Wednesday
21Mar2007
Aligning Handlebars
Wed, March 21, 2007 
It can sometimes be difficult to get your handlebars aligned square with the front wheel; especially if the handlebar stem is tapered. Here is the way I always do it.
Hold the square end of a twelve-inch steel ruler against the center ferule of the handlebars, this gives you the long edge of the ruler to sight up with the edge of the front tire.
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Bike Tech
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Reader Comments (6)
I worked at bike shops for 13 years, and always had trouble with that one.
My tuppence worth... I'll try your method the next time I need to. May I tell you the method I was shown years ago? I was shown that if you hold the bars, turn the wheel slightly towards you and look down the straightest part of the forks, then shift your eyes to the stem and the line that takes with the front tyre - somehow you can now see if the bars are properly aligned. I have just found your blog. I like that it is about bikes from the British perspective and other things you write about. I would so like to be able to write like you...
Hold on - I've just tried that out to see if I was making it up, and I'm not so sure what the forks have to do with it. If you hold your bike, turn the wheel towards you you can then see both the front of the tyre and the back (the part behind the forks) which gives the eye a much longer straight line to align the stem with. I've got a feeling I've been prattling on too much...
Or you can just convince yourself one arm is a little longer then the other and not sweat it if it's off a smidge...