spring steering-stabilizer thingy?

[rch427]

When I lived in Holland, I bought a little device for my Gazelle opafiets that really helped when I had to carry the bike up or down stairs. It was a spring about the size of ones finger that mounted to the underside of the downtube just behind the headtube on one end, and to the back of the top of the forks at the other. Basically, a steering stabilizer. The spring's torsion kept the forks pointed straight ahead unless pressure was applied to turn the handlebars.

Unfortunately, not only can I not find them here in SF, I don't even know what they're called. Anyone know what I'm talking about or where they might be found?

[AllenG]

My father's Biria has one.
I think it is just a spring. You should be able to get one at a hardware store.

[rch427]

Well, I agree that the majority of the device is a spring, but there's a fairly specialized downtube bracket that one end of the spring attaches to, and the other end of the spring sticks out with a small loop, to attach to the back of the forks. I suppose that in a worse case scenario, I could farm up some sort of bracket, but then I could also try ordering a proper stabilizer device from Halford's in the Netherlands.

[unkchunk]

Don't know what they are called. But you can get the same effect with a velcro ankle strap looped around the front wheel and the down tube. You will have to remove and re apply each time though. Keeps the fork/bars from turning. Also great for leaning a bike against a wall, as every now and again my bike will fall because the fork/bars turned.

[badmother]

Is`nt it also possible to buy a headset with this sort of "bi effect"? Ment for tourers and heavyli loaded bikes. Remember reading about it, think it is from a book. I think a lot of smart bikerelated gadgets has been invented, but selling them could be a problem since nobody knows. Hope the internet can change that.

[donnamb]

You're looking for one of these, right?

http://www.velorution.biz/images/accessories_hebie695_l.jpg

It looks like Velorution in the UK has it. (http://www.velorution.biz/?page_id=1045) Also, The Urbane Cyclist (http://ucycle.com/accessories/) in Toronto is the Hebie distributor in North America. Perhaps they can help you.

[Captain Chaos]

What's wrong with an elastic band looped round the downtube and secured on the valve?

[donnamb]

You mean the valve of the inner tube?

[Captain Chaos]

Yes, it would take ten seconds to do before carrying your bike up and down stairs, moving it through tight spaces or keeping it steady in a work stand. Obviously you couldn't ride the bike before first removing the elastic band and stowing it in a pocket.

It's probably not as ideal as a custom made steering stabilizer but I'm just saying it might be a cheaper and easier solution that purchasing the stabilizer and fitting it to the bike.

[donnamb]

I'll pass, thanks. (allergic to natural rubber latex)

[Maxwell]

I'll pass, thanks. (allergic to natural rubber latex)

If you aren't already doing it, cut cross-sections of an inner tube make a pretty good rubber band for general use. I like to rubber band the contents of my seatbag to stop them rattling, and the latex ones degrade here in the smog of los angeles.