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Quick release Handlebar (some thoughts)
mclien Posted: 8 Dec 2021, 09:59 AM
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Joined: 8-December 21
aluminum in general:
Biggest flaw of it: It breaks without warning (other than steel, which will bend first and might give you some seconds head-time before failure.
You can pant the stem in bright yellow or alike and check regularly to spot cracks in advance.
Plus welding forged aluminum will take out a lot of the materials strength and might invoke cracks.

So the warnings you give up front are very correct and important.

Design wise I would go for the revolo design, because I rate it the most forgiving in case of failure. You might still be able to steer even if the parts get loose a bit.
It has the twisting axle put in the right direction (the forces you put into the connection while riding don't depend on the tightness of the clamping, because they are perpendicular to it).
If you rebuild that from steel and use a square instead of a round connection for the twisting part you would additionally have the position fix without hassle.

Or, you just make the handlebar as small as the pedals. Which will have to go right through the middle of the searing axle (not before it like usual), but will require a longer bicycle frame for ergonomics.
I have that one seen working at a messenger bike in Berlin years ago.

just my 2cents (survived cycling daily for some decades)

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mit Posted: 9 Dec 2021, 04:46 PM
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yeah whatever

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Posts: 532
Joined: 4-May 16
Hi, thanks for the comments. I should really post an update on the QR stem. The bike is still going fine, and I'm still riding it!

Through the pandemic I wasn't riding all that much, but it still got a fair bit of usage. I've probably clamped/unclamped/rotated it a few hundred times now. I never did add the detent to hold it level, or stop it slipping while clamped, but the funny thing is that it hasn't really bothered me. Even if you don't clamp it fully, and it slips while you're riding, it's not nearly as jarring an experience as I thought it would be.

I might post a proper update if I get a spare moment.

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