Is my stem straight . . .?

[bikeworkshop]

With my aging and increasingly more crooked aching body, I find it impossible to physically detect any misalignments in the bike. I frequently see it, but I can't feel it.

Most (all) riders have a lean to one side, then compensated for by leaning the bike the other way. I think this means the bars are slightly off straight.
Additionally cycling is a series of falls, so you can't literally ride in a straight line.

So a bike can be perfectly aligned (with the assortment of lasers etc obvs) but once you put a rider on it, it's all gone to pot

 

[novocaine]

Right, now Woz has requested "lasers and shit" I feel the need to head to the workshop. Please leave it with me, if I'm not back with results in the next 5 days, send a cake with a sexy person in it.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Do you fall victim to this kind of irksome mental bug regarding your bikes?

No. I had a crash this weekend, bars nailed me in the inner thigh, twisting the stem from its original position. I just grabbed the wheel between my knees and twisted the bar back to "close enough". Didn't check if it was square, and the bike worked fine on the 10 km ride back to the car. So good, in fact, that I didn't bother to check for alignment when I got home. It's really not too important to me, one hand can be in a different spot than the other, Lefty doesn't know what Righty is doing

 

[Woz]

Just while we are being in total mode, in my darkroom room printing time we were faced with a problem of aligning three planes perfectly (negative stage, lens stage, and the surface where the projected image would be on the print). Saw all sorts of things involving spirit levels, round bubble levels, measuring diagonals, angle finders, complicated jigs etc. Then read an article in a very old photographic book.

The solution is so simple and so idiot proof using what is called "infinity mirrors". Basically, two mirrors, but one with a hole drilled in it where you look through. It's incredibly precise.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Easy.

 

[2manyoranges]

...one problem is ACCOMMODATION

(No...not a rented flat)

Pyschological accommodation

If your stem is slightly out, then we adapt to it so that it feels normal - ie 'right'.
Then we notice visually that it is slightly out of whack.
We then cogitively know that it is 'wrong'.
But our bodies and brains have over a very short time accommodated the misalignment so that it FEELS 'right'.
We then adjust the stem so that for visual purposes it is 'right'
But of course, then it FEELS wrong.
Even though it is right.

just chill
no one is going to die
lean into where it is and all will be well

 

[2manyoranges]

Right, now Woz has requested "lasers and shit" I feel the need to head to the workshop. Please leave it with me, if I'm not back with results in the next 5 days, send a cake with a sexy person in it.

I thought that you of all people would pick up the possible double entendre of the OP's question 'is my stem straight'
hur hur
answer in almost every case
no

hear the crashing sound of the thread reaching a new (low) level

 

[novocaine]

I thought that you of all people would pick up the possible double entendre of the OP's question 'is my stem straight'
hur hur
answer in almost every case
no

hear the crashing sound of the thread reaching a new (low) level

Off my game, sorry. I've let myself down, my family down but most of all I've let you down. I'll go sit in a corner and think about what I've down.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Off my game, sorry. I've let myself down, my family down but most of all I've let you down. I'll go sit in a corner and think about what I've down.

And measure your stem with lasers and string while you're at it.

 

[novocaine]

And measure your stem with lasers and string while you're at it.

Yes sir, sorry sir. Lasers are preped, working on the maths sir, I've added in dial test gauges, a angle gauge and a micrometer so far.