Of Cycling Distractions

[sam]

Yesterday I had occasion to remove my handlebars. When I put them back on I was apparently distracted. They were not precisely perpendicular.

(click to show/hide)

I realise the wheel isn't aligned with the TT in this pic, which doesn't help you assess the situation.

The state of them came to light today on my ride. It didn't affect handling (even when I deigned to use them). It did, however, prompt a philosophical discussion with myself during the course of the ride. As someone with actual, not jokey OCD, how bothered was I? Enough to fix it – a trivial matter? Perhaps I might prefer them askew for a spell, both as maintenance CBT and as an editorial comment on the state of the world.

How long could you hold out?

[ElyDave]

I would definitely notice, and correct that level of discrepancy

[aidan.f]

I heard from a friend that the LBS could not service his headset as the LASER alignment device was out of service..  so much for the MK1 eyeball.

[Adam]

I'd also re-do the bar tape.  But that's me.

[sam]

I'd also re-do the bar tape.  But that's me.

NOOOOOOOOOOO. Fortunately the uneven exposed bar has never bothered me. Unless you're referring to the tape taping the tape down, in which case it's true I've not mastered ends (and have a lot of spare tape). Haven't had enough practice.

You don't even want to see the front wheel.



No-handed issue sorted.



(Incidentally the axle was filed down as practice for fine-tuning another bike's magic gear.)

[sojournermike]

That would drive me mad - it’s just wrong. The bar tape not so much;)

[sam]

For the record, I did straighten them out good and proper the day after.



That would've worked better if these bars were at least black.

[Wowbagger]

That would drive me mad - it’s just wrong. The bar tape not so much;)

?? I have absolutely no idea what is wrong.

[sam]

?? I have absolutely no idea what is wrong.

Alt text: the stem & bars were wandering off a few degrees to the left.



There was also a gorilla nobody noticed.
(If I made you double-check, my work here is done.)

[sojournermike]

For the record, I did straighten them out good and proper the day after.



That would've worked better if these bars were at least black.

You appear have also changed the stem and invites your little friend to play:)

[Lightning Phil]

Not only changed the stem but also changed the handlebar

[sam]

This appears to be a joke gone wrong. Kindly ignore the joke gone wrong.

I see we finally have a vote for "Not bothered".

[ravenbait]

The state of them came to light today on my ride. It didn't affect handling (even when I deigned to use them). It did, however, prompt a philosophical discussion with myself during the course of the ride. As someone with actual, not jokey OCD, how bothered was I? Enough to fix it – a trivial matter? Perhaps I might prefer them askew for a spell, both as maintenance CBT and as an editorial comment on the state of the world.

Do you mean the kind of OCD where it takes you 15 minutes to leave home because you panic about leaving a window open or the gas on or a radio plugged in, or where you have to go back home even though you've been on the road for 10 minutes because you can't remember if your memory of switching the coffee machine off properly is from today or some other day, and so it might still be on, and it might catch fire and burn the house down, and there might be someone in your house who will die a horrible painful death? Or the kind of OCD that means you have to spend 10 minutes rearranging the cutlery drawer, because if you don't someone will stab themselves in the face with a fork as it pings out because it wasn't placed in the drawer at precisely the correct angle and you can't help but visualise what that would look like?

That sort of OCD?

Not sure what that's got to do with your stem alignment. But I'd have fixed it. It's aesthetically unpleasing.

Sam

[sam]

YHPM