Damaged stem, do I need new bars?

greasedscotsman
greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
edited June 2010 in Workshop
Have a bit of a problem with my Ritchey stem today. It's one of the old style WCS with the two part face clamp and it's split by a couple of mm's close to one of the bolt holes in the main stem body. Bit of a rubbish description, but really my question is are the handlebars going to be OK? Not sure how the damage has occured to the stem, I'm guessing I've overtightened it, but is this going to damage the bars? Do I need to replace both items? Oh, and the bars are a pair of Ritchey Pro Carbon Matrix, which are carbon wrapped alloy.

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Is there any physical damage to the bars? Anything with a multi-bolt faceplate and carbon bars really needs even tension and use of a torque wrench.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Haven't taken the it apart yet, I though I might get hold of a torque key so I can then measure if I have overtighened it. I can't check the bolt closest to the damage, but can do so with the bolts on the other side of the stem.

    If I've overtightened it, then it's new bars, if not then I think they will be OK. But then might just get some new Ritchey alloy bars, for piece of mind?

    Also please note, I'm not using carbon bars, but carbon wrapped alloy bars. Not sure if that makes a difference, depends on if they have been designed to be strong enough without the carbon "wrap".

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