Is a torque wrench required for carbon saddle rails?

lukester

Looking at a saddle with carbon rails. I don't have a torque wrench and don't want to buy one just at the moment.

Is it going to be more trouble than it's worth in terms of adjusting saddle fore-aft if I don't have a torque wrench? I'm thinking beyond the initial set-up, for which I could borrow one, to when I might want to adjust it later on.

There is another variant of the saddle with ti-rails, 50g heavier, (and I'm not buying this saddle for marginal weight savings, my frame is already too heavy) will get that instead if it's going to be a major hassle.
The carbon rail one is a nicer design however.

blorg

Tom has one, I think he reckons it is an almighty hassle. There can be issues with the stem clamp size as well as carbon rails are thicker.

Chips Lovell

I fitted a saddle with carbon rails last night. It had no torque spec on it.

lukester

@blorg had read about seatpost clamp issues online, although they seemed to be more to do with mtb clamps.

@tonto Which manufacturer was the saddle from? If it doesn't need a specific tightness that's a bonus.

Overall, incorrectly tightening clamps on carbon saddle rails seems like a recipe for crashing. From a brief Google, I've seen reference to Fizik saddles coming with torque specs.

Chips Lovell

Selle Italia.

niceonetom

blorg wrote: »

Tom has one, I think he reckons it is an almighty hassle. There can be issues with the stem clamp size as well as carbon rails are thicker.

I think you mean Tiny? My rails are as god intended: Ti.

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

Selle Italia.

Not an SLR 135g perchance?
Bought one from Skeff last year and it had Ti rails bought one at w/e (thought same one) but actually has carbon rails.

Chips Lovell

It's one of these, 95g.

DirkVoodoo

el tonto wrote: »

It's one of these, 95g.

That's a spicy meatball!!!

You should probably look at the seatpost specification, after all the rail torque will be dependent on the seat clamp torque which varies between manufacturers and the number of bolts used.

Probably don't go over 15-20 Nm.

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

It's one of these, 95g.

Good god I hope it was a present.

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

Good god I hope it was a present.

Don't worry, it was.

DirkVoodoo

el tonto wrote: »

Don't worry, it was.

From yourself doesn't count, we have been over this before.

Are you bringing it on Sunday? If you don't win are you blaming incorrect torque settings?

Chips Lovell

If I ever get my bike put back together again, yes I'll have it on Sunday.

My losing can be blamed firmly on mince pies, marzipan and not enough intervals.

lukester

el tonto wrote: »

Selle Italia.

Hmm.. am looking at one of theirs also, but nothing quite so sphincter-tightening in terms of price.