Foolproof way to align handlebars with front tire?

[Danimal]

2-3 times a week when coming home from work I see the same lady riding a
bike.
the forks are turned backwards.
This has gotta mess with the geometry.
I have thought about letting her know, and fixing it, but where's the fun in that.

think I should print this out and give it to her...

[SAR_boats]

Nothing is fool proof. As soon as something is designated as fool proof, the world makes a bigger fool


That being said, the drop out and wall method is the most accurate.

[Kritter]

hang the bike by the front wheel...stand back 10 feet and look at it, adjust till perfect although the front tire removal wall trick sounds good too.

save the beer drinking for the ride.

[Bryguy17]

Originally Posted by Danimal

2-3 times a week when coming home from work I see the same lady riding a
bike.
the forks are turned backwards.
This has gotta mess with the geometry.
I have thought about letting her know, and fixing it, but where's the fun in that.

think I should print this out and give it to her...

a few friends and I ran a bike fix as a fundraiser for our club, and there were countless people that came in with backwards forks. the most worrisome were the ones that people had bought from a bike shop and came with a backwards fork

[Abui]

Originally Posted by Bryguy17

take the wheel off, place the dropouts at the bottom of a wall. pick the back of the bike up until the handlebars touch the wall. tighten bolts as necessary.

oh, and drink a 6-pack while you do it for good measure

Hmmm, the brake levers hit first, then the stem face plate.

--> http://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/20...andlebars.html

[solo_rider]

Originally Posted by El Salt

Well, if you don't have access to high power lasers, then this will work. However, I suggest a darker beer than suggested above.

Darker than Guiness? Hath man invented such evil in this age?

Originally Posted by Danimal

2-3 times a week when coming home from work I see the same lady riding a
bike.
the forks are turned backwards.
This has gotta mess with the geometry.
I have thought about letting her know, and fixing it, but where's the fun in that.

think I should print this out and give it to her...

Maybe the last owner rode the bike backwards? I used to do that as a kid. Sit on the front handle bars and backpedal.

[newpos]

Originally Posted by SAR_boats

That being said, the drop out and wall method is the most accurate.

i like this idea best as well

[RacinJason]

I set it straight by eye then ride it with the bolt a little loose just in the front yard till I am sure it is correct then tighten it.

It is not rocket science.

The answer to the question is give your bike to RacinJason for 2 minutes and don't even bother telling him its crooked he will notice right away. Then fix it. And probably fix other things on your bike you didn't even know where messed up.

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by solo_rider

Darker than Guiness? Hath man invented such evil in this age?

Oh yes. Two of my favorites are Darkness and Dark Lord.

Guinness is child's play.

[Abui]

Originally Posted by newpos

i like this idea best as well

Try it, then like it.

[thephat]

I find that it is easier to tell if the bars are strait if I get back hehind the saddle and line everything up. This seems to give a better perspective than standing over the top tube, or beside the bike.

[strobelite]

align the tire and stem with the top tube as a point of reference.

[NitrOx]

Originally Posted by Abui

Hmmm, the brake levers hit first, then the stem face plate.

--> http://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/20...andlebars.html

This looks like a good way to do it. Thanks Abui.