Problem putting bike back together (Help me)
 

Hello, I've had my bike from teenage years in the garage with the wheels off for a few years now.
Put it all together and instantly remembered why it was in storage. The handlebars either move without the wheel turning or the handlebars get REALLY hard to turn (with the wheel ofc). Its a matter of maybe a quarter turn on the top bolt from loose to tight, there's no in-between.
I think when I was younger I pulled a wheel bearing from somewhere in frame between the handlebars and the forks, but cant seem to the get forks out anyways.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Its a Berg Stuka 9.1 or 9.2 (Probably 10 years old now, and maybe even only available in portugal and spain , not sure,but just so you can google a reference picture).
If you want photos I'll snap some , just let me know of what!
Cheers

Top bolt shouldn't be too tight on threadless stem, the side bolts should be.

Welcome to Bike Forums.

With you not recalling exactly what you did, I see a bike store visit in your future.

Barry

If the handlebars turn without turning the wheel, then that means the clamp bolts are loose. Stop messing around with the compression bolt.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ab214ddd33.jpg

If you removed a bearing between the handlebars and forks, this would be one of the headset bearings. Without it, things will never be correct, and are likely to be dangerous.

My suggestion...Get help from a bike shop.

Sounds like a basic problem. Bike shop recommendations are on the money. You may want to brush up on basic mechanical functions of different parts of a bike. A couple of good sites are: Home Page | Park Tool and Sheldon Brown-Bicycle Technical Information

Unless you are really up on bike mechanics, headsets are not to be messed with. Make a mistake here and it may be the last one you make.

Take it to a bike shop.

Questions are... Do you have hands? Do you know the right end of a screw driver? Do you like fixing things?

Evidently ya took it apart then lost momentum in the rebuild. Wow, we all do that. Sometimes these things get lost to antiquity. Like my 1965 650 Guppy Bonneville still sitting in three boxes under my Mom's old house.

I get so much fulfillment fixing my own bikes that I could not imagine taking my bike to a shop for repairs. But taking it to a shop is probably the fastest way to get ya ridding again. (Edit: Nope... The way things are going I am pretty sure your can fix this yourself faster then taking it to a shop). You will also need a detailed inspection of your tubes and tires.

Most modern shops now days will see fresh meat coming in the door. Their objective being, sell a new bike, or at least, true wheels and replace tires, tubes, cables and on and on. My suggestion is watch a few Youtubes. Put that head set back together. Check those tires and tubes closely. Get out the can of WD-40 and hit it hard till its dripping (one of the few times WD-40 is useful). Now your ready to test, not ride, just test... fun, Fun, FUN!

There is really no need to 'take it to the bike shop'. This is one of the easiest things to do on a bike- and the OP evidently already has the required Allen wrenches. Just watch the videos and follow along.
The stem is something you will have to change once or twice to get the bike fit dialed in. You need to learn to do this one yourself. Just like replacing the tubes or lowering/raising the seat. You need to learn to do these things yourself at a minimum.

Sounds like the guy has already lost a headset bearing. If he had all the parts, I’d be in the DIY camp. As it stands, take it to a shop and have it reassembled correctly.

"Most modern shops now days will see fresh meat coming in the door. Their objective being, sell a new bike, or at least, true wheels and replace tires, tubes, cables and on and on."

This is simply not true for most bike shops in most markets. It may be the person's individual experience, however it is certainly an over-statement. Most shops are overly helpful and throw good-will at customers, especially noobs who have started on the process of learning to maintain their own bike. I know from first hand experience this to be the case as I have worked in half a dozen shops over the past 40 years and every one of them, with the exception of one, did more for the customer than they were obligated to do. It is one of the many reasons why the retail bike industry has a long history of sub-par wages.

OP is not in the US but Portugal.

​​​​​​https://issuu.com/bicistore/docs/berg_2012

First off .... threaded or threadless headset? Anybody know?

Second ... missing bearing? Not an adjustment issue, eh? Not sure how any of you guys' bikes work, but every bike I have ever owned had upper and lower bearings for the headset. I cannot see any other way it would work. So .... "Loosen this, tighten that" is pretty lame advice.

Third .... I don't care what a salesperson wants to sell me. I am not a child, and I am only half an idiot. If I go to a store to buy a thing, that is what I buy. I do not go for a spare tube and come home with a dozen new bikes ... or even a new tire. If this guy goes to a bike shop to get his bike fixed, and comes home with a new bike ... i will sell him a thousand dreams and wishes all at a bargain price.

Or maybe, he has done permanent damage to the bike and it is simply not worth fixing. Who knows how he got the bearing out, or from where or what all went on back a decade ago? We could be advising him to tighten the stem bolts when he has a threaded steerer and no stem bolts and also no lower headset, while the top headset is rusted, pitted and seized. We simply do not know enough to make a diagnosis.

I was told once that if a doctor starts writing a prescription before asking questions and then making an examination, leave the office before he finishes writing.

This guy should probably not get any more advice about this bike on this site.

OP posted 4 days ago and hasn’t been active since shortly after the post. Just sayin’.

So .... he tried to fix his bike according to the advice given here and ........

Clearly he has no idea what he is doing. There are people, a lot of them, who should not be wrenching on anything, ever. Some of these people ride bikes and while they may be able to ride a bike, they should not try repairing them.

You sound allied with Big LBS. :D

I've been with guys who can't put a tube in to save their lives. I've seen people who can't operate simple tools. I don't know if the OP is one of those people but I don't think he should be working on his headset without someone there helping.

One time I had to change the tube of the President of my local club or we would have been in for a long delay.

I think the OP is trolling, but that’s beside the point.

Why jump automatically to questioning motives? Who are any of us, to judge what’s in somebody else’s head?


They’re also quite simple. It’s easy to tell if it’s right, no hidden faults. Don’t fall prey to fear.

The OP needs to read what you, I and others here have written in order to make that decision.

While I consider myself mechanically inclined to some degree, I also realize sooner or later, there will be an issue I will need the help of someone who does mechanical repairs everyday.

Headsets for one, is an item that if you get it wrong, can have catastophic results. While I have the knowledge for this, I don't do it everyday and would still want a second set of eyes to double check something like a headset. It has nothing to do with questioning motives or falling prey to fear.

We want to live to cycle another day.

...he must have decided that he liked this other forum's advice better. Less conflict and drama.

.
...FWIW, it looks like a (kind of) low end ATB with front suspension. It's entirely possible that this repair has an economics component.

I have a good friend who is very skilled custom cabinet maker. With tools for wood, he is brilliant. With tools for bikes, he is a catastrophe. He's been riding bikes for 40+ years.

That's how every one of us started out. The forum exists so we can help people learn to do these things.