help! how to insert bar into single bolt stem

cafemoto · Mar 1, 2007

the new quill stem i just bought for my fixed gear only has 1 bolt on the stem face, and the face is not removable. how am i to insert the bar into the stem? i'm afraid of trying to pry open the stem face as it might weaken the stem face (or it might even snap off). is there a proper way to put on bar on single bolt (non-removable) stems? btw, the handlebar is a bullhorn. thanks for the help!

andulong · Mar 1, 2007

slip it in

Loosen the bolt
slip the bar in
tighten the bolt
wrap the bars

cafemoto · Mar 1, 2007

andulong: i wish it was that easy. the bends on my bullhorn bars are such that the bar won't simply slide in. the bends are too tight.

andulong · Mar 1, 2007

Bummer

I have installed drop bars into this type of clamp before, does not seem that bullhorns are any tighter bent??? Can you spread the clamp ever so slightly to get the bars in? You may have to go with a removable face stem.

good luck, T

wim · Mar 1, 2007

Assuming stem clamp and bar diameter match, the trick is to rotate the bar or stem a bit as soon as you encounter the slightest resistance. I prefer to slide the stem onto the bar, so my two cents would be to

- take the stem off the bike
- take the handlebar clamp bolt out of it altogether,
- slip the stem onto the bar
- as soon as you encounter the slightest resistance, back off a few millimeter and rotate the stem a bit, then try again pushing it onto the bar. If that doesn't help, rotate the stem in the other direction. Do this every time you feel resistance. It might take quite a few steps until you finally get to the straight part of the bar.

If you prefer to leave the stem on the bike, rotate the bar instead of the stem.

foz · Mar 1, 2007

single bolt stems can usually be prised open a bit with some sort of wedge (a large flat faced screwdriver comes to mind) which makes passing the bars a bit easier. then you just need to 'wiggle' the bars through the stem past the curved section. I wouldn't do this with carbon bars, as you might end up scratching them too much and possibly breaking them (that's one of the reason for stems with detachable faceplates), but with aluminium bars there's no problem (within reason!)

Bianchi67 · Mar 1, 2007

Penny trick

Some use to have threads on both sides of the clamp so you could back the bolt out past the split and stick a penny in the gap and tighten the bolt slightly against the penny to spread the clamp apart.

I also had TTT's that actually had a small allen bolt next to the main bolt to spread the clamp apart.

Mel Erickson · Mar 1, 2007

You don't have to worry about cracking or weakening the stem by doing a bit of prying. That is unless you get really over zealous. You can probably widen it by an eighth inch with no worries and that should give you plenty of room. I'm sure you can get the bar in assuming the stem and bar are both the correct diameter. You just have to rotate, wiggle and sometimes pry to get it in.

cafemoto · Mar 1, 2007

thanks! got it in

with a little prying, i was able to slip the stem into the bar. i was afraid of deforming the stem by pulling it open, but knowing that that's the only way to do it, i carefully widened it up and it slipped right through. thanks for the help!

Touch0Gray · Mar 2, 2007

for future reference, it is easier to thread the stem onto the bar than the bar onto the stem....right Wim?

Dave Hickey · Mar 2, 2007

Touch0Gray said:
for future reference, it is easier to thread the stem onto the bar than the bar onto the stem....right Wim?

Listen to this old guy,,,,,,He knows what he's talking about....

I agree with ToughOGray.... If you already have the stem install on the bike, remove it. It's much easier to twist, rotate, finagle the stem than the bars.

It's also possible that the bars won't fit. If they have a pronounced ergo bend, they might not fit

Touch0Gray · Mar 2, 2007

Dave Hickey said:
Listen to this old guy,,,,,,He knows what he's talking about....

I agree with ToughOGray.... If you already have the stem install on the bike, remove it. It's much easier to twist, rotate, finagle the stem than the bars.

It's also possible that the bars won't fit. If they have a pronounced ergo bend, they might not fit

'Cmon Dave....won't fit....what a defeatist attitude...LOL.... You got a dremmel, or a drill....and a bit or stone wheel.....MAKE it fit.....

And...OLD guy...you GOTTA be talkin' bout someone at LEAST 10 years older than me TO THE DAY!

edit: yeah and HE...does know his stuff....big time...I know I am impressed.Lot's of information in there......

wim · Mar 2, 2007

for future reference, it is easier to thread the stem onto the bar than the bar onto the stem....right Wim?

Yes, but only if the stem is off the bike. If you already installed the stem, you'd have to thread the entire bicycle around the bars, which is not an easy thing to do. Taking the wheels out helps, though. :wink5:

And...OLD guy...you GOTTA be talkin' bout someone at LEAST 10 years older than me TO THE DAY!

Hey, Dave called you ToughOGray, as in "tenacious." That's worth something!

Touch0Gray · Mar 2, 2007

wim said:
Yes, but only if the stem is off the bike. If you already installed the stem, you'd have to thread the entire bicycle around the bars, which is not an easy thing to do. Taking the wheels out helps, though. :wink5:

Hey, Dave called you ToughOGray, as in "tenacious." That's worth something!

hehehe great visual...bars clamped in the workstand.....threading the bike onto them.....lol

help! how to insert bar into single bolt stem

cafemoto

andulong

cafemoto

andulong

wim

foz

Bianchi67

Mel Erickson

cafemoto

Touch0Gray

Dave Hickey

Touch0Gray

wim

Touch0Gray

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