skankingpigeon

Hi,

The handlebar bracket on my bike keeps coming completely loose randomly while i ride it. They become so loose that if you pull them up they will come off the bike, and it give you no control at all of the bike.

It happened the other day and my bike swerved into the road, i was so lucky not to get hit.

It started happening once when I was trying to tighten the bracket and accidently pulled the handlebars up completely....there was a sticky glue like substance which was obviously keeping it from coming loose randomly

does anyone know how to fix this? Im worried to ride it otherwise in case it comes loose and I have an accident

thanks

v0_boulder

I would check all the bolts and see if you are missing any, a sticky substance should not be holding the handlebars in place. Also the other thing you can do is remove bolts apply locktite and torque down if you have a torque wrench available.

strock 

Well, you're right to be worried. I wouldn't ride it again until you're certain you've got it fixed. But I'm not sure what the problem is. By "handlebar bracket" do you mean the stem? If so, do you have a quill stem, which inserts down into the steerer tube and tightens with a bolt that runs down through the stem to a wedge nut (or expander) at the bottom? Or do you have a threadless stem, which clamps onto the outside of the steerer tube?

I'm guessing that you have a quill stem. It's possible that it's just not tight enough. Sometimes you have to torque those bolts pretty good. It's possible that the stem has been inserted too far into the steerer tube, so that the wedge bolt is pushing against the butted portion of the steerer, which won't provide a secure fit. It's also possible that the stem hasn't been inserted far enough, and the leverage that you're exerting on the stem when you ride the bike is working it loose. Finally, it's possible that your stem isn't the right size. Most quill stems are 22.2mm or 7/8" outside diameter, but not all.

As for the sticky stuff, it could be old grease. If it's actually glue, it suggests that maybe someone did try to use a stem that's a hair too small to fit the steerer properly. Hope some of this is helpful.

Cross Creek

Also possible that the wedge nut has come completely off the long bolt, so no amount of tightening will secure the quill stem. When you pull the stem out of the steerer tube, you should see the wedge-shaped nut loosely screwed onto the long bolt that goes through the stem's quill. If the bolt is bare at the bottom, the wedge nut is probably at the bottom of the steerer tube, but maybe gone altogether. If it's the former, turn the bike upside down and try to dislodge the wedge nut. If it's truly stuck or not there at all, go to a bike shop for help.
CC

strock 

^^^^^^^ Good call, CC . I'll bet you're right. That would explain the "glue."

MichaelW

Check which kind of stem you have, threaded/quill or threadless and use the appropriate adjustment method.
If you try to adjust using the wrong method, your bars may come off and you will crash and die, horribly.

lostarchitect 

It sounds like the OP has a quill stem, and has dropped the expansion nut down into the steerer tube. I'd bet the "glue" is actually just grease.

OP, You probably loosened up the bolt too much, and the expansion nut fell off. take the stem out and turn the bike upside down, and see if a small round expansion bolt drops out. You may need to fish around in there with some wire or something to get it out. When it comes out, thread it back onto the bolt in the stem--the narrower part of the round nut faces up. You can then re-install the stem. If you wiped off the grease, put some more on before you reinstall it. Then tighten the bolt up.

edit: I didn't realize Cross Creek told you basically the same thing above. Between the two of us, you should know what to do now.