Stems.

declan1

How the hell are you supposed to line the damn things up? Does anyone know of a good way to line them up using measurements or something? I've just spent the last half an hour throwing various bike bits around the garage getting really annoyed!

Thank you VERY much in advance!

nicklouse

straddle the bike and look over the front wheel. tight bolts.

declan1

nicklouse wrote:

straddle the bike and look over the front wheel. tight bolts.

That's what I'd been doing. I've got OCD so I can't get it 'perfect'

smidsy

declan1 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

straddle the bike and look over the front wheel. tight bolts.

That's what I'd been doing. I've got OCD so I can't get it 'perfect'

Should have gone to specsavers

declan1

smidsy wrote:

declan1 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

straddle the bike and look over the front wheel. tight bolts.

That's what I'd been doing. I've got OCD so I can't get it 'perfect'

Should have gone to specsavers

You've just given me an idea for an amazing Specsavers advert haha!

nicklouse

declan1 wrote:

smidsy wrote:

declan1 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

straddle the bike and look over the front wheel. tight bolts.

That's what I'd been doing. I've got OCD so I can't get it 'perfect'

Should have gone to specsavers

You've just given me an idea for an amazing Specsavers advert haha!

what? Track cyclists

declan1

nicklouse wrote:

declan1 wrote:

smidsy wrote:

declan1 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

straddle the bike and look over the front wheel. tight bolts.

That's what I'd been doing. I've got OCD so I can't get it 'perfect'

Should have gone to specsavers

You've just given me an idea for an amazing Specsavers advert haha!

what? Track cyclists

Some guy lining up his stem by eye, then going out for a ride. Stem is at 45 degrees from the wheel.

It's much better in my head than it is here.

ricky1980

dangle a weight off a piece of string tied to the handle bar end of the stem. let it drop above the wheel and line it up so the weight is over the top of the wheel then tighten the bolts and done!

obviously do it in the middle of the stem, otherwise you will have issues

g00se

The OCD way.

Straddle the rear wheel behind the saddle. Close one eye. Lean forward until you can just see the tip of the tyre stick out from under the stem's handlebar clamp. With the one eye, look down to make sure it's in the plane of the bike frame (that the down tube is hidden behind the top tube). Then adjust the stem until the front of the tyre is bang in the middle of the stem

Yossie

Mark centre of tyre with blob of paint.

Mark centre of stem with blob paint.

Line up.

Wipe paint off stem before it dries.

Job jobbed.

migrantwing

Straight edge across the front forks, then line the handlebars up with the straight edge.

mitchgixer6

I'm the same with ocd problems. You'll probably never be satisfied that it's straight. I always think mine is slightly off, then I tweak it, then I think it's off the other way!

As long as you can ride in a straight line without it feeling ski whiff then it's close enough! Just don't ride looking at your stem!

ricky1980

mitchgixer6 wrote:

I'm the same with ocd problems. You'll probably never be satisfied that it's straight. I always think mine is slightly off, then I tweak it, then I think it's off the other way!

same here

JackPozzi

Just look down the centre line of the saddle from behind the bike and make sure it lines up... Your saddle is on straight isn't it?

mitchgixer6

Don't get me started on getting the saddle straight! That's harder than getting the stem straight!