Possible issue with Nitto Tallux stem and Nitto Albatross bars

[Sean B.]

Hello!

Has anyone experienced and slippage with this setup? I know i have the correct sizes, but it keeps slipping when the bolt is tightened. I'm afraid to keep hammering down on the bolt and damaging anything. How tight is too tight? Any tips?

Thanks.

-Sean

[Eric Norris]

Sean:

What’s slipping? The bars in the stem, or the stem in the steerer? How does “hammering down on the bolt” work?

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com

@CampyOnlyguy (Twitter/Instagram)

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[Sean B.]

The bars rotate down within the stem when weight is applied to the bars. "Hammering" down on the bolt = over-tightening the clamp.

[Patrick Moore]

I've experienced that and I'd guess that, despite the specs, your clamp is very slightly too big for your bar. But before getting a new stem or new bar, try using the appropriate type of Loctite. I once had an expensive and very slightly undersized 27.2 seatpost for my gofast Riv that would slip at the rate of, Oh, say, 1/2" per mile. Blue Loctite fixed that.

Anecdote: Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I owned a 5-speed, tourist-bar, 5-speed* Raleigh Sprite that I wanted to hot rod. So I flipped the North Road bar, trimmed 2" from each end, and fancied that I was fast. But I discovered that, with more weight on the bar (this was pre-Grant instruction to get the saddle back, so that your torso muscles support themselves), every time I hit a minor pothole or major frost heave, the bar would slip down.

This happened once near DuPont Circle in WDC, and since there was a bike shop nearby, I went in and plaintively explained my problem. The burly mechanic said, "I can fix that" and took a long-handled wrench and proceeded to torque down the bar clamp bolt. Of course, everything was mild steel, so no problem.

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Auditis an me ludit amabilis insania?

[Eric Norris]

I know it sounds basic, but you’re sure the bars and stem are the same size? It’s hard to tell by looking at them. 

With long bars like the Albas, you’re applying a lot of torque on the stem/bar connection, so it’s going to be a little harder than usual to keep them from rotating. 

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com

@CampyOnlyguy (Twitter/Instagram)

[Bob Lovejoy]

Sean, are you absolutely sure of the clamp size of the stem you have?  The Albatross bars are spec'ed at 25.4 (I believe) and the Tallux stem is available in 25.4 or 26.0.  A 26.0 version would cause what you are describing, at least without using shims.  I know some stems are clearly marked but I do not know about the Tallux.

Bob

[Sean B.]

They are the correct sizes. Both are marked 25.4, they only really slip when I stand up on the pedals. I feel like the clamp it already too tight, but I guess the only damage I could do would be to the bolt. It just seems odd to me seeing as these are both parts offered by Riv.

[Sean B.]

They are the correct sizes. Both are marked 25.4, they only really slip when I stand up on the pedals. I feel like the clamp it already too tight, but I guess the only damage I could do would be to the bolt. It just seems odd to me seeing as these are both parts offered by Riv.

[Eric Norris]

Sean:

If nothing else works, get an aluminum soda or beer can and cut out a small shim—enough to wrap around the bar. An aluminum can is about 0.097mm thick, so wrapping it once around the bars will add about 0.2mm diameter, which might make up a small difference between your bars and stem (the stem must be larger, or the bars wouldn’t fit into the stem). If a full wrap is too much, cut it in half or a little less. Tighten it up and test it carefully at low speed.

You could also try scoring the clamping area on the bar so it’s not quite as smooth. The pointy end of a small file should work, or a scribing tool.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com

@CampyOnlyguy (Twitter/Instagram)

[Jon Dukeman,central Colorado]

Try cleaning the stem and bar where they meet of any grease or oil.
Torgue the M8 bolt to :120-140inch pounds or14-16Nm

Many times we think a bolt is tightened enough but actually isn't.
A torque wrench will prevent damage from over tightening and remove any doubt.
If you don't have a torgue wrench take your bike to your LBS and they should check the torque for you free of charge.
If that fails to stop the bars from slipping try shimming the stem as others have mentioned above.
Jon

[JohnS]

A little grease on the bolt threads helps too.

JohnS

[CMR]

https://groups.google.com/forum/?nomobile=true#!searchin/rbw-owners-bunch/albatross$20slipping%7Csort:date/rbw-owners-bunch/j8bodYGeqCM/pU-xL1SBAgAJ

I posted about this same issue before and nothing seemed to work. I now mostly use Jitensha-style bars and they don't have the slipping issue!

[Justin, Oakland]

The leverage is too much! You’re an animal!

There’s some carbon friction paste some folks use on seatposts. Would stand to reason it would work on this too.

-J

[Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles]

What Justin said and a known torque spec

[Bill Lindsay]

My Albatross experience is limited to one setup, which is similar but not identical.  I've got a cromoly Albatross on a bike with a vintage SR made stem with a 25.4mm clamp diameter.  I don't have a slippage issue.  I don't think you should have a slippage issue under normal riding conditions.  If I were you, I would have a good mechanic who you trust look over your setup.  That good mechanic will check that you did everything right, check the torque on the bolt and then tell you what he or she would do to resolve the issue.  The only setup issue that comes to mind is that if you don't grease the threads and/or don't lube the interface between the bolt head and the stem, then the bolt can feel tight in your hand without really being all that tight.  

Is there any other information about your parts that you haven't shared yet?  Did you purchase these parts new from Rivendell?  Or are these used bits with unknown histories?  Where in the country are you?

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

On Friday, December 28, 2018 at 9:46:53 AM UTC-8, Sean B. wrote:

[Scott McLain]

I put on an alba setup last year and had the same issue. I have an aluminum Alba bar with a Tallux stem. I assumed that I let grease between the bar and stem. So I cleaned it off and added a little blue lock-tight and I think I got it!

I also used blue lock-tight to get my seatpost to stop letting my seat pop a wheelie. It worked!

[aeroperf]

What Jon and Scott and Patrick said.

I had this happen with the same set-up.  Only once, but it was at a bad time.

I got home, loosened the bolt, cleaned everything, applied a very thin coat of blue locktite, and torqued to 140 in*lb.

Problem solved.

-Jack-