#$%#$ Fsa Torx Bolts

[veggieburger]

There's an annoying little click when I pedal, and I have narrowed the noise to either the BB or the chainrings. But alas, my Gossamer cranks have those annoying Torx star bolts and I don't have a proper allen key. Is there an advantage to these little suckers, or did FSA spec them to personally irk me?

[Ken Robb]

they take more torque without stripping than allen bolts.

[veggieburger]

they take more torque without stripping than allen bolts.

That's all I needed to hear. Good to know, thanks!

[kramnnim]

Campy seems to like the annoying torx fasteners, too. I can see how they are superior, but when you don't have the right tool on hand...urgh.

[forrestw]

Yeah, because campy uses the same I replaced the phillips driver on my multi-tool with the suitable TORX.

The Ti in my shoulder is also held down with torx screws :-)

[oliver1850]

Torx are the better fastener drive system. The tools are everywhere now. You can buy a multitool at any hardware store for next to nothing in bike dollars. FSA even includes a wrench with a package of chainring bolts.

I'd be interested to hear whether you can isolate the noise or not. A friend had the same issue with an FSA crank. We couldn't find anything obviously wrong, it had several thousand miles on it, so we just put a new Rival crank and BB on it. I suspect the joint between the drive side arm and the spindle was going away, but we never confirmed that.

[WickedWheels]

Torx are the better fastener drive system.

With one small exception... getting into the torx brake bolt on my wife's 44cm frame with very tight clearance. It's possible with an allen wrench that has a Bondhus head, but not so easy with torx.

[Louis]

You can buy a multitool at any hardware store for next to nothing in bike dollars.

This is amusing. :)

[oldpotatoe]

There's an annoying little click when I pedal, and I have narrowed the noise to either the BB or the chainrings. But alas, my Gossamer cranks have those annoying Torx star bolts and I don't have a proper allen key. Is there an advantage to these little suckers, or did FSA spec them to personally irk me?

Aluminum and a torx strip less. Whether or not aluminum is 'proper' on any crankbolt is up for discussion(I say no) but that's why. Trundle on down to your local hardware store and get a foldable, multi torx tool..about $6.

[jr59]

Thank God I don't price everything in bike dollars!

I need the little icon that falls down laughing for this. :D

[Seott-e]

Most of these components come with the proper TORX wrench.

[rice rocket]

Whether or not aluminum is 'proper' on any crankbolt is up for discussion(I say no) but that's why.

Agreed, aluminum should not be used for threaded fasteners, period.