What should you do if you realize that your BMX handlebars are very loose? One of the most frustrating things to BMX riders is when the handlebars becomes loose when riding. Believe us, we’ve been there. Buying the perfect set of handlebars to find them slipping when performing tricks. This happens when you have not installed the bar tightly on the stem. Sometimes it results when the handlebar and the step do not match. Riding such a bike can be very difficult because you will always have problems when trying to control the bike. Again, it can be very dangerous and can lead to serious accidents. However, this article will outline the steps you should follow when tightening a loose BMX handlebar.
Method 1
Step 1
The first thing you should do is to check the design of your BMX bike’s stem. You should verify whether the clamp contains a single pinch-style bolt or a pair of bolts that holds the removable faceplate. Most of the BMX bikes contain a faceplate which has 4 bolts.
Step 2
Straddle the front wheel and then center the handlebars horizontally. Ensure that they are positioned correctly. They should be positioned equally on both sides of the stem. After this, you should now tigheten the single pinch bolt gently using a 6mm Allen wrench for a double faceplate bolts or a 5mm Allen wrench for double faceplate bolts. However, you should be very keen to avoid over tightening. You should ensure that there is an additional rotational adjustment as the bars maintains a horizontal position.
Step 3
Rotate the BMX handlebars in such a way that the drops are in a horizontal position to the ground. Finish tightening the bolts and then rotate the Allen key tightly on the pinch-style bolt. Tighten the paired faceplate bolts uniformly in such a way that there will be a little gap between the end of the stem and the faceplate. Tighten the bolts using a 6 mm Allen wrench. You can crisscross the two diagonal bolts then move to the other two so that you can keep the torque equal.
Method 2
One of reason that might cause the handlebar to be loose is when you have not tightened the clamp equally. This might also result from hard impacts. One of the best solutions is to replace both the stem and the handlebar. You will need to remove the handlebar so that you can confirm whether the clamp area is round or not. You can use a caliper when doing this. If it is round, you should reinstall. You should do this using an X pattern and ensure that the clamp tighten uniformly.
Conclusion
There is nothing more frustrating than using a loose BMX handlebar. You may not be able to control the bike effectively and it will affect the speed. However, it is something you can change if you know how to go about it and also if you have the right tools. The good thing is that you can easily tighten the handlebar even without involving an expert. Just follow the above steps and you will be good to go.
Sources:
1.How to Fix a Loose and Rotating Bicycle Handlebar – Post by LiveStrong
