Aligning Handlebar With Wheels
07-05-18, 03:54 PM
#26
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Because the stem is in the way of getting the edge of the square directly over the tire. Viewed from the side, the tire is no longer a straight line but a curve. You can't align a line with a curve.
07-05-18, 05:35 PM
#28
Advocatus Diaboli
Hmmm.. I would think the first thing that has to be established, is how do you first determine that the front wheel is pointing straight ahead?
EDIT: and oh yeah.. and do you want your handlebars aligned perfectly if you have an arm-length discrepancy?
EDIT: and oh yeah.. and do you want your handlebars aligned perfectly if you have an arm-length discrepancy?
07-06-18, 04:28 AM
#29
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Looking down from the top, beside the stem, there's barely an inch and a half of space between the edge of the tire and the square's edge, not much parallax, not much curve. Move the square to the other side, then compare the difference. Not much to it.
07-06-18, 04:48 AM
#30
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Use a drywall square, line up long edge along top tube to saddle.
07-06-18, 05:47 AM
#31
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I think if you use the method I suggested it doesn't matter if the wheel is pointed straight ahead relative to the frame. If the lengths of string from stem to each hood are equal, the wheel will be "vertical" relative to the bars. By "vertical" I'm really saying 90 degrees.
07-06-18, 05:51 AM
#32
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FWIW you can hang the bike from the front wheel and let gravity work for you.
07-06-18, 06:47 AM
#33
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last time I set up my road bike I used a 6 ft level, placed it on top of the seat and on the center of the stem
used blocks to align both wheels with the straight edge, then once everything was straight, used another square to the side of the level to get the handle bars straight, and made the seat straight.
once everything was in line, I measured from the front point of the seat to both hoods, and made the two measurements the same.
it was a lot of work, but now everything on the bike is straight, and lined up with the wheels
used blocks to align both wheels with the straight edge, then once everything was straight, used another square to the side of the level to get the handle bars straight, and made the seat straight.
once everything was in line, I measured from the front point of the seat to both hoods, and made the two measurements the same.
it was a lot of work, but now everything on the bike is straight, and lined up with the wheels
07-06-18, 07:24 AM
#34
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Wifey crashed the other day & twisted her wheel/bar alignment. grabbed the wheel with my knees then firmly gave the bars a quick twist to align them. no back & forth. I'll take another look whenever she gets back on that horse
07-06-18, 09:05 AM
#35
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But too much to make a line and a curve parallel. And impractical if your bar has as 31.8 bulge, front or rear cables or any other non-straight shape.
07-06-18, 09:07 AM
#36
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Also, with quill stems I think you'd run into difficulties in keeping the stem at the right height with that method.
07-06-18, 02:00 PM
#38
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Me too. I straddle the tire and move it until it looks perfect with one eye closed. I partially tighten it. I get on the bike as best I can in a stationary position and eyeball it with one eye closed, and move it until it looks perfect. I tighten everything down and get on and it's nearly always clearly slightly off. Too slight, I live with it. Not slight enough, I loosen everything and start over.
07-06-18, 02:16 PM
#39
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Me too. I straddle the tire and move it until it looks perfect with one eye closed. I partially tighten it. I get on the bike as best I can in a stationary position and eyeball it with one eye closed, and move it until it looks perfect. I tighten everything down and get on and it's nearly always clearly slightly off. Too slight, I live with it. Not slight enough, I loosen everything and start over.
07-06-18, 02:23 PM
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07-06-18, 03:07 PM
#41
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Me too. I straddle the tire and move it until it looks perfect with one eye closed. I partially tighten it. I get on the bike as best I can in a stationary position and eyeball it with one eye closed, and move it until it looks perfect. I tighten everything down and get on and it's nearly always clearly slightly off. Too slight, I live with it. Not slight enough, I loosen everything and start over.
I know I mentioned OCD but that's probably a bit of an exaggeration but it just annoys me so thought I'd see if anyone has a simple way of getting it spot on.
Loads of other tips though I've picked up like using one eye instead of 2 so thank you to everyone for their input
07-06-18, 03:20 PM
#42
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OMG. I can't believe I'm posting to this one. Seriously, this is so easy. The fork doesn't even have to be in alignment with the frame -- it simply doesn't matter.
Stand over the top tube, look beyond the handlebar down to the front axle, drop out, fender eyelet, whatever. Align the bar evenly (parallel) with the farthest point you can visualize on the fork. Done. It helps if you use one eye and make sure the bar is parallel looking down from each side of the stem.
-Kedosto
(slightly off parallel to the left because my left arm is slightly shorter than my right)
Stand over the top tube, look beyond the handlebar down to the front axle, drop out, fender eyelet, whatever. Align the bar evenly (parallel) with the farthest point you can visualize on the fork. Done. It helps if you use one eye and make sure the bar is parallel looking down from each side of the stem.
-Kedosto
(slightly off parallel to the left because my left arm is slightly shorter than my right)
07-06-18, 04:45 PM
#43
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Thread Starter
[QUOTE=Kedosto;20432665] it simply doesn't matter.
/QUOTE]
F**&-g does when you're OCD about it
/QUOTE]
F**&-g does when you're OCD about it
07-06-18, 07:11 PM
#44
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FWIW I always just eyeball it.
07-06-18, 10:13 PM
#45
Senior Member
I use one of those park tool handlebar holder thingies. You know, so the bars don't swing when you're working on your bike. That aligns the handlebars to the frame, then I align the wheel to the frame by touch. Meaning actually feeling with my fingers that it's centered on the down tube. No parallax error, no monkeying around. Takes 2 seconds.
07-06-18, 10:18 PM
#46
Farmer tan
It's so simple, I can get it right with both eyes closed.
However, I do have a 6ft straightedge I place against both wheels simultaneously to check their alignment after tightening the QR. Sometimes they're not aligned on their own.
However, I do have a 6ft straightedge I place against both wheels simultaneously to check their alignment after tightening the QR. Sometimes they're not aligned on their own.
07-07-18, 06:08 AM
#47
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Incredible thread! So many solutions to such a simple adjustment! I am surprised one doesn't include a transit, though the laser was close!
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07-07-18, 03:35 PM
#48
Senior Member
I always eyeball. If this doesn't work, take off your front wheel, brace a straight edge against the front of your fork blades, sight down your handlebars to the straight edge, align the tops of the bars with the straight edge with one eye closed, job done.
07-07-18, 10:24 PM
#49
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Me too. I straddle the tire and move it until it looks perfect with one eye closed. I partially tighten it. I get on the bike as best I can in a stationary position and eyeball it with one eye closed, and move it until it looks perfect. I tighten everything down and get on and it's nearly always clearly slightly off. Too slight, I live with it. Not slight enough, I loosen everything and start over.
That I find is the key for me- your hands AND your eyes working together will tell you when you start to move it whether it's equal or not. Then loosen, fine tune, try again, crank it down. Maybe not 100%, but functionally usable and if not wanting to use a string method kind of measurement as mentioned above, this will essentially do it.
07-07-18, 10:44 PM
#50
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As for the handlebars, I used to think I did a pretty good job by eye but it turns out I’ve got astigmatism. So here’s a countervailing theory. Is it important that it be perfect?
