Steering Components

Article 3

Steering a bicycle is done more by shifting your weight than by turning your handlebars. It doe not work like an automobile. The handlebar, seat and pedals must be securely attached to the frame of the bike to make the bike steer well. The height of the handlebar stem and the seat post should always be fastened so that their minimum insertion line is not visible.

The front fork and handlebars should be tight and lined up properly with the front wheel to allow the bike to travel a straight path. Recently my neighbor Jim who owns the book store here in Moultrie brought over two bicycles for me to repair. Both were high end Mountain Bikes. One was a Janus and had been in a wreck. The front tire did not line up with the handlebars.

This is a very easy repair as long as there is no major damage which you can even do when you are out on the trail. If you have the proper wrench it makes it much easier. You can often do this repair without any tools. If you have a wrench that fits, you simply loosen the handlebars from the bike. Hold the front tire; align the front end so that your front tire is at a 90 degree angle to your handlebars. Then tighten up the screw, on most newer model bikes this will be a large Allen Screw. If you have no tools you can often simply hold the front wheel between your legs and jerk the handlebar into position.

Also make sure the seat is good and tight and the pedals are in good condition. My wife and I were out on a ride one day. I usually ride behind her because if I ride in front I tend to go too fast and lose her. This day we were climbing a small hill when one of her pedals literally broke off. I was told she was a victim of pedal shear. This simply means that when the pedal was made it probably had some defect and stress over time caused it to shear off at the post right where it went into the crank arm. She fell, hurt her shoulder and had to go get an x-ray to make sure everything was OK. Checking your pedals on a regular basis should be automatic, but it is something that most riders never do, unless they have a problem. Since this little incident, I check pedals before every ride.

You may know that my grandson races BMX as a 9 Year Old Rookie. Before each State Qualifying Race he has to have his bike checked. One of the things they check is the pedals. Can you imagine a pedal shearing off during a race? That could be real bad.

Check any bolt, nut or anything that looks like it might need tightened, tighten loose bolts. If anything comes loose during a ride it could fly under a tire give you a flat and then you need to go back to article one in this series.

Check especially for looseness in the front and headset bearings, tighten as needed or if severe you may need to take it to a shop and have them replaced. It never hurts to be a little too careful when it comes to maintenance. If you aren’t sure get a shop to look your bike over. I have my main racing bike and my mountain bike checked by a real shop annually. It cost 45.00 and they do a great job at Cycle World in Albany Georgia. I am sure you can find a good shop near you that will be happy to go over your bike and make sure it is in top working condition.

Watch for the next article which will be coming out soon. We will be discussing the brakes.

By: Jerry Goodwin