Before I go out and actually do it (and screw up), I’m vetting my idea through you learned people.
I need a handlebar and I’ve an idea to get one welded thus. I’m gonna get a 2nd hand bike stem, get the ‘handlebar clamp’ part sawed off and weld a Y shaped extension to it.
Question is - a) would it hold b) any flaws to my idea?
Opinions much appreciated.
why not just clamp your y shaped tube in the handlebar clamp?
Which bit are you clamping onto the frame?
If it’s the handlebar clamp, then you need to be sure your seatpost is 25.4mm. If it’s the steerer, then either 25.4 or 28.6mm (I dunno, maybe you could shim a 27.2mm post like on the KH into the bigger size)
Joe
Although if your seat post is 22.2mm you can use a bar end on the seat post and weld an extension handlebar to this. I ran this setup for a couple of years before cutting it down to hold my bar end lever (as a brake lever), like Joe I’ve stopped using handlebars.
Keith
Kington99: Because it’d then make my handlebar crooked. I’ve thought of making a U-shaped bar extending from the stem but I think it’d be too wide at its minimum and my legs will be rubbed raw… any suggestions mod it any other way?
Joe: I’m using the clamp that would usually go on a bike’s headset (no idea what it’s called). I’ve no idea how wide stems are - I guess I’ll have to ask.
Keith: How do I do that? I’m going for welding an extension to a stem because it’s hollow and the overlapped part would be stronger (am I right?). Also, the clamp portion looks more likely to hold. If a bar end holds just as well, I’m keen too. Do you have a pic?
Stems are 1" / 25.4mm or 1+1/4"/ 31.8mm depending on what you got it off. If it’s a cheap bike stem, it’ll probably be 1" / 25.4mm
Joe
stem size
Most modern MTB stems are 1-1/8, very few 1-1/4 (old yetis used to use this size but is rare at least in the USA)
There is some good info here:
http://www.bonthronebikes.co.uk/help/bike-stems
Eddie
oh ok, you’re saying if it was bent to have a nice straight section to go through the stem it would be too wide overall. If you cut and welded the bars instead you could achieve this though. The stem and handle bars are likely to be different materials, making welding impossible.
Hm. didn’t think about the different materials part. Any suggestion on how to make a handlebar using an existing stem?
weld to a seatpost clamp, that way, its temporary enough not to screw the uni
and sturdy enough to be left permanent