How to Properly Set Handlebars on a Bicycle
Different types of bicycle handlebars, from track to BMX, adjust in different ways. Each set of handlebars has a stem that attaches the bars to the steering column. One bolt in the front of the stem, called the "binder bolt," clamps down on the handlebars proper. The bolt in the back of the stem, called the "stem wedge bolt," clamps onto the steering column. You loosen it to adjust the height and center the handlebars with the front wheel.
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Instructions
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Road Bike
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1
Loosen the binder bolt. Modern stems require an Allen wrench instead of an adjustable wrench to avoid stripping and unnecessary weight.
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2
Turn the bars so the flat bottoms slope slightly upward. Modern bars may not have a flat section at the bottom, so you'd use the brake housing to judge the right angle. In that case, the bottom hand position should stretch out your back and arms a little more than riding on the brake hoods would.
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3
Tighten the binder bolt. If your binder bolt is actually multiple bolts, tighten each one a little as you crisscross from one to another; this is so the tightening itself doesn't shift the bars.
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4
Loosen the stem wedge bolt, raise the step to the point where the top of the handlebars are about an inch below the top of the saddle (2 to 3 inches if you compete), and then tighten the bolt again, centering the bars on the front wheel while doing so.
Hybrid or Mountain Bike
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5
Loosen the binder bolt.
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6
Turn the bars so the brake levers are at a 45-degree angle from level. This gives you maximum leverage when braking.
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7
Tighten the binder bolt.
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8
Loosen the stem wedge bolt, raise the stem to the point where the center-top of the handlebars are the same height as the top of the saddle, and then tighten the bolt again, centering the bars on the front wheel while doing so.
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Tips & Warnings
There may be a cover over the binder bolt if you have a more modern stem. This sort of stem will have three bolts in the back instead of two. Two bolts clamp onto a vertical piece that rests inside the steering column. To raise and lower the handlebars, loosen just the two bolts, not the third.
