The two planks bicycle fork and handlebar alignment method

Jon Hume
Jon Hume
Sep 5, 2018 · 4 min read

No bicycle forks that I’m aware of feature any mechanism to ensure that the handlebars are correctly aligned with them.

I think it is a bit of an odd omission. Establishing this alignment is a frequent bicycle maintenance chore and it’s hard to reliably achieve with the standard method of visually aligning (particularly with mudguards and some lens prescriptions), and it is annoying to get it wrong.

This post details the two planks alternative method for achieving alignment. The approach is quick and simple and uses readily available materials to reliably achieve a good fork, handlebar alignment.

Requirements

Materials:

  • Luggage strap (a Bungee strap can be used, but clamping in place is a bit more fiddly), about 50 cm in length.
  • Two straight-edged, flat planks (or similar) that are at least as long as the handlebar height of the bicycle in question (~ 1 to 1.5 m).

For reference, I use a large builder’s level and a plank off-cut. The fact that one side is a builders level is not relevant, it’s just a convenient straight edge, so for the sake of brevity I’ll just refer to planks, as that’s all that is really needed.

Bike:

  • An unbuckled, true front wheel.
  • Handlebars accurately centred in the handlebar stem and clamped in position (not vital, but it can help later on)
  • The bike is resting upright with its wheels on the ground.
What you’ll need — NB: the level is only a convenience, another plank would do just as well

Process

1) Slacken the handlebar stem’s steering tube clamp bolts to allow the handlebars to move independently of the forks with a small amount of force, i.e. the handlebar should not be flopping around on the steerer but equally should move without too much difficulty.

Steerer clamp bolts

2) Rest the two planks on each side of the front wheel in front of the axle with one end on the floor and the others against the handlebars (or their fixtures).

Planks leaning on the floor and handlebars

3) Fasten the luggage strap through the wheel and around the back of both planks so that the planks are held loosely in place close to the front wheel.

4) Adjust the planks so that their straight edges are facing the wheel.

Fasten strap loosely and adjust

5) Draw the strap taught to clamp the planks reasonably firmly against the side of the wheel. NB: Be careful when clamping not to exert excessive force and bend the planks, as this will impact accuracy.

6) Maintaining tension, adjust the planks so that they both rest on the floor, are towards the front of the rim and are roughly parallel with one another on each side of the wheel.

7) Rotate the planks and wheel assemblage backwards so that the planks are close to, or ideally touching, the handlebar (sometimes mudguards, cables etc. can prevent this)

Rotate planks back towards the handlebars after tightening strap and adjusting

8) Holding in place, gaze between the two planks from the front and check the alignment of the front of the stem relative to them.

Using the planks makes spotting any misalignment, as here, easy

9) Rotate planks back onto the floor and adjust the handlebars alignment.

10) Repeat steps 7), 8) and 9) until happy with the alignment achieved.

Yay, good alignment

11) So as not to disturb the alignment, carefully tighten up the handlebar stem’s steering tube clamp bolts to the recommended torque setting.

12) Remove planks and go for a short test ride.

Gratuitous picture of Dolly Three Legs psycho cat supervising photo shoot
Jon Hume

Written by

Jon Hume

Bloke, child of the sixties, geek, runner (barefoot), swimmer and cyclist, mostly 1/2 full. Working assumption — Above us only sky.

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