Bent handlebars... now what?
 

So I went on a group ride yesterday after a week off (been busy). I was clipped in when I came to a crosswalk and was leaning with my left arm stretched out to push the crosswalk button when I realized both of my feet were still attached to the bike, and down I went. My chain came off, but I got it back on. I checked everything and the bike seemed fine... at least until about 2 minutes ago.

I went on the normal 30ish group ride that we had that day without any issue (there was a fairly strong headwind, so it was tough naturally), but I just checked my bike today in preparation for tomorrow's group ride, and I found that my handlebar/shifter is bent inward! Can this be fixed relatively inexpensively/cheaply/quick? Should I try to still bike with it bent like that, or just go take it to get fixed first?

Pics:
http://img35.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=img7175o.jpg


(And while it may seem hard to tell, I fell on my left side, so while from the pictures it looks like the left side is fine, but the right side seems to be bending outward, the right side was not damaged... at least I hope not, and the left side is bent inwards).

Is the actual bar bent? Or is your brifter turned in?

If the former, you might want to get it checked. If the latter, then push or pull the brifter in the direction you want it to go.

Edit*What he said^*
You sure it's not just the shifter thats rotated? Grab a hold onto the shifter and try to twist it back into position.

Yeah that is fine it just looks like itss the shifter.

Lift the hood up and you'll find the chanell for the allen wrench to loosen it< straighten then retighten.

The right one looks like it might be inward a hair too.

It doesnt matter if you bend the bars, just keep you shifters straight. You can get a decet set of bars pretty cheap too. Dont bother getting sweet carbn ones till you stop tipping over too. I got easton EA70 bars and new tape than felll twice int he same weekend. Thank fully they didnt hit the ground though....

Thanks for the quick responses. I managed to straight it for the most part, but the left brifter is still slightly bent (i.e., I've tried to twist it as "straight" as I can but it is still pointing a little bit inwards). I think it's straight and safe enough for me to ride tomorrow, will take it to the LBS just in case though for them to take a look at it.

Thanks again!

I'm riding a beater '80s Nishiki with bent bars. Asside from some mil discomfort on my commute, no issue.

But your bar isn't going to bend from a minor fall. It's going to take a little more force to bend your bars. Like ramming your bike into a boulder so hard that the bike lands after you do.

Anyways, Even if your bars were bent...bend'em back. Non-structural. Doesn't matter.

Shimano shifters take a longish 5 mm allen wrench under the hood to loosen. Once you get it replaced, resist the temptation to really crank down on the mounting bolt. On a fall like the one you had you want the brifter to give rather than break.

Handlebars are non-structural? Ah well, either way... at least aluminum is fracture tolerant, right?!:(

just push the brifter back out and check the clamp bolt. my question is... you stopped and were reaching for the crosswalk button with your left hand? were you riding on the sidwalk or riding against traffic? boit of which is technically wrong (although I must admit a short 100yrd dash along a shoulder is much easier to end my ride than dealing with a complicated insection)

I was riding with the traffic on the sidewalk on my way to meet up with my group, and was to the right of the traffic pole that had the button to cross to my left. And thus, reaching to press it with my left hand with my left foot still clipped in, I fell.

If the bar is bent into a pretzel, obviously you are not going to bend it back.

But if it is bent a few degrees in, it is, as far as I can tell, fine to bend it back. I can't see an aluminum tube like a handle bar fracturing, cracking, or any other assorted nastiness, from a small, light bend.

Aluminum will fail, especially if bent and doubly so if re-bent. Aluminum tubes fail all the time from "small, light" bends. Replacement bars can be had for $30; why even risk it?

http://web.mit.edu/jsoltren/www/hand...umbnails/4.jpg

I'm a bit confused here.

You're saying that if it is mildly bent, it should be replaced, rather than bent back...because it is bound to break, at some point in the indefinite future?

And you link to a page about a 6061 Aluminum bar breaking, even though it had not been bent (atleast never expressed through the author's words).

The broken bar you linked to, failed either due to a manufacturing defect that was worked to the point of destruction over the course of an unknown amount of years. Or it was work hardened and failed...over the course of an unknown amount of years.

I will concede that yes, the bar is weakened, and will not last as long as an un-bent bar. But however long that is, neither I, nor you, can tell.

Personally, I'd be fine with riding on a bent/unbent bar for quite some time. Unless it showed obvious signs of significant damage (Cracking, stretch marks, any sort of buckling/kinking).

Oh, and why even risk it? My bike, as it stands now is $30. I'm broke. I'll take the slim risk of my bar breaking to save myself the $30 I don't have to spend on it.

Course...it is a good excuse to upgrade if you so feel like it.

Exactly. Bending it back is just going to stress it further, and once a tube is out of round it can't be trusted. I realize your bars seem fine (are they steel or aluminum?) but why risk a thousand dollars of dental work over a $30 handlebar? Cracking or buckling may not be evident, especially if your bars are wrapped in tape.

Neither of us can tell from the OP's picture whether his bars are bent.

Mine are aluminum, and the bent ones from my Surly that I'm swapping on are aluminum (dead surly cannibalism, yes, I really am that cheap).

But I'm wondering if we have differing views on "mild bend"? I'm talking a couple degrees, maybe 2-5 degrees out. Any more, and I'd probably consider the bars far too weakened to trust.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...7_1024x768.jpg

Is what I am riding with right now. I've yanked the left lever back into position a bit, but the bar is definitely bent. Am I afraid to ride this near 30 year old bar? Nope...but I am replacing it. Too small for me.

Much more of a bend though, the kind you can see with the slightest glance? Yes. Totally agree. Bin it, swap it. Save your face (literally).

Eh, I can agree with that. If you can see it, scrap 'em. If you can't see it, is it really there? :innocent: