General Cycling Discussion - End of dropdown handle bars hits top tube...Suggestions for fix?

I've got a new Cannondale T1 and after getting it all adjusted, The end of the dropdown handle bars will strike the top tube
mid shaft. This isn't a problem when riding, however it seems like when ever I get off the bike and am not holding the handle
bars the front swings to one side and BLAM! the cap of the handlebar tape strikes the toptube. So far no damage has
happened, but it is just a matter of time. Any fixes for this thing? Rubber bar ends? Some sort of front stablizer? Different
dropdowns? Different headset that has something in it to hold the wheel straight a little bit more than normal? It fits me well
now so I cannot move the handle bars much.

Thanks

Steve

after laughing at you I will answer this. Obviously you dont know about the old school use of cloth bar tape to wrap the top tube where it hits. notice on the included picture about midway on the top tube there is a bump that is cloth bar tape. it will save your top tube and paint from dings.or if you want to be fancy they have thishttp://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/item/847018687/?s=1260780962 by kashimax but cotton tape is perfect and its not $50.

http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad132/shootdangagain/2009111720091117_11172009_024933.jpg

Get a saw and cut the top tube out of the frame... it's OK, the frame's downtube makes the top tube redundant.


:D

^^^^ even better. I should do that to my bike. sure would save my jabbies if I ever fell of my bike!!!!

The rest of us don't let the fork just flop around. You will dent the top tube if you keep doing this.

get a handlebar with deeper drops ;)

First thing is to learn how to manage your bike without letting the front end flop around so much.

Next idea is to wrap something protective around the top tube as mentioned earlier. It'll have to be thick enough to protect well, but if you let the bars really smack the tube, you should unwrap it and check for dents every once in a while anyway.

After that -- well, I've heard of a spring-loaded device that runs from the fork crown to the downtube. It's not supposed to interfere with normal steering movement, which itself is pretty miniscule anyway. Then, when the front wheel starts to flop too far to the side, the spring at least helps slow it down, or maybe even stop its movement before it hits the top tube.

Oh yeah -- the only drawback of wrapping the top tube of your touring bike is that the wrap can interfere a bit with the brake cable.

Rubber bar end plugs Velox http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250545206215
http://www.velo-orange.com/veloxbarplugs.html

Never pass up a chance to incorporate carbon in your bike! Get some of those carbon chainstay protectors and place them in the impact zone.

What am I missing here? You're never going to turn the bar that far anyway. i just went out and checked, and ALL my road bikes have the same "problem." In a combined 40,000 or so miles, I'd never noticed it.

Many cargo bikes use a spring between the forks and downtube to hold the handlebars straight while the bike is on a centerstand to be loaded with cargo. The same type of spring would work to keep your bars from flipping around and hitting your top tube. You can see the spring i'm referring to in the picture below.

http://urbanvelo.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/globe_ride01.jpg