if you are facing problems like loose handle bar shorter or longer reach or generally any problem related to mountain bike handle bars this article may help you save the day for you.
also the dissatisfactory problems of the handlebar that created in your bike, you want to remove such kind of issues at any place or on your home without the need of any local mechanic will help you and guide you, you will be able to remove and fix the handlebar.
Basic parts of the handlebar:
firstly you will need a multibar toolkit for the mountain bike even if you going offroad remember always take your toolkit in a small bag hanging on your bike because for safety measures your bike may create any kind of problem in any area you will be able to solve the unexpected scene that matters. because a lot of time happened with me my bike needed preparing and I was unable to fix it because I have missed the tools I did not carry with me.
The handlebar of a mountain bike contains two grips, levers, clamp bolts, brakes, stem body, bearings, and fork tube through which the whole bike is connected with its different parts.
every mountain biker will surely know these parts of the handlebar, Now You want to open up the handlebar because you like another handlebar you thought that I want to replace my handlebar, or if your handlebar created any noisy sound which is known as a noisy headset and if your Bar became creaked, Here is the article that I discussed clearly because I used the same method for my bike to open and fix the handlebar accurately.
first of all, you had to remove both the grips of the handlebar if you have any difficulty in removing both the grips I will explain how grips should be removed.
Removing the grips of the handlebar:
You may think that you will remove the grips through your hands by pulling and twisting then remember actually it’s most difficult sometimes. Because the grips are firmly tight and even do not move from their place. I have experienced many times it’s most beneficial that you are on your way uphills and downhills and these grips do not move at all and these are helpful for your wrists you are focusing on the path by holding these grips.
There are many tricks for removing the grips, The trick that I often use for my bike to remove grips is that
firstly lose the bolts of the lever of both brakes, reposition the brakes to the middle of the bar, Now you have good access to reach to the edge of both grips, Follow the next step take a proper wrench, lose its jaws and wrap a tap to both of its jaws also in the mid part, Bring this wrench in the mid of the handlebar and apply a hammering force at the edge of the grip, you will notice the grip is repositioning and slowly moving from its place do the same pulling and backing force as far as the grip will leave the handlebar.
The diameter of the grips of all the mountain bikes is the same.
Opening of the stem
After removing the grips, lose the lever of the brakes and remove both the brakes from the handlebar. Open the four middle bolts of the stem body holding the tube. Remember, place these bolts in some safe place so that you could not lose them. Brakes have been removed now the handlebar is set free you can easily remove the pipe by rolling.
Replacing the handlebar
Most riders choose different types of handlebars according to their riding styles, it depends on the wrist of the forearm, handlebars vary in size, they have different sizes and diameters. Riders may choose different sizes and different shapes in the length of the handlebars so that they may feel easy and comfortable for long rides.
You want to insert a new handlebar you own with different widths, rise, Upsweep, and Back sweep. Bars are usually made up of different materials containing carbon, aluminum, steel and carbon, and titanium. The pro riders will know the properties of these materials because these also vary in size, diameter. You can measure their sizer with a caliper. The same method is applied for the removal of the bar as I discussed above.
Some bars may contain an electronic wire system, you should remove the wire from the handlebar and then insert the new handlebar. the diameter of the bar and the stem should be the same and then apply the bolts and fix it.
Loosing of the handlebar
The main problem today we discuss is the loose handlebar of your bike, you had gone on long rides and now your bike handlebar became flexible it started moving back and front. As happens when we ride on mountain bikes off-road we noticed that sometimes our handlebar becomes weak and it starts shaking. it brings fear of falling. So if you press the front brake it makes a noisy sound and the whole handlebar moves forward and front and back so we imagine the presence of any fault in the handlebar.
Fixing of the loose handlebar
To solve this problem, you have to take a multibar tool kit, through which you can open up entirely the bolts of the handlebar and its connected parts that I have discussed above. Firstly you should remove the cap of the stem body. Open the bolt of the cap through the tool. Now open the four bolts of the stem body. Suddenly your handle starts moving around, you may notice the chances of falling off the bar. Remove the handlebar from both hands thoroughly from the fork tube. Some riders use pacers surrounding the tube, these are actually used for the height of the handlebar.
Probably the loosening occurs due to the weakness of the headset. it’s very easy to fix it. The handlebar contains a headtube in which two bearings are present in an up and down position. The downward bearing is connected to the fork tube and the upward bearing is connected to the top tube. The front line is coming upward and connected to the stem, which is holding the whole setup.
Lift the entire stem so that you easily fix the headset. Remove the fork tube So that you can watch the barings condition. Remove the bearings and apply some grease and dry it with a rough cloth. Surely it will protect the bearings from taking rust. while giving service to your bicycle in garages and while riding on tracks of mud places. To prevent this take grease and apply for flexibility. its necessary otherwise it will create unpleasant voices.
Install the bearings in the tube and fix the fork tube like it was before. Pick the handlebar and place it on the tube, tight the bolt clamps of the stem body so that I will not move anywhere, and check whether the diameter of the handlebar and stem body is the same.
Adjust the brakes on both sides and tight their levers with an adjustable wrench. Insert the grips again on both sides firmly so that they won’t move here and there.
When everything is fixed you can take a handle-sized piece of wood and place it below the handle in parallel through which you can check exactly whether the stem of the handlebar is perfectly straight.
Creaky handlebar solution:
One of the main problems I noticed in my bike is creaky handle like you are riding and both of your palms are holding the handlebar, you might feel a sound coming from the handlebar it means your handlebar became cracked near the stem region, it creates noisy headset. You are progressing forward pushing both of your hands on the bar you will notice somewhere near the stem region there is a creaky sound that might put you in danger for your daily-based rides.
You want to properly adjust the difficulty without any missing then you will have to make a short video of your handlebar that would be helpful after the opening of the bolts when you are preparing the handlebar so that you will watch what you made earlier from your phone, you will fix it, as it is as it was before.
Now follow the next step, remove the handlebar bolts with a tool. clean the inside of the bar with some grease and wipe it dry.
Give two or three coats of fiber grip, it is used for any kind of creaky handlebars. it is hard enough to hold the clamp adjusted. it will fit properly the creaky part and you never face such complaints when you will go uphills, downhills offroads. doing this progress your handlebar will become firmly tight and make a wish for a ride.
Although besides this work still, you felt that there is any creaky noise remember then remember that while you were fixing the bolts you had not fixed the clamp on the handlebar due to diameter difference.
Types of handlebar
Beginners and the Pro riders basically use two types of handlebar flat bar and riser bar.
1: Flat bar
As the word indicates flat means straight I am a biker I usually prefer a flat handlebar besides this all my friends and teammates usually like the flat bar because a flat handlebar is usually comfortable due to its straight shape. It’s basically preferred for offroad tracks and for long rides
I also shifted from the drop bar to flat bar. while some riders may prefer a riser bar because in this case you are bending in the forward position and your body weight is actually pulling you forward to the handlebar, some riders get tired of bending for a long time because they may feel pain in their wrists and forearm.
2:Rise bar
The word riser is describing that this bar is actually higher than the flat bar, you are grasping the bar above the normal bar. Your position is like you are sitting on a bike. it is helpful in picking up the front wheel of the bike while performing stunts. you cannot feel any kind of pain in your wrist
while holding the riser bar. it also has negative effects while riding on rocky areas you are just holding the bar while your forward bodyweight is not pulling forward and there is no kind of forward force applying on the front tire so it creates chances of slipping off the front tire and it may put you in danger while you are on downhill trials
I hope it will help you a lot regarding any trouble related to handlebars of mountain bikes all I have explained in my post.
Rust removal from handlebar:
First of all, you will examine the handlebar you will understand whether I have to open the handlebar to clear up the rust or not, if the part is detachable you can use coca-cola as an anti-rusting agent that works wonders in removing rust. it’s necessary to clear the rust from the bar that was created through dirt and air. You can rub the place of rust with some steel repeat the same trick as far as the rust will clear after doing this apply some grease on its surface.
Oil application on stem body and bearings on mountain bike handlebars:
while your handlebar is stuck in rust remember don’t give grease because our aim is to stop friction in the stem so that it could not become slippy. you are allowed to apply grease to headset bearings. I am recommending grease that i
used for my bike is finish-lined premium grease. Don’t worry you are thinking about the grease that might be unreachable you may also use oil that we use on our daily based routine in our kitchens known as cooking oil, also you can use olive oil in place of grease because these oils are also beneficial for the bearings.