,
this can reduce the chance of damaging them.

See also: sheldonbrown.comhandsupOpen ↗

Sheldon "Oooomph!" Brown +------------------------------------------------------
-------+

Thanks, Sheldon, for your advice. It was just what I was
looking for!

Boatman

I went down in a crit on Tues and re-aligned with my knees.
On Sat a rider's rear quick release caught a spoke on my
front wheel near the nipple and gouged my rim. I'm told the
look on my face was priceless as I quickly contemplated road
rash on top of road rash. Luckily, I didn't go down. The
wheel didn't even move that much, but the bars were out of
alignment again. I considered whether having the wedge
somewhat loose was a benefit here, but tightened it after
deciding that it shouldn't have moved so easily. Not sure of
the answer. Sheldon?

--Art

--On Monday, June 07, 2004 5:51 PM -0400 Sheldon Brown

Quoted message said:

Sheldon "Inertial Impact Alignment Instrument" Brown

You must mean a "convincing tool." For convincing things
that they should fit into a given location.

Or perhaps you mean the mobster of the tool chest. For
making offers that can't be refused.

Mike Mechanical Engineering 2006, Carnegie Mellon University
Remove nospam to reply.

Sheldon Brown said:

+---------------------------------------------------------
--------+
| I'll be traveling in France and England throughout
| the month | of June. I hope to remain online, but
| don't know what sort | of 'Net access I'll be able to
| get... |
+---------------------------------------------------------
--------+

Um, which bike are you taking?

I .sigged:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

+---------------------------------------------------------
--------+
| I'll be traveling in France and England throughout
| the month | of June. I hope to remain online, but
| don't know what sort | of 'Net access I'll be able to
| get... |
+---------------------------------------------------------
--------+

Quoted message said:

Erik Freitag asked:

Quoted message said:

Um, which bike are you taking?

We won't be bringing bikes, got a lot of ground to cover and
a lot of friends to visit in not all that much time.

We're hoping to be able to borrow bikes here and there and
do some local riding.

Sheldon "Not Specifically A Bike Trip" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------
---------+
| This message has been sent to you using recycled
| electrons | exclusively. Please do not discard them
| after use, | send them along and help conserve these
| irreplaceable | sub-atomic resources for future
| generations. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------
------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find
parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Art M said:

...the bars were out of alignment again. I considered
whether having the wedge somewhat loose was a benefit
here, but tightened it after deciding that it shouldn't
have moved so easily. Not sure of the answer.

Now you're trying to define that edge between "tight enough
so it stays put" and "loose enough so it moves when you want
it to move." That is a gray area. I'll be amazed if someone
can come up with an accurate specification for that
parameter.

Maybe we could define a certain amount of torque applied to
the stem before it slips? But how would we come up with a
value for that torque? I think that value would be just a
guess, and the answer might depend on rider weight and
other factors.

Sorry, I have no definitive answer to your question. I don't
think anyone has that answer.

--
Dave dvt at psu dot edu

dvt said:

Now you're trying to define that edge between "tight
enough so it stays put" and "loose enough so it moves when
you want it to move." That is a gray area. I'll be amazed
if someone can come up with an accurate specification for
that parameter.

Maybe we could define a certain amount of torque applied
to the stem before it slips? But how would we come up with
a value for that torque? I think that value would be just
a guess, and the answer might depend on rider weight and
other factors.

Sorry, I have no definitive answer to your question. I
don't think anyone has that answer.

It really isn't all that critical.

I used to keep the bars on my mountain bike deliberately
loose so that I could easily rotate them 90 degrees for more
compact parking in my very crowded cellar.

Once in a while they'd get knocked askew by 10-15 degrees
while riding, but it never caused a crash.

Sheldon "You Don't Need Numerical Values For Everything"
Brown +--------------------------------------------------------
---------+
| I'll be traveling in France and England throughout the
| month | of June. I hope to remain online, but don't know
| what sort | of 'Net access I'll be able to get... |
+-----------------------------------------------------------
------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find
parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 12:55:38 -0400, Sheldon Brown
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Sheldon "You Don't Need Numerical Values For
Everything" Brown

Dear Sheldon,

Would that be 5-10% of everything? Or higher?

Carl Fogel

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 12:55:38 -0400, Sheldon Brown
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Sheldon "You Don't Need Numerical Values For
Everything" Brown

Dear Sheldon,

Would that be 5-10% of everything? Or higher?

Carl Fogel

+------------------------------------------------+
| According to the latest official figures, | 43% of all
| statistics are totally worthless. |
+------------------------------------------------+ Harris
Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX
617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗