Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

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~Art
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Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by ~Art »

Hi, folks. I bought a cheap secondhand bike as I only need it for a few months and I'm having some trouble assembling it (it's also my first time assembling a boxed bike so I have no idea what I'm doing, nor the proper terminology as you'll soon come to realise).

One of the first things I noticed when I unboxed the bike was that the bit that connects the handlebars to the rest of the bike was split at the bottom, but, as this is my first time assembling a bike, didn't give it much thought:

Image

The problem is that when I turn the handlebars the wheel doesn't turn at all, even though I screwed the top bit as tight as it would go. When I hold the bottom bit of the tube with the bolt in it and turn the handlebars, the bit I'm holding doesn't turn, just the upper part of the tube.

Am I just being thick about something that's easily fixable or am I better off just getting a refund?
pwa
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by pwa »

The bit sticking out of the bottom of the Handlebar Stem is a sort of wedge thing that should lock the stem solid inside the Steerer Tube (extension of the Forks) when you tighten the bolt on the top. I'd clean the whole lot first, removing any rust.
drossall
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by drossall »

I'm confused. That's a fairly common design, as an alternative to a true expander bolt. Screwing the top bolt in tight causes the lower section to go slightly offset from the top section, so that, between them, they grip the inside of the fork column (the tube inside the headset).

As long as the bolt is moving freely in the nut, it should be fine.
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freiston
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by freiston »

That's what is commonly known as a quill stem for a threaded headset - see this picture for the two basic types of expander nuts (yours is the 'wedge') - the bolt gets tightened which pulls the nut up against the tube of the stem and pushes out against the internal surface of the fork steerer tube. The fork steerer tube sits inside the frame head tube with bearings at the top and bottom - adjusted by the nut and locknut at the top of the headtube, screwed onto the threaded steerer tube - the bottom diagram does not show the frame headtube:

Image

From Sheldon Brown's website - here's a diagram of how they work:

Image
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
reohn2
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by reohn2 »

The stem(the L shaped bit attached to the handlebars)has a wedge design.When inserted into the the top of the front forks,as you then look down on it(when sat astride the bike) the bit of the stem pointing upward and toward you,may have a plastic or rubber type bung in it.
If you prise that out,under it there'll be the head of a hex bolt,with the correct sized hex key,when that's tightened(clockwise direction)it tightens the wedge again the inside of the steerer tube.
The handlebars will now turn the steering,of course the stem needs to be lined up with the front wheel so the handlebars are at right angles to it.
SAFETY CAUTION:- somewhere on the bit that goes into the front fork there'll be a limit mark,usually a series on lines similar to this ||||||| around the circumference of the stemshaft with the word LIMIT or similar beneath it,the stem must not extend beyond this marker when in use
Last edited by reohn2 on 11 Oct 2016, 8:27pm, edited 1 time in total.
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robgul
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by robgul »

Have to say given the OP's dilemma and apparent confusion I would counsel going to a bike shop (even Halfords) to get them check everything - riding the thing if it's not put together correctly could be a serious risk to life and limb.

Or if he knows anyone with a bit of bike knowledge/experience then ask them.

Rob
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~Art
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by ~Art »

Thanks for the responses, folks. I did say I had no idea what I was doing, but didn't realise this was the extent of my cluelessness - when I bought the bike I thought I'd only need a good ol' wrench to assemble it. :D

I'll go buy a hex key tomorrow and properly tighten the quill expander bolt to see if that does the trick. A bike shop is the last resort as us students are always on a tight budget - wouldn't have bought a dodgy £50 bike otherwise :)
drossall
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by drossall »

Various other things to check too before riding. Tyre pressures should match guidance printed on side of tyres. Brakes and gears working (gears can get out of alignment, should run quietly without rattling). Chain in decent condition and lubricated. Generally try to get hold of bits e.g. saddle, bars, and make sure they don't move in unexpected directions. etc.
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gaz
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by gaz »

~Art wrote:... A bike shop is the last resort as us students are always on a tight budget ...

Before you ride perform a M-Check, basic safety once over.
[youtube]4qtx60bcNk0[/youtube]
Or if you prefer it in print: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/sites/defaul ... ck-web.pdf
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
drossall
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by drossall »

Good video - but that bike has a different stem design from yours. Your bolt is on top of course, whereas that bike had two bolts behind the stem. We won't go into how that one works just yet :D
~Art
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by ~Art »

Thanks :) I should be good to take it from here - I'm not really a DIY guy - just barely above "what do I do with the turny thing" level and thus unable to word the questions I had in a way Google would understand :)
gerrymcm
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by gerrymcm »

that front brake cable looks frayed as well.
Good luck
niggle
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by niggle »

Try watching this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzeM5iOLQnk

I think especially for novices a good Youtube video is more helpful than anything written or even pictures and diagrams, however it is difficult for novices to know a) what to search for when they don't know any of the bicycle jargon and b) whether a video is good or bad.
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mjr
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by mjr »

~Art wrote:A bike shop is the last resort as us students are always on a tight budget - wouldn't have bought a dodgy £50 bike otherwise :)

Some colleges and universities have a "Dr Bike" service, either permanent or visiting weekly, which might be worth an ask. Some have a Bicycle User Group who might be able to offer similar assistance. How much they do and how much they just advise varies.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Makk11
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Re: Handlebars won't steer front wheel - still salvageable?

Post by Makk11 »

I'm guessing here that you bought a cheap secondhand bike on Ebay or something like that where the seller has dismantled it to put in a box for easier shipping/postage but it doesn't have instructions or the tools to reassemble it.

From the picture you have a threaded quill stem. It looks a little rusty to me but a squirt of WD40 should free up the screw thread. You'll need a hex key (also known as an Allen key) to turn the bolt at the top and maybe some mole grips or a vice if it is really stuck. Once the "wedge" thingy winds freely up and down the stem, insert it and turn the hex bolt clockwise until it locks in to the steering thingy.
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