Torque Setting for Handlebar

Tahoma · Oct 15, 2009

Anyone happen to know or can point me in the right direction for finding the torque specifications for Syntace Stratos Bullhorn handlebars? I checked the Syntace website with no luck. Bought the bars online and no specs came with the bars :confused5:

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

C-40 · Oct 15, 2009

info..

Torque setting should not be specific to your bars. Most stems have a suggested torque. A typical stem with four M5 bolts is usually rated for 5Nm.

I say this every time a thread like this is started. Learn what the small torque for these bolts feels like and learn to tighten them by hand with a short handled hex wrench or 4-5-6mm Y-style wrench. If you can't do that, you'll never be able to make on the road adjustments.

frdfandc · Oct 15, 2009

+1 C-40

The stem is what has the torque values stated for it. As long as you have the correct size bars to fit your stem, then just follow the stems recommendations.

I do all my stems by hand. After 13 years of working on cars, 1.5 years in the bike biz, you learn the feel of a fastener. Definitly helps with on the road/trail adjustments/fixes.

Tahoma · Oct 15, 2009

Thank you C-40 and frdfandc.

That's were I started first I emailed Soma Fab since I have their Soma Shotwell Stem and here is what they told me: "Refer to the torque specified by your handlebar. Enjoy the stem.

Best,

Soma"

So that's why I was trying to find the specs from Syntace. I think at this point I'll take your advice and just feel it and make sure it snug / tight enough not to slip.

cdhbrad · Oct 15, 2009

It can be confusing. 5Nm isn't a lot of force, but you don't want to overtighten any of the bolts on your stem that secure either the faceplate or the stem on the steerer. When working on my bikes at home, I use a Ritchey Torqkey that is set to the 5Nm max torque recommended by Ritchey on its stems. It is basically a miniature single purpose torque wrench with a 4mm hex head that fits all the bolts on Ritchey and many other stems.

Yes, it costs about $20 and some will say that is too much to pay for a simple tool, but its pretty cheap insurance against crushing a $300 set of carbon bars or ruining a $100 stem. Pays for itself many times over if you save just one screwup. Using the Torqkey at home gives me a good feel for the torque to apply in the unlikely event I have to adjust any of those bolts while away from home.

tom_h · Oct 15, 2009

In addition, I'd suggest that even when tightenining the stem's face cap with a torque wrench,
-- tighten each bolt in small increments, and
-- criss-cross the tightening sequence (ie, similar to a car's wheel lugnuts).
-- be sure the gap between face plate & stem, is uniform all around.

The above is probably more important with carbon-fiber handlebars

Also apply "carbon assembly paste" at the contact surfaces between stem and carbon bars.

Tahoma · Oct 15, 2009

Thank you cdhbrad and tom_h. You provided some very good information. My handlebars and stem are not carbon, but 3-D forged 6061 aluminum (4 bolt). I'll still set the stem as you recommended though with my torque wrench and tightening in a criss-cross patern and doing so in small increments.

RC28 · Oct 15, 2009

tom_h said:
In addition, I'd suggest that even when tightenining the stem's face cap with a torque wrench,
-- tighten each bolt in small increments, and
-- criss-cross the tightening sequence (ie, similar to a car's wheel lugnuts).
-- be sure the gap between face plate & stem, is uniform all around.

The above is probably more important with carbon-fiber handlebars

Also apply "carbon assembly paste" at the contact surfaces between stem and carbon bars.

+1 to all these suggestions

Torque Setting for Handlebar

Tahoma

C-40

frdfandc

Tahoma

cdhbrad

tom_h

Tahoma

RC28

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