Crescent wrench

Allen wrench

Pliers

Allocate about forty-five minutes to tinker with the various adjustable elements. After you've got it in what seems like a workable configuration, set aside a few minutes periodically to further refine the particulars.

Bar ends attach to a mountain bike's handlebars and will help you distribute your weight evenly on both tires when going up hill. They also allow the rider to bend further to avoid wind resistance. The bar ends should be adjusted to at about 60-80 degrees out from the frame.

2torial #0429: Learn2 Adjust a Bicycle (To Fit You) Uneasy Rider? The best bike won't do any good unless it is appropriately adjusted for its engine...i.e., the human being that's riding it. At the best, a maladjusted bicycle can be inefficient, at the most unrideable. But fear not: a few easy assessments of your bicycle before purchase (and easy adjustments after) will keep you peddling far into the horizon. If the bike's frame isn't your size to begin with, adjusting it won't help much. To check frame size, straddle the frame with your feet flat on the ground. A general rule of thumb for a road bike (or touring bike, once called a 10 speed) is that as the rider stands flat footed over the bike and the crossbar is 1" below the crotch. For a mountain bike it should be as much as 3". For both, if the crossbar is too high, it can be dangerous to the rider in the event of a sudden stop or crash. Make sure you tighten anything you've loosened! Adjust the seat Almost any part of a bicycle can be adjusted, but the one most often adjusted is the seat: a very slight change can make a great improvement in the fluidity of the bike ride. Generally, most people ride with the seat too low, preventing (near) full leg extension-and making the ride a lot harder. When sitting on the seat with your feet in the low positioned pedal, your leg should be just slightly bent. Adjust the seat in small increments, because even 1/4" will make a difference. Mark the starting point with tape. Don't exceed the maximum safe-height line on the seat post. Otherwise, a bouncy ride could be your eject button. Your seat may have a quick-release, or you may have to use a crescent wrench and pliers on either side in order to loosen. Remember the mantra for screws, "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey." Not as necessary are these two: For the saddle's forward-and-back position, loosen the bolt which is attached to the clamp and slide the saddle. This could be a good last-ditch fixer for a bike of the wrong size. For the saddle's tilt, loosen the same nut as above and adjust according to the notches. Tinker with the toe clips A toe clip-whether a newer snap-in or the more traditional stirrup style-serves both to hold your foot to the pedal and to economize muscle use (allows pulling as well as pushing). But if it won't hold your foot, a toe clip isn't much good. Just a few things to remember:   The pedal should be under the ball of your foot.   For the stirrups, there should be a small gap between the clip and the toe of the shoe. The same holds true for the surrounding area of the shoe.   Try the bike and adjust the clip tight enough so it will hold your foot, but loose enough so you can re-insert your foot while the bike is in motion.   For the snap-in, make sure to inquire to your local bike mechanic about release settings for the clip.   Exchange the clip if it doesn't fit properly. Handle the handlebars The handlebars should be adjusted only if you cannot find a comfortable positioning with the seat. To adjust handlebar height, loosen the stem bolt with an Allen wrench. Slide the stem to the new position. Retighten the bolt. To adjust handlebar tilt, loosen the bolt clamping the handlebars to the stem and rotate the bars to the appropriate position. Then make sure this bolt is tight. -end- Learn More!