...and that's exactly why I switched from the cheapo Harbor Freight set I'd been using for years. I figured a crimp is a crimp, but after a month of spotty connections I finally caved and got a Klein. Now I don't even think about it, just crimp and go, no second guessing.

Same thing happened to a buddy of mine last year. He crushed a seatpost clamp on his aluminum frame and it was a nightmare to fix. I feel for your friend man, it's such a dumb way to learn a lesson. @samf95 I think he just meant he tightened it until it felt "tight enough" which is basically guessing with no consistency. I totally get why you changed your tune. I use my torque wrench for everything now, even just swapping handlebars on my old beater bike. It saves so much hassle down the road.

Bite the bullet and shim every stud" sounds about right. My method is basically just swearing a lot and hoping the mud holds.

Yeah, the part about the track record having real value really hits home. I used to get dazzled by the shiny new franchise promises, but samf95 is right. That local shop has already proven it can last through the slow seasons, which a guarantee doesn't cover. You can't get that kind of history from a brand new place, no matter who signs the paper. Makes you weigh the risk totally different.

My old shop teacher had a saying about that. Measure twice, cut once, and check your tools three times. It's saved me a lot of grief.