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Determine if riser bar is bent?

Old 06-21-21, 03:10 PM
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rosefarts
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Determine if riser bar is bent?

I had a silly wreck a bit ago, ended up with baggy shorts stuck to my seat while gravity decided my momentum and angle of ascent wasn’t going to work.

Two days ago I had to do 10 miles of road miles to get to a meeting spot after a ride. Probably the first time I’ve ever been “still” on the bike.

The right side looks further in than the left. The right side took the impact in the previously mentioned backwards endo. Not much but I can certainly see it.

First thing I checked was the stem. It looks as straight as I can eyeball.

The handlebars haven’t moved within the clamp, as there was pretty obvious sun fade.

No ripple or stress marks. Nothing I can feel or see.

Maybe the stem surface is off.

Its a cheap bontrager setup, I suppose it’s been off forever and I just noticed.

I don’t mind getting a new stem and handlebar but not if I can’t determine if it’s bent.
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Old 06-21-21, 03:29 PM
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Can you place a straight edge against the face of the stem and measure to the handlebar ends on each side?
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Old 06-21-21, 03:59 PM
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How much left to right can you turn the fork? Seems like you'd be able watch the center of the cap screw for the stem and note if it orbits instead of staying dead center when you turn the fork to it's extremes.

Might help to have the bike frame clamped to something to keep it still.
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Old 06-21-21, 04:19 PM
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I’ve been looking at every angle I can think of. I’m pretty sure the stem is off at the handlebar clamp. Not by much, enough that in a year I never noticed, but now that I know, I can’t unsee it.
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Old 06-21-21, 04:25 PM
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Then keep your eyes looking down the road where they should be. Does it ride funny or cause any issues?
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Old 06-21-21, 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
Then keep your eyes looking down the road where they should be. Does it ride funny or cause any issues?
Of course not.

I see two issues though. First is that if there is some unseen stress on the bar, that failure would end up in major injuries. I really hammer the thing.

The other is that I try to ride really far away from anything. A failure of this sort could leave me walking in the woods for hours, while possibly quite badly injured too. Sounds unpleasant.

The stem has the narrowest clamp I’ve ever seen. Even narrower than any of my road bikes. I never liked that design, seems weak.

All together, it was enough for me to talk myself into a new stem and handlebar. I’ll get a chance to experiment with wider bars too (787mm vs 690mm)
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Old 06-22-21, 12:03 AM
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Pictures?
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Old 06-22-21, 07:50 AM
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Originally Posted by rosefarts
Of course not.

I see two issues though. First is that if there is some unseen stress on the bar, that failure would end up in major injuries. I really hammer the thing.

The other is that I try to ride really far away from anything. A failure of this sort could leave me walking in the woods for hours, while possibly quite badly injured too. Sounds unpleasant.

The stem has the narrowest clamp I’ve ever seen. Even narrower than any of my road bikes. I never liked that design, seems weak.

All together, it was enough for me to talk myself into a new stem and handlebar. I’ll get a chance to experiment with wider bars too (787mm vs 690mm)
I think I was imagining the wrong thing. You title had riser bar and I was thinking of an extender tube for the steerer tube. However I'm now thinking you are talking about riser handlebars.

But anytime something is bent, you have a chance it started a weak spot for a later fracture. Though stuff on a bike can tolerate some additional bending. How much, who knows. So if it's in a place you can't see, like under the wrap or clamps, then you probably are better off replacing. Though I'd probably wait till I noticed something tangible. Even if it's my face hitting the pavement after it snaps.
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