I decided I'd like to remove my front brake from my bmx, but having looked closer i realised I was looking at a gyro brake system. I proceeded anyway, thinking this wasn't going to be a problem, and I removed the front brake with ease, although having to remove the handlebar to get the cable out. I then went to reattach my bars to the frame using the same long bolt that was in there before, but it just wouldn't screw into anything inside the tube. What did I do wrong and how can I fix it?
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1Not BMXs specifically but try turning the bike upside down and shaking to see if anything falls out. There's probably part of the headset attachment in there.– Chris HFeb 15, 2017 at 16:27
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1That bolt was probably connected to a wedge that has fallen off. The bolt should be loosened, but not completely unthreaded. Post a picture or two of the set up and the bolt.– jqningFeb 15, 2017 at 19:59
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Welcome to Bicycles @Finn. As with all new members we recommend that you take the tour to make best use of the site. Since I'm not into BMX I was interested to discover that a Gyro is a kind of detangler. Good to see you here– andy256Feb 15, 2017 at 22:46
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Personally I wouldn't ever remove brakes unless replacing with something better. Many locations require two independent braking systems on a bike, and "dragging your feet" isn't one of them.– Criggie ♦Feb 16, 2017 at 5:23
1 Answer
Sounds like a quill stem, something like this:
That wedge bit at the bottom sounds like its come unscrewed completely. Take the stem out, and look down the hole. If you see a lot of light, then you've dropped the wedge and its gone.
If there's only a little light coming through the bolt hole in the wedge, then flip the bike, take the front wheel off, and any front mudguard, and poke the long bolt up from below. The wedge should fall out the top.
Once you have a wedge again, loosely bolt it to the stem with the long bolt as pictured, insert into the steerer tube, and reassemble.