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Thank putting a new stem on your bike, only to realise that it is not in line with the front wheel?
Finished last night late and had it lined up with the mudguard (first mistake), then noticed this morning that the handlebars were slightly turning left compared to the wheel and I had no allen keys with me (second mistake).
My entire commute felt wrong. slightly, annoyingly wrong.
Has anyone got any really good tips for making sure the alignment is perfect?
I made a jig out of some bits and bobs and a laser pointer,it's ace .
I'd use an allen key preferably of course.... But on an alloy steerer you should usually find that even with the stem torqued up you should be able to nudge the stem around a little if you hold the wheel stationary between your legs.
The stem is meant to be able to move a bit in a crash after all, anyway.
Is there anything more annoying…
I know a song that gets on everyone's nerves, I know a song that gets on everyone's nerves....
Is there anything more annoying…
Driving 90 mins to meet a mate for a ride & finding the saddle & seatpost you took out is still sitting in the garage is probably more annoying...
But on an alloy steerer you should usually find that even with the stem torqued up you should be able to nudge the stem around a little if you hold the wheel stationary between your legs.
The stem is meant to be able to move a bit in a crash after all, anyway.
Not in my world.
The only things I leave anywhere near movable are the brake levers,just so they have a bit more chance of surviving in an off,everything else is tightened up to just below stripped.
Poopscoop
Subscriber
I’d use an allen key preferably of course…. But on an alloy steerer you should usually find that even with the stem torqued up you should be able to nudge the stem around a little if you hold the wheel stationary between your legs.
That doesn't sound right to me. Perhaps with the headset cap bearing pre-load doohicky nipped up, but not once you've done up both stem bolts!!
Has anyone got any really good tips for making sure the alignment is perfect?
Yep, it goes like this. No matter how much you try to line everything up, you'll realise on the first ride it's just a wee bit off to the side, so carry an hex key with you, so that after you've nudged it into place, you can snug everything up...
Yes, it's bloody annoying, and yes, like you I've had that ride...
Poopscoop
I’d use an allen key preferably of course…. But on an alloy steerer you should usually find that even with the stem torqued up you should be able to nudge the stem around a little if you hold the wheel stationary between your legs.
Jebus, no.
Either top trolling from Poopscoop or the answer to the number of crashes on the SDW? 🤔
I ended up sorting it out with an allen key and the torque wrench just before I took the road bike out for a spin. I'll see how it looks/feels tomorrow on the way to work.
I did wonder if there is a plan on Thingiverse for a 3D printed thing align it, but then I just nudged it a little to the right.
I eye the back line of the bar with something symmetrical on the fork/hubs.
Laser schmaser.
I think it would be more annoying of you had anticipated this happening and smugly taken an Allen key on your ride... Only.to discover you'd picked up the wrong size.
I agree with Poopscoop though, tiny bit of give is always nice. Have had to straighten motorbike handlebar alignment before and the easiest way is to push the side of the front wheel against a tree trunk, lampost, fencepost or other convenient vertical structure.
Lol, no, not trolling at all!
From previous posts on here I know others do similar.
My crashes are all due to my poor riding abilities rather than bad spannering, cheeky beggars.😁
I want no give when it comes to stem/steerer interface! I want complete faith the wheel is going the direction I want it too!
Lol
I use my actual eyes.
A small flat Lezyne multitool lives in my pocket for those occasions. It goes everywhere with me. It's amazing the non-bike uses you find for one.
“Has anyone got any really good tips for making sure the alignment is perfect?”
Line up the bars with the fork crown, rather than the stem with the tyre. Way more precise.
Also you can adjust the alignment when the steerer bolt is tight before you do up the stem clamp bolts. If you can move the stem on the steerer after they’ve been torqued up then I wouldn’t consider the bike to be safe to ride!
Line up the bars with the fork crown
This. I now use someone on here’s top tip of putting a dowel across the arch/stanchions on my forks and align the bars to that
I like that. Stem faceplate to fork brace is my standard. Doesn't work on the rigid bikes, though.