Hi All,

I've had a quick search through here and can't see this has been
covered previously and Google has come up with nothing so:

Does anyone make a quick fold A-Head 1-1/8" stem or some such that
would allow you to move standard / basic  MTB bars from horizontal to
(say) vertical so the bike would take up less room in a hallway etc
please?

It would only need to be a hinge plate and q/r mech, identical to that
seen on many existing small wheel folding designs but short and to fit
an A-Head type stem? I know you could release the A-head or remove the
front wheel but both are a faf compared with just swinging the bars
out of the way and no messing about with the setup / alignment?

For my use I wouldn't care about the extra weight if it was in steel
because 1) I'm heavy anyway and 2) the convenience would outweigh any
extra weight. ;-)

I guess it could either be in the vertical part of the stem, as in a
stem extension or as part of the stem itself (in the bit between the
stem and the bar mount (like where those sprung or adjustable angle
stems have it). From a safety point of view I don't see it being any
more of an issue than any other folding bit on a bike?

If there were such things available I'd buy three today (how many jabs
in the hips / ribs and knocked over bikes as you walk past would that
save)[1]!

T i m

p.s. Sorry if I've not used the right terms. I've had cycles all my
life (and currently also have a Thorn Tandem) but am not up-to-date
technically.

[1] If you could put a padlock through it in the open position might
it also be a theft deterrent?

On Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:57:21 +0100, T i m wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> I've had a quick search through here and can't see this has been
> covered previously and Google has come up with nothing so:
> 
> Does anyone make a quick fold A-Head 1-1/8" stem or some such that
> would allow you to move standard / basic  MTB bars from horizontal to
> (say) vertical so the bike would take up less room in a hallway etc
> please?

I've not seen exactly what you're talking about, but you might you be able
to use something from a folding bike?  The Ikea/Raleigh folders have a
simple hinge and clamp so it folds down, but it might not be suitable for
a MTB (and doesn't look the best!)  A 'normal bike that folds in the
middle' might have something.

A normal headset chopped at 45 degrees with a quick release through the
middle would work, but I'd be wary about cutting and drilling holes in the
stem!

peter

On Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:45:15 -0500, naked_draughtsman
 wrote:

>I've not seen exactly what you're talking about, but you might you be able
>to use something from a folding bike? 

So do you think there is a bit of a market niche here Peter <g>, or
not really a problem for anyone else? I mean I have often seen bikes
parked up in alleyways and narrow corridors in flats etc and the bars
always seem to be the real issue, sticking out and the rubber on the
grips grabbing anything that goes near [1]! :-(

> The Ikea/Raleigh folders have a
>simple hinge and clamp so it folds down, but it might not be suitable for
>a MTB (and doesn't look the best!)  A 'normal bike that folds in the
>middle' might have something.

Yeah, I thought if I found a steel one I could easily use it to adapt
a steel A-head extender [2] (easy to MIG weld steel). Maybe I'll ask
my local shop to look out for an old folder or as you say, get a spare
/ new part off a cheap folding bike to play with. I didn't want to
start making something if such a product already existed.
>
>A normal headset chopped at 45 degrees with a quick release through the
>middle would work, but I'd be wary about cutting and drilling holes in the
>stem!

Indeed, and I was considering the / any potential safety issues with
any design. Like, you could have a castellated tube on the stem (like
frame joiners) but there is a chance it could get loose and allow the
handlebars to rotate. At least with a hinge the bars would still offer
some control if they came undone or weren't done up properly etc (and
no worse than many existing folding bikes).

We have a couple of folding 20" wheel bikes and with two folding
pedals and with the bars folded down beside the front wheel (but the
bike itself not folded) you would be surprised how narrow it is. ;-)

T i m

[1] And potential damage to the bike and building decor?

[2] The bottom half would need to allow the use of the std centre
bolt. The top half (above the hinge) would be as std, centreboltwize.