Stem restrictions on 05 Easton EC90 Equip carbon road bar?

[drjones96]

DAMN! Yet another reason not to trust anything you see on PEZ!

[Coolhand]

DAMN! Yet another reason not to trust anything you see on PEZ!

Yeah, they are a bit clueless at times.

Still, the EA70 is a well proven stem at a comperable weight to the FSA OS-115 it will replace. I could have got a EC90, but they were backordered. Down the line I can get something else if I need to, but the real world weights in the listings looked ok- and the extra stiffness couldn't hurt.

If was pleased with the weight of the bars- probably dropped close to 100 grams over the FSA K-wings they replace.

I will submit the bar weight to the listings.

[drjones96]

Well the EC90 Stems haven't exactly been what you would call...good. Someone else may have a contradicting story but it was my understanding that the EC90 stems may have all initially been recalled at the begining of the 2005 production run because they just didn't work right or something. Or there was a high potential for failure.

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... =ec90+stem

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... =ec90+stem


The moral of the story is you did good by getting the EA70. I have that stem and I can vouch for it. No complaints. I use it with my 2004 EC90 OS.

[Coolhand]

Well the EC90 Stems haven't exactly been what you would call...good. Someone else may have a contradicting story but it was my understanding that the EC90 stems may have all initially been recalled at the begining of the 2005 production run because they just didn't work right or something. Or there was a high potential for failure.

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... =ec90+stem

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... =ec90+stem


The moral of the story is you did good by getting the EA70. I have that stem and I can vouch for it. No complaints. I use it with my 2004 EC90 OS.

Thanks, that's good to know.

I think this a new bunch of EC90 stems, which is coming out at the same time as the new EC70 flat top bar and EC70 stem. Still, like you I would rather go with a known quantity for now.

I will post more weights as the goodies come in.

[shabuta]

now that is weird my ec90 from wise did not say anything about a two bolt stem,all it said was do not use aerobars or clipons on the bars.

[drjones96]

now that is weird my ec90 from wise did not say anything about a two bolt stem,all it said was do not use aerobars or clipons on the bars.

That's what my EC90 OS said in the installation instructions also. It's a fact though. Don't know where it's currently written but supposed to only use 2-bolts.

[Coolhand]

now that is weird my ec90 from wise did not say anything about a two bolt stem,all it said was do not use aerobars or clipons on the bars.

I think you have the EC90 then, not the EC90 Equip or the EC90 Equip Pro, both of which just came out this year. My EC90 Equip OS had the two bolt restriction printed on the bar. However, it also explictly allows for non-profile style clipons.

This is the new EC90 Equips:

http://www.eastonbike.com/COMPONENTS/ba ... quipe.html

This is the old EC90 (still offered):

http://www.eastonbike.com/COMPONENTS/bar.road.ec90.html

And here is the new EC70 Wing flat top carbon bars:

http://www.eastonbike.com/COMPONENTS/bar.road.ec70.html

[drjones96]

Ok I emailed Veltec Sports about the 2-bolt stem restriction and here's what they said:

I wrote:
It has come to my attention that the EC90 Equipe Bar has a 2-bolt stem restriction in order to avoid crimping just like the EC90 and EC90 OS predicessors. However I have seen several of these bars mounted up to 4-bolt stems. And most recently I saw a photo in Pez Cycling News when they did a review of your products and had an EC90 Equipe shown mounted up with a 4-bolt stem. I'm confused.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=3116
(second photo)

They Wrote:
Thanks for your interest in Easton.
Here is the short version.
Easton has found that a 4 bolt stem can put way too much stress on a carbon bar. Recommended torque for a 4 bolt stem is 48 inch lbs. That isn't much torque. People being people don't use torque wrenches and will over tighten the bars which will lead to failure. To try to get around the over tightening problem, Easton has put 2 bolt stem only on the bar. The bar is approved for use with aero bars and if you read between the lines.....
Just pay attention to torque specs. OK?
Regards


Scott Vogelmann
Veltec Sports Inc.
Warranty & Technical Support


Honestly I don't know exactly what he's trying to say. Is he saying that it's really ok to use a 4 bolt as long as you be really careful with the torque? I just don't know for sure what he means by "....and if you read between the lines....."

[Coolhand]

Ok I emailed Veltec Sports about the 2-bolt stem restriction and here's what they said:

I wrote:
It has come to my attention that the EC90 Equipe Bar has a 2-bolt stem restriction in order to avoid crimping just like the EC90 and EC90 OS predicessors. However I have seen several of these bars mounted up to 4-bolt stems. And most recently I saw a photo in Pez Cycling News when they did a review of your products and had an EC90 Equipe shown mounted up with a 4-bolt stem. I'm confused.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=3116
(second photo)

They Wrote:
Thanks for your interest in Easton.
Here is the short version.
Easton has found that a 4 bolt stem can put way too much stress on a carbon bar. Recommended torque for a 4 bolt stem is 48 inch lbs. That isn't much torque. People being people don't use torque wrenches and will over tighten the bars which will lead to failure. To try to get around the over tightening problem, Easton has put 2 bolt stem only on the bar. The bar is approved for use with aero bars and if you read between the lines.....
Just pay attention to torque specs. OK?
Regards


Scott Vogelmann
Veltec Sports Inc.
Warranty & Technical Support


Honestly I don't know exactly what he's trying to say. Is he saying that it's really ok to use a 4 bolt as long as you be really careful with the torque? I just don't know for sure what he means by "....and if you read between the lines....."

I think what he is trying to say is if you are a good wrench, and if you have a good torque wrench and if you use it- you are probably ok with a 4 bolt stem. However, if any of these are not true- then go with a two bolt.

However, if you crimp the bar using a four bolt for any reason you're screwed- the rep made that clear to me. No warranty. Given how expensive these bars are, and how inexpensive the nice solid EA70 stem is (and probably the same weight as the FSA OS115 it replaces), I figured why risk it? IMHO, matching brands between the bar and stem is usually a darn good idea anyway. Plus the results of a error here can be quite grievious- no sense taking a foolish risk to save 20 grams.

[Coolhand]

Digital Gram Scale weight in;

2005 Easton EA70 31.8 stem 120mm - 165 grams.

[drjones96]

What does your FSA stem weigh?

[yourdaguy]

If it is any consolation I have 2 2004 Easton EC90 Equip bars and one of them has the 2 bolt clamp restriction printed on the top of the bar and the other doesn't. They were bought about 5 months apart and the earlier one had the printed restriction and the later one didn't. All my stems are 2 bolt, but it still seems like they could print 2 bolt torque and 4 bolt torque figures on there instead of the 2 bolt restricton.

[Coolhand]

What does your FSA stem weigh?

Don't have it yet. Weighed the ITM Carbon stem that comes stock on my Orca- 170 grams for the 120mm 31.8 clamp model.

[drjones96]

...it still seems like they could print 2 bolt torque and 4 bolt torque figures on there instead of the 2 bolt restricton.....

Easton's logic is that there is always some nuckle head out there installing components incorrectly without a torque wrench. I guess this is their way around having to warranty parts that the nuckle heads ruin.

[tommy]

Last sunday i crached in a race and "shaved" my ec90. The handlebar-tape and the yellow paint was gone. So i had to go out and buy an new one today. I use a ritchey WCS os stem. I went to my LBS and when i was there i asked if there was a restriction on the bar. Because they didn't know they called veltec nl just to be sure. At veltec they said that if you used not to much torgue it shouldn't be a problem. Also the new ritchey stems are made so that they won't crimp carbon bars.

So i'll just stick to my wcs stem...