Some Tools Required
- Multi-tool
- Scissors
- Electrical tape
- Oil
- Gel-tape
- Suspension Seatpost
- Bar Padding
- Upright Stem
Even BikeRadar says its hard to beat the local bike
shop to get good advice and one-stop shopping. They like the fact that
they can get a close-up look at the accessories and feel the textures,
dimensions and weight.
Here we go. Thanks BikeRadar!
1. Handlebar Tape
The
padding on your handlebars is one of the easiest and most effective
ways of making your bike a more comfortable ride. Some tapes contain a
gel-like material integrated into the fabric to make it even more
forgiving.
After you've removed the old tape, start
winding the new stuff from the bottom of the handlebars upwards. The
trickiest bit is getting the tape to go around the brake lever body in a
tidy way; use one of the extra pieces of tape provided to hide the
lever clamp — too many wraps around the clamp zone and you may run out
before you get to the top of the bars.
Finish off by
cutting diagonally in line with the edge of the bar bulge and tape the
edge over with some black electrical tape to make it neat and tidy.
2. Extra padding:
If
regular tape doesn't provide enough comfort, another effective
improvement can be made by inserting additional bits of padding under
the tape and the hoods.
After positioning and holding
them in place with electrical tape, try not to overlap the bar tape as
much as you normally would when wrapping- you'll need to save a bit for
the extra bulk and slightly bigger diameter of the padding to make it
last to the end at the top of the bar.
Other padding
can be installed under the brake hoods, but this takes a bit of doing,
as you have to roll the rubber back far enough to make access easy and
prevent folds. Do this before taping up.
3. Riser stem: heads up!
A
simple stem swap can work wonders. Start by removing the old one with
the bike on the ground (to stop the fork falling out). The M6 threaded
Allen bolt in the top cap holds the stem to the fork and adjusts the
headset.
Use a 5mm Allen key to remove the cap. You'll
then be able to swap stems after loosening the clamping bolts. A light
coating of grease on metallic matting surfaces or some assembly paste on
carbon steerers will keep things creak-free later on.
Tighten
the bar and steerer clamp bolts by nipping up gradually and evenly.
Don't overdo it on modern lightweight stems with fragile 4mm Allen
bolts; just tighten enough so you can't twist the bars when holding the
front wheel between your legs.
4. Lever adjustment
As
well as making life easier and less tiring, getting your lever reach
correct will boost your confidence by increasing your braking control.
Some Shimano STI levers can be moved closer to the bar by either
screwing in the small adjustment screw or inserting a set of spacer
rims.
You'll need to release a bit of cable at the
brake anchor bolt to bring brake adjustment back to normal, then
retighten firmly; but check that the cable hasn't suffered from cut
strands at the old pinch point, and replace if in doubt.
If
your levers have no adjustment, releasing a little cable will help you
achieve an easier braking action, especially if you have smaller hands.
5. Slippery shifting
Slippery
cables reduce shifting effort. Shift into the lowest gear (largest cog)
at the back, then, with wheel and crank stationary, activate the return
lever while gently pulling on the cable to create slack. Pop out the
cable outer from the slot, wipe the inner clean, then lubricate
generously with medium viscosity chain oil.
Re-insert
the outers and run through the gears, making sure all housing ends are
correctly seated in guides. Repeat for the front in the high gear (big
ring).
6. Short & Shallow bar
The
bar pictured can be a perfect solution to reach problems for those of
you with smaller hands. It doesn't project as far forward from the flats
as a standard bar, and it doesn't drop as low, making it easier to grab
the controls/levers from the drops.
It also keeps you
more upright. This modification is a little involved, as it requires the
removal and re-installation of the levers. The lever clamp bolt is
found underneath the rubber hood at a slight angle, on the outside of
the lever body on Shimano, on top about halfway under the hood on
Campagnolo and on top nearly at the bar with SRAM.
Remove
the tape holding the cables, clamp the bar correctly and reposition the
levers accordingly, making sure they are high enough on the bend.
Tighten firmly, and then re-tape. You'll have all the advantages of a
multi-hand-position drop bar without the pain.
7. Suspension seatpost
Current
Far Eastern suspension seatposts are wellmade, not too heavy and come
in several diamters, with 27.2mm being the most common.
If
your bike's seat tube diameter is an unusual size, you may have to
resort to the pricier - and generally better - USE brand, which offers a
full choice of shims around its 25.0 or 27.2mm seatpost diameters.
Clean
out the seat tube by partially jamming down a cloth with some WD-40 and
a blunt screwdriver. Grab the exposed bit and twist several times while
removing.
On steel or aluminum frames, use a piece of
fine sandpaper to smooth off any sharp edges around the clamp slot
inside the seat tube. Clean and grease the clamp bolt, then use assembly
paste for carbon or grease for metal-to-metal while installing the
seatpost.
(Comfier saddle)
An
obvious port of call for increased comfort. Don't go too wide though,
because if the back of the saddle gets in the way of your legs it will
wreak havoc with any notions of smooth pedaling.
Clean
the clamp pieces and bolts before reassembling. Apply grease to all
contact points (including rails), and in particular the bolt threads and
head. Set the saddle lever ever so slightly nose down, and a bit
forward of the halfway point, the goal being a more upright position
with less pressure from the nose of the saddle.
As a
starting point, adjust the height until your heel can't quite touch the
pedal in the fully extended position (pedal at 6 o'clock). When you
place the ball of your foot slightly forward of the pedal axle, you
should have slight bend in the knee.
9. Bigger Tires
Moving
up to bigger tires can soften the ride considerably without adding
significant rolling resistance. There's usually enough room to
accommodate a 28mm width in a place of a 23, but if in doubt, fit a 25.
Measure
the gap between the brake calipers — in particular the fork crown —
because this is where a wider tire is most likely to cause a problem.
You should be able to spot whether you've got the extra 2-5mm required
for clearance.
Your old inner tubes should still work
fine in a larger tire unless you're making a huge leap from an 18 or 21
to a 28, in which case you might consider getting matching tubes. Make
sure you seat the bead correctly at the valve before inflating, and
check for tire rub against the frame, fork and brakes.
10. Rear view mirror
Ever
tried to ride a racing bike in traffic after waking up in the morning
with a stiff neck? Not easy, as those of you with chronic back or neck
problems from previous injuries or other causes will attest.
Not
only will this addition make life easier on the road, it'll make it
safer. Remove the old bar plug and install the mirror in the end of the
handlebar while paying attention to knee clearances. Although mirrors
are designed to fit most internal diameters, you might have to file a
bit of material away around the plastic wedge.
Adjust
to catch a view of just the back of your rear tire in the left edge of
the mirror. Having a mirror on your bars may not add the most
sophisticated touch to your bike's looks, but if your neck or body is
suffering from having to twist around in traffic, you'll soon appreciate
it.