Cinelli 1R bar clamp bolt

[Jdsk]

The whole topic is about as standardised as the use of the word ‘engineer’ which once upon a time was a term applied to someone with extensive technical knowledge. These days it seems acceptable to add it to the job title of a toilet cleaner.

It's had multiple meanings in the UK for a very long time. I suspect that it's an insoluble problem, but chartered status might make a difference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Engineer_(UK)

Jonathan

[rogerzilla]

You have a misquote above

[Jdsk]

... in the Subject?

Jonathan

[philvantwo]

It's a cap screw.
Mick F knows what he needs.

[Mick F]

Not good news, I'm afraid.

Rode up the hill to the station for the 09:15 for Plymouth.
Moulton on board, me too of course, £4.20 single (with Devon and Cornwall Railcard) and arrived at 10:00.
Rode through the city centre on the cycle ways, and out to Exeter St to Express Fixings.
Wonderful shop, and helpful knowledgeable staff, and almost limitless stock.

Showed the chap my bolt.
He looked very doubtful.
I said it's M7 with a fine thread.
He looked closely at it and agreed, and said that they are rarer than hen's teeth, and should try online.
He asked if was for a bike .................. he could see mine outside, and I was wearing cycling gear.
He suggested I went to a bike shop!
I replied that the fitting is over 30years old and a any bike shop wouldn't even know what it was for!

Any road up, off I went, and I'm back at Square One.

Rode home out of the city and up Route 27 via Plym Valley Woods and the old GWR railbed to Yelverton, and then Drake's Trail (more Route 27) to Tavistock, then the A390 back to Gunnislake. Took a packed lunch with me, and scoffed it in the shade near Clearbrook.

Fruitless, but a decent ride.
Shower, and now on here with a can of beer.

[Mick F]

Just a thought .............

If I bought a "normal" M8 cap screw, and spent an hour trimming it down having bought M7 Fine die from eBay .........
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322986630899 ... Swh1paQ5PM

........... could I thread it?
I would need to trim down the cap head too of course.

Which Allen key size fits M8 cap heads?
The existing one uses 6mm.

[rjb]

Many years ago I was changing the disc pads on my ford escort when I hit a problem because the calipers needed a 7mm Allan key to release the bolts. Ask a garage to see if they have any m7 X .75 cap screws. You never know unless you ask.

I had to grind down an 8 mm key to make a tool that fitted.

If you are going to grind down a bigger bolt I would Chuck it up in an electric drill then put it on a bench grinder. Job done in seconds. Then use a die to cut the thread.

[Jdsk]

Which Allen key size fits M8 cap heads?
The existing one uses 6mm.

Dimensions:
https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/A2 ... ap_M8.html

Jonathan

[Mick F]

So ....... 6mm Allen for 7mm as well as 8mm screws/bolts.

Yes, it would be my idea to mount in a drill and use a bench grinder.

Dunno if it's worth the effort though.
By the time I'd bought the die and done the job ......... and all I need in one single cap-head screw.
It's not as though it'll be tightened and undone very often.

I wonder if I could whack a Torx into the worn one, tighten it up nice and tight, and then forget about it.

[Jdsk]

You're welcome.

Jonathan

[mattsccm]

Your last idea is the best Mick.

[Mick F]

At this moment, the thing is as tight as I can get it. Used a new (long) Allen key, and the fitting seems solid.

History ...........
Never moved that screw for years and years, but I noticed the bars had "migrated" downwards ie the hoods were lower over the tens of thousands of miles.

Loosened it off, rotated the bars, and tightened it up. 50yds after leaving the front door on the very next ride, the bars slipped.
Tried to tighten up but my Allen key was in danger of slipping in the hex socket.
Laser set, chrome plated, fits as a set in a blue plastic handle. The 6mm key looks tired and the corners are sort of rounded off.

Got out a new key and that fitted MUCH better, so tightened almost confidently, and all was well even under heavy braking.

Took the screw out ............ hence this thread. (pardon the pun!)

Providing I have no more trouble, I'm leaving well alone.
If it slips, I'll be buying a Ahead converter 1" stem and a Ahead stem to attach my bars to.

Quills were the only way in the past, and the advent of Ahead is wonderful. They didn't exist when I had my Mercian built.

[Mick F]

Future-proof.

One of these.
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m9b0s88p183 ... ll-Adaptor

And one of these. I have on one Moulton.
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m9b0s88p274 ... Ahead-Stem

[slowster]

Future-proof.

One of these.
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m9b0s88p183 ... ll-Adaptor

And one of these. I have on one Moulton.
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m9b0s88p274 ... Ahead-Stem

Threadless stems look horribly out of proportion on a traditional lightweight steel frame with narrow tubes. Given that 26.4mm stems are no longer made, a better option would be a new set of bars (26mm or 25.4mm) and a new quill stem.

I don't know what model (and width) of Cinelli bars you have, but it should be possible to find a suitable modern equivalent. Cinelli even re-issued their model 64 and 65 bars a few years ago in 26mm clamp diameter, but Nitto have a much wider range of shapes.

[ChrisButch]

Interesting that you managed to keep the 1R going for so long. I went through two of these in a very short time - they both developed nasty cracks. They looked beautiful, but... Having made this (rather expensive at the time) mistake, I reverted to 1As, which looked slightly more utilitarian, but were reliable. In fact I have one still in use after about 40 years..