# Torque settings...



## AlanS (Feb 5, 2003)

So, I got a new Ritchey WCS Carbon seatpost. Their on-line tech info said "14-16 Nm...no more than 16Nm". First I snugged it with my allen key...then I used my trusty (?) ole Park torque wrench to get it up to 14....NO WAY! That is waaaay too tight! I got it to 10 and I was content. I would never, ever have cranked it down to the spec. Now, either my beam unit is out of calibration (which I doubt, because I rarely use it and it is kept in it's nice box), or that spec is way off. Any thoughts?


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

does your wrench read newton's or did you convert?..I convert 14 Nm to 10.32585 foot pounds.


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## AlanS (Feb 5, 2003)

Touch0Gray said:


> does your wrench read newton's or did you convert?..I convert 14 Nm to 10.32585 foot pounds.


I think I might have mis-read the specs. That spec (16), may be for the seatpost - saddle connection. I do not know the seat binder torque....anyone have a clue?


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

AlanS said:


> It reads Nm and inch pounds.



well 14 Nm is 123.9105 inch pounds....hey, tight enough is tight enough....no sense crushing it, if it is secure...


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

AlanS said:


> So, I got a new Ritchey WCS Carbon seatpost. Their on-line tech info said "14-16 Nm...no more than 16Nm". First I snugged it with my allen key...then I used my trusty (?) ole Park torque wrench to get it up to 14....NO WAY! That is waaaay too tight! I got it to 10 and I was content. I would never, ever have cranked it down to the spec. Now, either my beam unit is out of calibration (which I doubt, because I rarely use it and it is kept in it's nice box), or that spec is way off. Any thoughts?




Most carbon seatposts I've seen have a max of 10 Nm.


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## jpaine (May 13, 2007)

I did 5NM on my carbon seat post!


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Wrong screw!*

It has to refer to the saddle rail clamp screws, not the seat post binder screw. Keep in mind that torque is rotational force (not clamping force), so it can only apply to a screw on a bicycle component. The only screws on a seat post are the saddle rail clamp screws.

The seat post maker has no way of knowing what the size and thus the proper torque of the seat post binder screw is. So in most cases, he doesn't even specify seat post binder screw torque for fear of guessing wrong. As said, try 5 Nm (even a little less if you used assembly paste) and check after a ride if the post stayed in place. If not, up the torque a bit.
/w


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## malanb (Oct 26, 2009)

be carefull you are gonna damage your bike or seat post. 14 is alot. usually frames dont go more than 7 - 8 nm max


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Just to reiterate what several here are saying (I have several Ritchey seatposts) - that value is for the saddle rail clamp and _not_ the seatpost clamp.


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## 6-Speed (Sep 9, 2010)

Just tighten the post clamp enough to keep the seat post from turning and sliding.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

6-Speed said:


> Just tighten the post clamp enough to keep the seat post from turning and sliding.


no...tighten the clamp to whatever torque is specified. less, and things will move at some point. too much, and you'll break things.


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## 6-Speed (Sep 9, 2010)

Well I checked my handy Park torque cheat sheet and it recommends 72 lb-in to 96 lb-in with recommended 80 lb-in for the binder. This translates to a range of 8.1 Nm to 10.8 Nm. I don't know whether this range is meant for carbon seat posts though. I would stick to the low end of the scale for carbon and if you tug on the seat and it feels secure, you should be good. 10 Nm is more than enough torque to secure any type of seat post.


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