Loose handlebars, too much grease?

wilshawk
wilshawk Posts: 119
edited April 2012 in Road beginners
Just came off my bike, albeit at low speed and didnt get hurt. Wasnt sure how I lost control but inspection afterwards revealed the handlebars were loose (drop handlebars). So I tightened them again but then noticed that even after tightening, if I push down hard on the hoods the bar is not tight and rotates down! I had put quite a lot of grease in the clamp area (quill stem), Im wondering if this is what caused it? Do you grease the handlebar clamp area? Do you think this is the cause?

Comments

  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    Dont use grease.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    No grease (are you crazy?!?)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rpd_steve
    rpd_steve Posts: 361
    NO amount of grease will cause that - it is a mechanical issue. Look for cracks in the clamp etc... Are you sure the shifters are not a bit loose? Most good shops/mechs will not do them up solid so they move rather than brake in a crash.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Are the bars and stem the right size?
  • Mad Roadie
    Mad Roadie Posts: 710
    ddraver wrote:
    No grease (are you crazy?!?)
    grease! why? whats to lubricate? carbon paste yes, but why on earth would you grease a handlebar clamp
  • wilshawk
    wilshawk Posts: 119
    Thanks for replies.

    Reason I put grease in there was to protect against rusting. After wiping the grease away now, and playing with the bars some more, seems like they are still unstable so I think RPD-Steve was right its not the grease that caused it.

    Shutuplegs, I did recently change the stem, pretty sure I got the right size, stem clamp and handlebar both 25.4mm, although I wonder now how accurately this stem is crafted!

    Otherwise the other thing I can think of is that when I was removing the old stem, in taking the handlebars out they were really stuck so I had to twist them quite forcefully and they gradually twisted off. The clamp area of the bars did get scraped a bit, so maybe this was enough to make them a looser fit :(

    I guess I will try and make a shim out of a can to improve the fit, I have read that this can work well?
  • woodywmb
    woodywmb Posts: 669
    Use Nitto shim.
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1296598/
  • joshr96
    joshr96 Posts: 153
    Grease...bad idea.
    Carrera TDF 2011 Limited Edition.
    Crossbow Hybrid
    Boardman AiR 9.8 one day..
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Grease won't be a problem if the stem is correctly assembled.

    Check for high spots and burrs on the stem clamp surface. If you find any then you can use a piece of wet'n'dry to take them off.

    Take the bars and faceplate off and check the areas around the threaded holes for cracks. Check the faceplate for cracks. Basically you're looking for anything that might prevent the screw from generating tensile load.

    When you tighten the screws, ensure that you have an even gap between the faceplate and the stem above and below the handlebars.

    What torque are you tightening the screws to?
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