Hi all! I was installing the pictured carbon handlebars when I realized I was 1. doing a poor job managing the even-ness of the stem bolts and over-tightened the lower right bolt before the rest and 2. had 7nm set in my torque wrench (bar and stem both specced to 6nm). Took the bar and stem apart and saw this mark under the lower right clamp spot.
Is it toast? Did the noise test and the spot doesn't sound much different than the rest of the clamping area, but want to be cautious.
by rusticredneck
26 Comments
rephrase the question: would you trust that with your life?
Kaput
RIP
ha. i did something similar many years ago on my first carbon. live and learn.
Yes. Sorry to say it’s now a nice piece of expensive garbage.
I’m afraid so
I’ve done this sort of damage to numerous ali express seatposts in the past. It will work for an indefinite amount of time. But one day it will fatigue and snap. It just depends when where how !
If you gotta ask…
It was a good run. 😔
Replacement bars are cheaper than the ER visit and dental bill. It’s tuition for future you.
Stockton Rush says it’s ok, go for it.
> nd over-tightened the lower right bolt before the rest
There you go.
> Is it toast?
Unfortunately, yes.
Wall art now.
🧈
I’d be surprised though that 1nm over spec leads to cracking? Wrench micalibrated and its actually higher?
Throw it in the landfill
Looks like an image produced from an electron microscope
Fuck carbon fiber every minute of the day, I don’t know why people use such a fragile material just to save what? 50-70 grams compared to an alloy bar?
About to have the sickest bars on your indoor trainer setup! Beats having something happen out at speed…
Is it worth a bunch of new dental work?
How much did u crank the torque? Damn dude
F
No way I’m riding that! It’s toast
can’t comment on toasting since you didn’t specify temperature but I can certainly say it’s crushed!
I can’t fully tell from the photos, but it looks like maybe just the grip texture is damaged. It would take a lot of force to damage a pair of bars in that area, way more than 7nm even if you tightened one bolt first. I personally would still send them if what you say is true.
I really think that breaking a handlebar might be the worst way to go down.