Torque wrench options
Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team
I've always done torque by hand. I have a good feel for it, always have. Even before the days of carbon bikes, I always had club mates who were ham fisted and could strip a bolt by just looking at it.
I bought a 5nm torque key a while back and after trying it, I felt that 5nm was too tight for my tastes on stem and handlbars. Most torque values are max values so just tight enough to do the job but not exceeding the max torque is where you want to be.
I keep meaning to buy a proper torque wrench but never get around to it.
I bought a 5nm torque key a while back and after trying it, I felt that 5nm was too tight for my tastes on stem and handlbars. Most torque values are max values so just tight enough to do the job but not exceeding the max torque is where you want to be.
I keep meaning to buy a proper torque wrench but never get around to it.
Pb Swiss makes some pretty nice torque wrenches, with digital preset, and proper precision.
They can be had for someting to the tune of 150-200€, which makes them pretty hard to beat, for realiability and precision per €.
I've also been in mechanincs a fair bit of my life, and yes, one can go by feel in many cases, but as soon as carbon parts are involved, the vindow of proper torque, is getting very narrow, and there I have so far seen nobody, who was able to be within by feel.
Titanium is another material where the window is very narrow.
Clamping light alloy bars by feel is also risky business.
They can be had for someting to the tune of 150-200€, which makes them pretty hard to beat, for realiability and precision per €.
I've also been in mechanincs a fair bit of my life, and yes, one can go by feel in many cases, but as soon as carbon parts are involved, the vindow of proper torque, is getting very narrow, and there I have so far seen nobody, who was able to be within by feel.
Titanium is another material where the window is very narrow.
Clamping light alloy bars by feel is also risky business.
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This seems to be the most detailed thread I found on torque wrench. TOUR just poublished on their website a quite detailed test on torque-wrenches,
https://www-tour--magazin-de.translate. ... r_pto=wapp
Key takeaways:
- "bike brands" Parktool and Pedro's close the ranking in terms of precision... when that's #1 point of using one torque wrench.
- for 70e you have the perfect one (the first one on their test) if accept it's not as smooth as some at 2x or 3x
- particularly like the Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite, that for 80e reach the maximum score and is a great alternative if you travel with your key.
https://www-tour--magazin-de.translate. ... r_pto=wapp
Key takeaways:
- "bike brands" Parktool and Pedro's close the ranking in terms of precision... when that's #1 point of using one torque wrench.
- for 70e you have the perfect one (the first one on their test) if accept it's not as smooth as some at 2x or 3x
- particularly like the Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite, that for 80e reach the maximum score and is a great alternative if you travel with your key.
Can recommend reading through this article and it's follow-up as well, from the days in which CyclingTips had amazing content (sadly, not so much anymore): https://cyclingtips.com/2022/10/cool-to ... -part-one/
Have the same, love it. Mine seems to read a little lower than my others (also beam type) so I aim a little lower, but that's a one time know-your-tool, no comparison to the mystery click that may or may not come. I really don't understand why one could prefer click type outside of a mass production setting where your primary concern are absent-minded workers who might just have their worst day.jfranci3 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 4:33 amThis is the way to fly- https://amzn.to/2XUzGK9 $25 and small enough to carry with you at all times; easier to pack, lighter, and smaller than most multi-tools.
Cheap, beam type are usually more accurate than all but the best clickers, and small enough to carry in your flat kit. The bits and wrench are the same size as two tire levers.
The problem with beam type is there are very user-error-prone and the reason many serious industries have banned them. now the model shown above is super compact!
One key point not obvious to everyone, is that you shouldn’t « click twice », each subsequent « click » brings a bit more torque to the screw leading to exceed the nominal value you were targeting.
One key point not obvious to everyone, is that you shouldn’t « click twice », each subsequent « click » brings a bit more torque to the screw leading to exceed the nominal value you were targeting.
Last edited by C36 on Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I bought a Harbor Freight torque wrench for $30 or so. I'm terrible at gauging torque by feel...I need to use the torque wrench just about every time I touch a bolt on my carbon bikes and I haven't had any issues so far. I fully expect it to die quickly, but it's already outlived it's value.
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So I am in the market for a new torque, I currently have a BBB BTL-73 for low end and I got a WERA C1 for the high end. The WERA tool is just superb, quality, precise, love it. So for the love end, I can sell my BTL-73 and want to upgrade to something similar for the low range 2-15Nm.
What I was thinking
- Wera A5 or A6
- Pro Team digital torque wrench
The Pro team is a bit more expensive but comes with a few torx and hex bits, the A5 comes without any and the A6 in a combo.
I wanna go for a max of €200,-
Anyone got any experience with either? The pro team seems to be very accurate from what I can find online, being digital is also a nice bonus. WERA still seems hard to beat tho.
What I was thinking
- Wera A5 or A6
- Pro Team digital torque wrench
The Pro team is a bit more expensive but comes with a few torx and hex bits, the A5 comes without any and the A6 in a combo.
I wanna go for a max of €200,-
Anyone got any experience with either? The pro team seems to be very accurate from what I can find online, being digital is also a nice bonus. WERA still seems hard to beat tho.
LifeLine Essential Torque Wrench Set, price 44 EUR, 2-24Nm range, with 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10mm hex heads, T25 and T30 Torx heads, and a 5mm extension bar:
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essen ... ench-set-1
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lif ... prod155414
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers ... ue-wrench/
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/be ... -wrenches/
https://off.road.cc/content/review/tool ... view-11053
Every torque wrench should be calibrated. For regular professional use, ISO 6789-2 standard recommends calibration every 12 months or 5,000 cycles, whichever occurs first.
You can calibrate the wrench yourself, or pay someone to do it: https://gprivate.com/64ba5
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essen ... ench-set-1
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lif ... prod155414
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers ... ue-wrench/
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/be ... -wrenches/
https://off.road.cc/content/review/tool ... view-11053
Every torque wrench should be calibrated. For regular professional use, ISO 6789-2 standard recommends calibration every 12 months or 5,000 cycles, whichever occurs first.
You can calibrate the wrench yourself, or pay someone to do it: https://gprivate.com/64ba5