adjusting handle bars on kid's bike
 

Hello,

My son has a Murray "Blast off" children's bike. He is getting taller, so some adjustments are in order. We were able to raise the seat up no problem. But I can't figure out how to raise the handle bars up. A little piece sort of "unscrewed" from the base, but then nothing happened. Are the handle bars themselves supposed to "unscrew"? Or do I need to yank harder? Or is there something else I need to "un-do" before they will come up? I tried to find a website for Murray to get help from them, and I couldn't find anything.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

Cindy

Murray is part of Pacific cycles, Try here:

For all other brands and other service related issues please call 1-800-626-2811 or e-mail us at CustomerService@pacific-cycle.com

thanks ghost!
 

I just sent them an e-mail!

Inexpensive kids bikes use a traditional quill stem to hold the handlebars. There should be a bolthead at the top of the stem that extends into the fork. This is probably what you loosened. There is a wedge at the bottom of the stem connected to that bolt. After you loosen it up a bit, take a hammer and tap it down and the wedge will release and let you raise the stem up.

Two cautions. Don't unscrew the bolt all the way or you'll have to remove the stem completely and fish out the wedge to rethread it back on the bolt. And make sure you do not raise the stem up too far. there is a minimum insertion line scribed around the stem. Keep that line inside the fork.

Are you sure you need to raise them? Kids bikes come with the bars too high and too close to the seat. I bought a mountain bike for my 8 yr old grand daughter and I had to replace the bars and stem to lower the bars to get a correct back angle. The second day she had it, her first real bike and she's only been riding for 6-months, she climbed a half mile hill at about a 15% or more grade with out stopping, with a lousy granny gear (couldn't get better cogs) and out of the saddle. That would have been impossible with high bars.

Kids bikes are too limiting and no fun and therefore non motivational.

Al

Handlebar height generally has very limited adjustability, and most new bikes are sold with the handlebars already set as high as they will go without changing parts.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/handsup

Another poster mentioned that most kids' bikes come with the bars too high, and this is correct. The bars are not "too low" unless they are lower than the saddle.

I'm worried about the "little piece sort of "unscrewed" from the base"...if you haven"t determined what this is and re-attached it properly, the bike is likely very dangerous to ride...the handlebar stem could suddenly come free from the fork, leading to an instant crash.

Sheldon "Fitting" Brown