Tips Archive:

Hot Tip of the Month- May 2005: "Loose handlebar and Seat Towers"

While at “The World Spinning and Sports Conference; I asked my students what some of their complaints were. One of the most common was the question of why the seat and handlebar towers were always coming loose on the bikes, even after the height was adjusted and the pop pins were tightened. On the first generation bikes, the pitch or “angle” of the threads on the pop pins was almost horizontal, but you had to turn the pop pin 3-5 times in order to tighten the pin after your adjustment was made. The new generation pop pins have a radical or angular pitch witch allows the pop pin to tighten in less than two full turns. The upside; faster engagement of the pop pins after adjustment is made. The downside, while riding the bike after the adjustment is made, the momentum of the rider causes the pop pin to loosen or “back off” while in use. If you snug the pop pin and begin riding the bike, you can actually see the pop pin slowly turning counter clockwise. The solution; tighten the pop pins more before you get on for your ride. Happy trails!