Rubber mallet.... And handlebar plug/sprintech mirror
 

So I bought a sprintech mirror (http://www.amazon.com/Sprintech-Drop.../dp/B0028YBQQI) from my local LBS and had a bit of trouble installing them after taking the handlebar plug off my drop bar. After getting it 2/3rds of the way in he suggests and uses a mallet to get it in. After a few strikes its on.

Just was kinda awe at use of a mallet on my road bike. The drop bars appear fine - not visibly ruptured (they are aluminum). Is the use of a mallet normal on installs like this?! Maybe I'm paranoid - it's a mallet after all.

Should I be looking at anything else in regard to damage (could the effects propagate elsewhere?)?

Thanks

I have Sprintech mirrors on 3 bikes.
I've always pushed them in with my bare hand.

A RUBBER mallot has some definite uses on a bike - one of them being inserting SOME bar plugs in hybrid or mtb bars. But I have SprinTech mirrors myself and can insert them ny hand. Its possible the bartape wasn't installed to 'best practices' and there was too much tape stuffed inside the end of the bars. Using a mallot isn't an ideal solution, but possibly the alternative would be retaping the bars. If the rubber mirror mounts weren't damaged there's no reason to suspect damage to anything else.

It's a rubber mallet, and you used it on an bar without a dolly. If the wedging action of driving an oversize plug in didn't split the bar, there's no reason to worry about other stuff.

Now when you bring out the 4# stone cutter's mallet, then you need to be very careful.

Thanks for the guidance!

Didn't know how typical mallets were used on bikes in general. Remembering back to the event in question, there did seem to be much tape stuffed inside the end of the bars. Mirror mounts seem fine, they don't move of course.

If you need a mallet to install the mirror, how in the world are you going to get it out?

Very carefully :-/

There is a spot that could be leverage to slip it out. Hopefully that will work.

Yea, I had to tap mine in with a rubber mallet too. I also removed it recently, and was just able to pull and twist aggressively to get it out. Made me think that i could have muscled it in too, but I use a rubber mallet a lot and just don't mess around - pick it up and use it. That's why the call it a tool (they sometimes call me a tool too...)