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Unpopular opinion: Over-tightening stem bolts ruins more handlebars than you think.
I saw a buddy crank down on his bolts and strip the threads. Now I always use a torque wrench, even if it feels slow.
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the_holly3d ago
Torque wrenches are a safe move, but over-tightening gets too much blame. I've seen way more bars messed up from cross-threading during installation lol.
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xena_anderson2d ago
Cross-threading is the real torque wrench killer.
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jade_martin2d ago
After stripping a set myself, the torque wrench became my best friend. The real key is starting the bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading altogether. Once they're seated right, the wrench just gives you that final peace of mind. It's a slower process but saves SO much hassle and cash down the road.
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