Stem bolts sheared on brand new bike

[accountantpete]

Something is not right.

To shear the first stem bolt you have either bottomed out or closed the clamp right up - which is it?

Stem bolts are often interchangeable so the LBS may have some spares - get a new one and tighten up with a small allen key until the bolts are just tight and the gap between the clamps is even at each point. Then tighten up at quarter turns until the bars are solid.

 

[smokeysmoo]

This was the wrench

That looks indentical to the one I used to have, although FWIW mine was Giant branded and bought from my LBS.

I never had an issue with it TBH, but yours may have been manufactured elsewhere and/or calibrated differently.

FYI - they should be stored in a neutral state, ie: with no torque setting dialled in.

 

[woohoo]

Agreed that it is odd but I've had a bolt strip the threads on a stem (at the steering tube end) with hardly any force applied (years ago on a Marin MTB). It could have been a duff stem or it could have been whoever set the bike up. I have also removed the handlebars (on a Wilier road bike) to find that the clamp had been done up with so much force that the handlebars had deep creases in them (just as well that I was replacing them - they went in the bin). That was definitely (IMHO) due to them being tightened with massively excess force before I got the (new) bike.

So, IME, it is not just what in done when the problem becomes apparent but what might have happened some time before that.

 

[Goobs]

Having reported the issue to Rutland Cycling and providing photos they requested Giant replace the stem under warranty.

The old stem still has a bolt broken off in it. A tap and die might get it out - if so I'll hang on to it as a spare.

As for the wrench I am apprehensive about using it again except on perhaps higher torque requirements e.g. Crank
Or I may just send it back to amazon and get one of this ritchey 5nm jobs.

 

[Mike!]

Rutland Cycling have been excellent when I had an issue with a bike delivered last week, I decided to get it boxed and do the full setup up myself rather than pay the £30 for them to do it.

It had a warped front disc and although I've improved it a lot I just couldn't get it straight enough to get decent braking power out of it, new one posted out to me without any question at all. I wouldn't mind betting a more experienced person would have been able to straighten it but a big thumbs up to Rutland from me!

 

[Goobs]

Second that - Can't fault their support.
Replacement stem in the post tonight express delivery.
Rather than wait for Giant to ship a warranty one they took it off a stock bike.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

The little Ritchey tool is superb - they used to come with one head but now have three and fit most of the little bolts on a bike. Use mine all the time.

 

[gbb]

Having reported the issue to Rutland Cycling and providing photos they requested Giant replace the stem under warranty.

The old stem still has a bolt broken off in it. A tap and die might get it out - if so I'll hang on to it as a spare.

As for the wrench I am apprehensive about using it again except on perhaps higher torque requirements e.g. Crank
Or I may just send it back to amazon and get one of this ritchey 5nm jobs.

Realising you're not likely to actually buy a tap and try to extract the old bolt, but i'd offer the following...
IF the snapped bolt is above the surface of the stem, you may be able to get some grips on it and undo the broken stud. They can sometimes just spin out by hand.
If the bolt is below the stem surface, forget it. I'm a maintenance engineer and extracting a steel bolt from an alloy component is hard, its 50% luck whether the drill goes in straight. Damage the thread in any way...its bin time (which I realise it probably is anyway...but I wouldn't waste money on taps to find out)
Hope you get it sorted which ever way you go....its gutting when something like this happens.