Fitting drops to a pinch clamp stem...

richteacp · June 2007

Am probably being a complete muppet, but I'm stuck.

Have fitted a Nitto pinch clamp stem to my fixed, with the intention of putting some old track bars back on - but how do I get the bars through the stem, there's not enough room! Have never had to do this before, am baffled... (yes, the bars are the right diameter etc ie not oversized).

Someone put me out of my misery, please. [xx(]

--
esta elefante del beb‚ me molesta

Cyclistm · June 2007

Care and patience and lots of swearing.

gkerr4 · June 2007

if they are the right diameter bar then they should just thread through from one end of the drop bars until they are in the middle. Obviously you can't do this with bar tape / levers etc fitted, but they should just thread through.

Pirahna · June 2007

What's the bet you'll put them on back to front the first time?

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Pirahna

What's the bet you'll put them on back to front the first time?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
What sort of idiot would do that? [:I]

Nobody ever got laid because they were using Shimano

richteacp · June 2007

But, but, but... levers are off (obviously), tape is off... but the bars won't fit through from the point the drops begin to curve - do I need to force the clamp open somehow? Argh.

--
esta elefante del beb‚ me molesta

Unknown · June 2007

You need to rotate them as you push the curve through. Sometimes a gentle prising of the clamp with a driver helps.

Nobody ever got laid because they were using Shimano

Unknown · June 2007

"do I need to force the clamp open somehow? Argh."

Cheating! But that is what I do if necessary. Any wedge-shaped implement - I use an engineering drift. Don't need to open the clamp up very much to make a big difference. And it saves scratching/scoring the bars. And swearing.

d.j.
"The Angels have my 'phone box."

richteacp · June 2007

Hmm, OK, thanks chaps.

Maybe a bit of grease would work as well. I'll get my strength up over a few pints of Stella and try again later.

--
esta elefante del beb‚ me molesta

monty_dogcp · June 2007

Aah, the joys of fitting quill stems and scratching your precious new bars! As said, you may need to use a screwdriver blade wedged in the stem clamp to open it out slightly - but be careful that the end of blade doesn't scratch your bars. Some later designs of stem like 3TTT have a little grub screw to wedge open the clamp entirely for this purpose! Worth checking that the edge of stem clamp is free of burrs too - I file off the corner where the clamp eye and slot meet if not done so already as this is the bit that scratches the bars

Two sheds · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Monty Dog Posted - 12/06/2007 : 13:00:32

... Some later designs of stem like 3TTT have a little grub screw to wedge open the clamp entirely for this purpose! ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So that's what that grub screw is for! (Except that the screw is missing from my stem ... ah well[:(])

You learn something every day[:I]

Put a hump in your back
Shake your sacroiliac
And ride on

pbiggs · June 2007

As well as prising the clamp open wider if you can (safely), put a dag of grease on the difficult parts of the bars.

~Pete

Fitting drops to a pinch clamp stem...

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