Problem Solvers Downtube Shifter Mount

I really need the clamp but even my over expensive bike shop thinks it’s over priced;

I'll put my ego aside here and confess a mistake I made to maybe help the greater good.

Somewhere on that little manilla packaging are very tiny instructions which specify DO NOT over-tighten. Okay my bad for not reading instructions on a CLAMP (with one bolt) until AFTER over-tightening. Realize this -- my down-tube is 31.8 -- the shifter mount is 31.8 -- so I was trying to avoid "daylight" between the mount and the frame -- seems like common sense? Well common sense isn't often common -- and I am guilty here. Needless to say this story ends in a pinched down-tube. Another amateur bike mechanic learns his lesson the hard way. Thankfully to some degree It's chromoly and barely noticeable. It's an internally geared 3 speed on a single speed frame. The frame can swapped for about 100 dollars and a couple of hours worth of work (I'm making myself try to feel better here). I'll observe the frame for signs of stress at the welds -- I'm sure no retailer would say "okay this frame still rideable" because of liability but I'm not throwing the thing away just yet.

(Oh in case you are wondering -- using a torque wrench set to 5 NM didn't avoid this mistake.)

All Problem Solver items seem well made. This did solve my problem -- I can now mount down-tube shifters -- just be aware of the issue described above. Honestly if they made the disclaimer prominent on the item I may have still used a torque wrench and kept tightening to avoid doing what I did -- your torque will strip the bolt before it ever "clicks" telling you to stop turning.

In retrospect after going to the Problem Solver website to review the directions that I ignored (I tossed them initially in the trash not even aware there actually ARE instructions on this manilla sheet) -- when you read there instructions it seems quite clear that I'm not the first person to do this with there products. In their defense it's a damned if you do/damned if you don't issue -- to loose can be as catastrophic as too tight.;