Handlebar Question

cje
cje Posts: 148
edited September 2013 in Workshop
My bike fell over in the car park at a recent event. When I picked it up, I noticed the right hand side of the bars looked as if they were bending inwards, so I quickly banged them back into shape with my hand.

The thing is, I now don't know whether it was the shifter that had turned inwards, or the bar itself.

I've been informed that if it was the bar, I should replace it. But other people have told me that a bar wouldn't bend under such a small impact.

So what should I do. Replace the bar just in case? Or am I just being paranoid? I know the old phrase 'if in doubt throw it out' but it's a new bike, and I don't really want to be replacing bits unless I really have to.

Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    metal or carbon bars ...

    I'm guessing metal ...

    If you could bang the bar back into shape with your hands then it's already broken and you'd be able to feel that just by wiggling the bars about. If you can pull/push the bars by hand and they don't bend out of shape then they're (probably) ok and it was the shifters that had shifted.
    Eitherway - you can undo the tape and checkover the bars - a twist should be obvious.
  • cje
    cje Posts: 148
    Thanks for your reply. The bars are metal - some sort of Alloy I'd imagine. I went on to complete the event and the bars look & feel normal.
  • Mccaria
    Mccaria Posts: 869
    if you banged the bars (and presumably the lever) with your hand and they went back to the original position then if it was just the lever moving, you should re-try moving the lever to see if it is loose enough to move by hand ? If the lever moves then you have your answer and probably need to tighten it a bit and if the lever is rock solid then you probably need to take a closer look at the bars !
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Take the tape off and have a look at the bars.
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    diamonddog wrote:
    Take the tape off and have a look at the bars.

    This. Any sign of a kink in the metal of the bars and I'd bin them immediately.

    I'd also try giving the end of the bars a hard whack with the palm of your hand. If it bends you need new bars. Then do the same with the shifters and if they move you need to tighten them up a bit.
  • cje
    cje Posts: 148
    Thanks all.

    Will take the tape off this evening for a closer inspection.
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    If you bent metal tubing with your hands then can we send to Afghan to sort out Terry? That's like well 'ard that is.

    I would suggest that its the shifters that moved.
  • cje
    cje Posts: 148
    Yossie wrote:
    If you bent metal tubing with your hands then can we send to Afghan to sort out Terry? That's like well 'ard that is.

    I would suggest that its the shifters that moved.

    :mrgreen:

    Ha! That gave me a laugh.

    I'm a right weakling, so I'm more and more convinced it was just the shifter.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Yossie wrote:
    If you bent metal tubing with your hands then can we send to Afghan to sort out Terry? That's like well 'ard that is.

    I would suggest that its the shifters that moved.
    Yer - but once they're bent already then it's not so 'ard to bend em some more ...
    but I do agree with your suggestion.

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