Help getting handlebars on - seriously!

[Ken Figenus]

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS i said to my lad in putting the handlebars on his new bike, and no I';m not doing it for you - learn!. He didn't. All he needed to do was open the 2 allen keys and turn the handlebars 90 degrees. Instead he has disassembled the whole f head-stock and I dont know how to get it back together again. The top allen key and washer that would press down on the handlebar clamp and hold it all together is short of the handlebar clamp (you can see the plain steel collar where it is short.. I'm, telling him he has lost a spacer collar which he denies. Any thoughts guys?

[dogbucket]

Yes that is missing a headset spacer under the stem.

[BOR]

Before you go looking under the sofa for the missing spacer, you need to check that the headset bearings are actually in place, because at the moment, the stem and the upper bearing cap are not centralised.

[anonymous-user]

As said above, check that the bearings etc. are all seated correctly and that the forks "feel right"

That may make that gap disappear

But it may not - there could very well be a spacer missing...

[Ken Figenus]

The more properly the fork top tube is sat in the frame headstock guys the higher the need for a spacer becomes! He's definitely lost a spacer collar thing hasn't he? The top washer clamp is way too far from the handlebar stem to touch it and snug it up to the top bearing?. He's getting some tough love here - dad wont be finding this bit!

All this after having his 3 week old Cannondale birthday present nicked in broad daylight - I gather you cant really park a bike and nip round town any more for a couple of hours :-( They get nicked in broad daylight when locked up. So, based on that I bought him a £200 Muddy Fox. After assembling it I noticed that the derailleur was bent into the spokes - transit damage - so had to send that back. Saga!

[WinstonWolf]

He's missing the collar(s).

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/headset-spacer...

[Ken Figenus]