goldfishin
05-22-08, 11:23 PM
how much torque should be applied to stem bolts? park's site says naught.
Bicycle Mechanics - how much torque for stem?
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Camilo
05-22-08, 11:40 PM
The spec is determined by the stem manufacturer. You might look on their web site to see if there's owner's manuals or tech documents. My Ritchey WCS specs 4 or 5 nm. I don't think I even go 4 and it's plenty tight. I don't know if that's common or not.
What stem do you have?
What stem do you have?
moxfyre
05-22-08, 11:57 PM
The spec is determined by the stem manufacturer. You might look on their web site to see if there's owner's manuals or tech documents. My Ritchey WCS specs 4 or 5 nm. I don't think I even go 4 and it's plenty tight. I don't know if that's common or not.
What stem do you have?
Also, what fork? I believe that getting the torque exactly right is not too important unless you have a carbon steerer.
With aluminum/steel forks I've just gone by feel, and it always turns out just fine.
What stem do you have?
Also, what fork? I believe that getting the torque exactly right is not too important unless you have a carbon steerer.
With aluminum/steel forks I've just gone by feel, and it always turns out just fine.
goldfishin
05-23-08, 12:08 AM
i just worry. right now i have an old steel stem from a cheapo bike ($250 range) and always had to crank it down REAL hard to keep the fork (steel rigid) from slipping out. i worry that if i get an aluminum stem i may break it.
Matt Gaunt
05-23-08, 02:32 AM
You can pretty much go as far as feels comfortable with a normal L shaped allen key (maybe 10cm or so on the long side of the L?) for the stem to be plenty tight enough.
How can the fork slip out? Surely the pressure of it being on the road would help to keep it in place even if movement did become possible? Please explain as I think I'm missing something crucial here. :)
How can the fork slip out? Surely the pressure of it being on the road would help to keep it in place even if movement did become possible? Please explain as I think I'm missing something crucial here. :)
HillRider
05-23-08, 06:16 AM
My two 4-bolt face plate stems are labled as 8 N-m for both the handlebar clamp and steerer clamp bolts. I used less torque than that for the steerer clamp bolts (carbon steerers) and the specified torque for the Al handlebars.
goldfishin
05-23-08, 10:29 AM
You can pretty much go as far as feels comfortable with a normal L shaped allen key (maybe 10cm or so on the long side of the L?) for the stem to be plenty tight enough.
How can the fork slip out? Surely the pressure of it being on the road would help to keep it in place even if movement did become possible? Please explain as I think I'm missing something crucial here. :)
bumps
How can the fork slip out? Surely the pressure of it being on the road would help to keep it in place even if movement did become possible? Please explain as I think I'm missing something crucial here. :)
bumps
jsharr
05-23-08, 11:36 AM
bumps
In reality, how often have you hit a "bump" large enough to unintentionally lift your front wheel high enough off the ground so as to allow the steerer of your fork to slide out of the head tube? I think such a bump would be a hole that would cause an endo. Just saying. And if the stem was that loose, you would probably notice slop / misalingment in your steering way before your frame and fork ever separated.
In reality, how often have you hit a "bump" large enough to unintentionally lift your front wheel high enough off the ground so as to allow the steerer of your fork to slide out of the head tube? I think such a bump would be a hole that would cause an endo. Just saying. And if the stem was that loose, you would probably notice slop / misalingment in your steering way before your frame and fork ever separated.
Matt Gaunt
05-23-08, 12:05 PM
In reality, how often have you hit a "bump" large enough to unintentionally lift your front wheel high enough off the ground so as to allow the steerer of your fork to slide out of the head tube? I think such a bump would be a hole that would cause an endo. Just saying. And if the stem was that loose, you would probably notice slop / misalingment in your steering way before your frame and fork ever separated.
Correct.
If you're hitting bumps like that, a) what are you doing on a road bike and b) how are you so bad at avoiding bumps?
In addition, let's not forget that it's not a loose fork in there, it's just that the clamp isn't as tight as it might be.
Correct.
If you're hitting bumps like that, a) what are you doing on a road bike and b) how are you so bad at avoiding bumps?
In addition, let's not forget that it's not a loose fork in there, it's just that the clamp isn't as tight as it might be.