Woe is me...

Lagavulin

After 9 weeks of waiting I finally take delivery of my new bike and within half an hour I've broken it.

Don't know how but either when taking the supplied Tacx bottle cage out and mounting a Campag Centaur cage (both done using a BBB Torque wrench (set at 2nm) I appear to have stripped the thread on the front downtube boss.

Guess I'll be carrying my Powerade/PSP22 in my jersey pockets.

I feel physically sick.

thexvw

There are some repairs for this :-

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readcalvinscorner.asp?id=175

Slow Downcp

It could be that the original cage was cross threaded - certainly worth taking up with whoever you bought from.

thexvw

Worth a try although would be difficult to prove. It is also worth trying a thread chaser or tap through it as well, this could clean up the thread enough for you to put a stud back in with some loctite.

Lagavulin

Thanks for the suggestions. Shop I bought it from isn't open Sundays but I'll give them a ring on Monday.

There didn't appear to be any jarring or reluctance to unscrew when I removed the old bottle cage. It was however as soon as I tried to mount the Centaur cage that the front bolt simple refused to engage with the front boss. I'd bought a pair of the Centaur cages so tried all four bolts that came with those (jsut incase) before trying the original supplied bolts with no success.

My dad suggested a tap but I thought it might be a no-no in a carbon frame?

Its looking like my new shiny stead will have to keep its sleek lines, and I may have to stop on ocassions to take a drink.

John Stevenson

You don't say what the frame is, but I think it's likely the damage can be repaired.

Bottle bosses in carbon and aluminium frames are usually rivnuts - threaded rivets. A decent bike shop should have the necessary tools to replace a damaged rivnut.

Lagavulin

John Stevenson wrote:

You don't say what the frame is...

Izoard.

el_presidente

I've done this before on an aluminium frame and the LBS fixed it with ease (thankyou Condor). Not sure if it's as easy on carbon but certainly worth investigating.

Lagavulin

Had a word with the bike shop this afternoon. He's got a tap he thinks may work providing I haven't mangled it too badly. Here's hoping.

hodsgod

A tap can not "repair" your problem, if you have stripped the thread then the tap has nothing to cut into.

Did you cross the thread? I am sure you will know if you did or not, as the torque wrench would have reached required torque without the screw being fullt screwed down. I honestly suggest you contact the bike supplier.

Lagavulin

Good news. Took the bike back for post sale service yesterday and all is well.



Big thanks to Mark at ActivCyles, Corbridge for saving my blushes and making it far simpler to get a drink.