creaking handlebars
dave friend
Posts: 46
recently went out on my first club run in which i had to try very hard to keep up, there was a lot of time i was out of the sadle and put a lot of stress on the handlebars. when i w=next went out on my bike i noticed any time i stood to climb or start from lights my handle bars creaked when the slightest pressure on them - is this just a case of tightening or is something wrong? cheers
dave
dave
0
Comments
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Check there are no obvious cracks on bars and stem. Try putting just a little lube or grease round the bar area that comes in contact with the stem . Tight all the stem bolts with the same pressure ; dont overtighten . Worked for me when I had this problem .0
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Not tightening the the quick release of your front wheel can often cause a creak0
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I've been having creaking handlebar problems for the past couple of weeks, the answer for me was loosening the preload bolt (on top of the steering column pointing down) and the stem bolts (horizontal bolts that clamp the stem that holds the handlebars to the steering column), I then made a big difference to what I've done in the past... I tightened the preload bolt very tight before the stem bolts. Creak gone! So happy!
By previously tightening the stem before the preload I was allowing the steering column to move a bit in the frame when I put any load on the bike. Now to fix that creaking near my pedals...0 -
bjlyons wrote:I've been having creaking handlebar problems for the past couple of weeks, the answer for me was loosening the preload bolt (on top of the steering column pointing down) and the stem bolts (horizontal bolts that clamp the stem that holds the handlebars to the steering column), I then made a big difference to what I've done in the past... I tightened the preload bolt very tight before the stem bolts. Creak gone! So happy!
By previously tightening the stem before the preload I was allowing the steering column to move a bit in the frame when I put any load on the bike. Now to fix that creaking near my pedals...
Be careful in how much pre-load you've applied. You should apply the minimum amount of pre-load without play in the bearings. It sounds like you've put quite a bit on, you'll be replacing your headset bearings very quickly if this is the case and risk permanent damage on the bearing surfaces.
It sounds to me that you've had a creaking headset? This is often caused by water or dirt getting into your bearings. You'll need to give your headset a service and repack your bearings. If you dont feel up to this yourself your LBS will do it for about the tenner mark for a service. You'll have to pay more if you need new bearings/cartridge. They'll also check the bearing surfaces for wear/pitting for you. If this is the case then I'd advise you to get it seen to promptly as neglecting it will only result in further, future complications
Your new technique in loosening the stem bolts before adjusting the pre-load is correct though. The stem clamp holds everything in place to tightening the compression bolt while the stem is clamped will have no effect.
Any previous creaking I've had in the handlebars has been remedied by using a torque wrench to tighten stem bolts and handlebar bolts to the recommended torque.0 -
OK I'll check it isn't too tight. The creaking was from the steering column being able to move slightly within the frame. I should hope the bearings are OK as my bike's only 2 months old!
My bearings are in a sealed compartment too, will this make a difference?
Thanks for your help0 -
Ah, if its only a couple of months old then the headset shouldn't need servicing. The fact that you've got a sealed compartment will protect them more against the elements. I have caged bearings on my bike and commute in all weathers in it - as a result it sits outside in some of the foulest British weather and means I have to repack the bearings at least every 12 months.
Excellent headset advice can be found here.
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